Bid to stop travellers at Newent camp
A MEETING was due to take place today to try to stop travellers continuing to build their camp near Newent.
Forest of Dean District Councillor Len Lawton has called a session with legal officers after a failed attempt to get a court order to stop the work.
It comes as the travellers moved onto the field in Southend Lane on Friday and laid a hard surface, installed a portable toilet and cesspit and separated off 12 plots in a matter of hours.
Mr Lawton said: "The situation on Saturday morning was that we applied for a county court injunction to have the work stopped from midday onwards.
"However, the judge refused our application, the reason I was told is because there was no threat to life and limb. Despite no order being granted we will still be doing something. He said he was meeting with the council's legal officer and strategic director today.
"There is the possibility of a stop order as they have broken planning law," he said.
He said they wrote to the land owners in February pointing out the status of the land and what process they would need to undertake before being able to develop.
"They did not respond, but said in conversation with local residents they intended to put a stable block on the land," he said.
Coun Lawton, said even if a stop order is imposed, it will not be the end of the matter.
He said: "We would have to give instruction to remove all the work they have done, but they can appeal that decision.
"If they did that we would then make an attempt to prosecute and the entire site would go before a planning inspector. I would now expect them to apply, retrospectively for planning permission
"The government advice and assistance is no help in these circumstances. It is no help to the residents of Southend Lane and it needs to be fairer for all."
Speaking on Sunday, Sam, a spokesman for the group, said they were 'law abiding citizens' who just want a place to live.
"We have applied to the council to give us a home on a number of occasions, but with no joy," he said. We don't want to cause our new neighbours any harm and want to get on with them."
Writing on The Citizen's website at www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk, one resident said: "Some of us who have a link to Newent, or live in the town, have more objection to the traffic and disruption, and less to the actual people.
"Living down the lane, we have seen hardcore trucks up and down our drive-like road every 20 minutes from 6am until 6pm for three days."
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by Law abiding susan, England
Wednesday, June 03 2009, 8:30AM
“We bought a small piece of green belt agricultural land at the bottom of our garden. It is at the edge of a much larger field owned by developers as part of their land bank. We bought it to prevent development and also to protect ourselves from people straying from a recently introduced public footpath to peer over our fence and, on a number of occasions talk to our small children. It was already fenced on 3 sides and we added a fourth agricultural post and wire fence and left it as paddock. We did nothing other than occasionally mow it. No one complained. We were served an enforcement notice by the local council to remove the fence as by erecting it we were a) incorporating it into our garden (we weren't and didn't want to, too much like hard work!) and b) enclosing green belt land. We appealed and won the right to keep the fence, the council reappealed on a technicality and we were ordered to remove the fence as we were enclosing green land...the fence was not visible from anyone else's property and was visually "open" and had a gate. This process took 2 years, we couldn't afford lawyers so we did it ourselves. The council spent huge amounts on legal advice and at the final hearing came with 4 18 inch high piles of files relating to the case.
We accept that we had to remove the fence and have done so and moved on from the whole episode...we took some comfort from the councll's "diligence" that the rest of the surrounding fileds would be safe from development if so much public money were spent on removing a barely visible fence.
I do hope that for Newent's sake that Gloucester county council uses the same diligence. Double Standards? I hope not.”
by J Clarke, Newent
Wednesday, May 27 2009, 11:38PM
“Can't the police move these people on. I thought land for horse grazing was usually rented out. I blame the farmer/landowner as much as anyone for "selling" it at quite a high price, I have heard, probably with few questions asked.
Newent is on the way down. The museum has gone, the Caribbean restaurant, various other amenities and now it will become an easy target for many more travellers. Just a weak notice to quit isn't going to move this lot; they are making complete fools of everyone.
I hope those who are against these free loaders will keep the pressure going.
Jan
Newent”
by Simon Rickards, Newent
Tuesday, May 26 2009, 11:13PM
“Rastus - err i'm not one of these travellers - i'm living temporarily in a mobile home, not a caravan!”
by Red Eel, Newent
Tuesday, May 26 2009, 9:14PM
“Very nice of these people to move here.
From speaking to several estate agents, the value of property in the very local area will drop massively. People dont want to live next to "travellers".
Travellers don't pay tax, or don't follow the same rules as us. So why should they have the same rights as us.
Why not just scrape together and buy a house like the rest of us.”
by Names, Newent
Tuesday, May 26 2009, 8:24PM
“Keyway of Gloucester supply (note still going on !) the lorries. Smiths of Newent sold the field”
by TrickyTaylors, FoD
Tuesday, May 26 2009, 7:35PM
“Mr Mann
I've asked you a question on this issue elsewhere. This is just a back up.”
by doog, glos
Tuesday, May 26 2009, 6:37PM
“These people are a law unto themselves. They could not give a damm what other people like or dislike. They pay no income tax-no council tax and no water rates but still expect to get their offspring educated and to get clean water to drink and drive on the honest taxpayers roads. Get the army in and get rid of these wasters now!”
by Get Them Off The Road, Cheltenham
Tuesday, May 26 2009, 4:09PM
“Simon Rickards, Newent
No Simon, just naive.”
by Simon Rickards, Newent
Tuesday, May 26 2009, 3:41PM
“Get Them Off The Road - you know they will build for a fact do you? My opinions were not based on naievity, they were based on letting people live and let live.”
by rob mann, dursley
Tuesday, May 26 2009, 3:37PM
“mr stimpson from cheltenham.
you have obviously know the individuals who have moved onto this land to suggest thier perceived income from theft and other low life activities, or is this your racist attitude that you are showing all to see ?.
i am sure you will find all thier vehicles are taxed and insured and paid for as is the way with most travellers. they dont have mortgages and h.p.and dont live above thier means as some do.
they also have young children and elderly parents as we do so why do they have to justify where they get thier income from to you or me?.
whether you like it or not they have the same rights as you and are part of our democratic system. the district council and county council are the real cause of this problem by not providing enough sites for these people as is a requirement. the previous gypsy site in the area was the cinders site at an industrial estate in cinderford that was vandalised i believe by irish travellers and then the council sold the site for developement. would you like to live on an indusrial estate with your family and not feel like a 2nd class citizen? these people must live somewhere and the children are entitled to an education as we are.
did the landowner mind when he took thier money ? no and it is for the district council to collect council tax.
district councillors have recently awarded themselves up to 56 pence per mile mileage allowance increase and together with MPs allowances not as honest as we expect i believe i have my own opinion of who the thieves are in our society.
the gypsy is entitled to live his way of life as you are.
are thier caravans old and tatty ? no nor thier vehicles but they face the prejudice and racism for living as gypsies do”