Hyndburn MP Graham Jones demands action on Traveller sites - Lancashire

From the Lancashire Telegraph

AN East Lancashire MP is calling for Government action on Traveller sites.

Hyndburn MP Graham Jones has written to Communities Secretary Eric Pickles urging him to publish an investigation into official sites.

He said he, and many people in East Lancashire, are ‘very concerned’ about the issue of official Traveller sites, and said more action needs to be taken to support local councils.

In East Lancashire there have been several recent incidents of illegal Travellers’ sites being set up, including last week in Darwen, and Towneley Park, in Burn- ley, last month.

Mr Jones said: “The department website states that the government will publish a new planning policy statement for Traveller sites in response to the consultation as soon as possible following due considerat-ion.

“This new statement is then to be reviewed and incorporated into the final national planning policy framework.

“This is an issue on which many of my constituents are very conc-erned and wish to know when this new planning policy statement for Traveller sites, or any other response to the consultation, is due to be published.”

Last summer, a large group of Travellers set up a site at Arden Hall, in Accrington, which is near Mr Jones’ home.

Arden Hall is popular with walkers and is a wildlife site, often hosting bat walks and wild-flower projects.

On that occasion the site was left in a mess when Hyndburn Council gained an order for the Travellers to be moved on.

He said: “The arrival of the Travellers was ‘entirely preventable’ and more action is needed.”