Travellers told to move on from Byfleet land - Surrey

From the Get Surrey

“WE want them gone,” say residents who are furious about Travellers setting up camp in their private close.

The Travellers, who have been inhabiting the car park next to Sapphire House, in York Close, Byfleet, have been served an eviction notice by site owner Pacific Shelf, with a hearing scheduled for November at Guildford County Court.

Residents believe the caravans are the same ones that have been parked up and moved on elsewhere in the area over the past few years.

York Close resident Patricia Headen said: “We want them gone. They’re making a mess and it looks unsightly.

“There’s a cooker in the car park, and everything.

“They kept themselves to themselves for a long time, but now they’ve been served an eviction notice they’ve become more of a problem.

“There’s litter everywhere, blowing down the street.”

A complexity exists over the eviction process, because one caravan is parked on a verge, which is Surrey County Council land, but the others are on Pacific Shelf land.

Mrs Headen continued: “The people who are there have been all round the area.

“They were last seen in Shepperton.”

A Surrey County Council spokesman said: “We are aware of this new-age Traveller whose caravan is on the Surrey highway and whom we have encountered before, and have started an eviction process.”

Residents say the travellers have been in the close for about six weeks.

Praveen Natarajan, another resident, said: “They have not caused too much trouble, but you’re always aware they’re there.

“My wife was a bit worried at first because we have two young children and she was on her own at home.”

A police spokesman said: “Surrey Police has received a number of reports from members of the public over the last month, of a Traveller incursion in Parvis Road, Byfleet.

“Officers from Woking safer neighbourhood team have also engaged with those at the site and continue to monitor the area, but at this stage there have been no reports of any crimes or other incidents taking place at the location.”

Lochailort Investments, which has exchanged contracts on the site, held an exhibition into how it proposes to transform Sapphire House into 11 terraced houses. Residents have welcomed the plans.

A condition of the exchange is that the travellers are no longer in residence.