Travellers move onto St Keverne quarry - Cornwall

From This Is The West Country

Travellers have moved onto Dean Quarry near St Keverne in the same week that more details were revealed about an official Traveller site for the parish. Four vans are understood to have moved onto the quarry land, about a mile out of the village.

Travellers have already been living on a section of council car park at Coverack for around six years. It comes as pitch numbers for an official Traveller and Gypsy site, believed to be planned for near Coverack, have been confirmed. Speaking at a meeting of St Keverne parish councillors last week, member Anthony Richards alleged that the travellers had put their own padlock on the gate to the quarry, with a note saying that anyone who wanted to evict them would “have to initially pay £5,000.”

Mr Richards said there were apparently four vans on the quarry land, although he did not know how many people were living in them. He added: “Presumably they will be evicted in due course from that land, but I think we want to make representations to the quarry owners, who may not be aware of the situation.”

Mr Richards said he had visited briefly, claiming that an existing stand pipe had been “broken off” and water was now running down from the main pipe. He also said the planned Travellers’ site for the parish was “very close by” and urged Cornwall Council to get that completed “as soon as possible.”

Agent Tim Pickett said a meeting took place with a landowner and Cornwall Council planning officer Mark Broomhead three weeks ago.

The Travellers’ site would have six permanent pitches – the number judged to be needed after assessment of the area – and two temporary pitches. The site would be part of a larger scheme for affordable housing and Gypsy Traveller sites in Cornwall. Mr Pickett said: “We don’t want to release the location for the site. It’s on the table and being worked [on]. As soon as that’s into the public domain it will encourage more and more Travellers to descend on the area.”

Councillor Bill Frisken said: “It would appear the Travellers generally have got wind of the fact there will be sites provided in the locality for Travellers and they’re all starting to move in here. St Keverne parish will become the hub of all the Travellers.”

Councillor Derek Kevern claimed that Travellers were “depriving” locals of a beach as many were reluctant to go to Godrevy Cove due to its close proximity to where the Travellers were living.