First departure of Gypsies from illegal Meriden site - West Midlands

From the Birmingham Mail

After 1,063 days, could this be the beginning of the end of the Meriden Traveller stand-off?

Some of the residents camped illegally on green belt land have been spotted hooking up caravans and leaving the site.

The pictures were taken after a High Court judge extended Sunday’s deadline for them to be off the land by three weeks, until April 21, because of the recent “extraordinarily unseasonal” weather.

Doug Bacon, from Residents Against Inappropriate Development, set up to monitor the activities of the Gypsies, said a car was spotted towing a caravan and a shed off the site on Wednesday.

“Whether this is a permanent departure or temporary departure, we don’t know,” he said.

“Although the judge had made a ruling and all avenues of appeal have been exhausted, our protest will carry on.

“We hope they stick to their word and leave on or by April 21. There’s no guarantee they will actually do so.

“Should they not leave, then we will need to ensure that Solihull Council takes appropriate action to ensure they abide by the injunction.”

Noah Burton, head of the Traveller group, would not comment about the caravan move but added: “We are going through the legal aspect.”

The group, who arrived on the land in May, 2010, were supposed to leave on Sunday after hammering out a deal with the High Court and Solihull Council last year.

On Tuesday, a judge threw out two last-minute applications to remain at the site but granted them a three-week extension because of the bad weather.

Mr Justice Bean said: “The weather in the last few days in the Midlands and throughout the rest of the country has been extraordinarily unseasonal.

“There have been freezing conditions and more have been forecast for the next few days. I am prepared to suspend the injunction for a further 21 days.”

The Gypsies have a further month to restore the site back to its greenbelt status after they vacate the site in April.

see also The Coventry Telegraph - Is this the end of the Meriden Gypsy stand-off?