Councils give travellers 24 hours notice to leave after illegal encampments set up in car park and playing fields
Around 60 vehicles pitched up in Nottingham last night while two groups of travellers have been setting up unauthorised encampments across several areas in Plymouth over the last few days.
Both Plymouth City Council and Rushcliffe Borough Council issued notices for the groups to move from the areas that are widely used by the public.
In Nottingham, the convoy forced entry into the Nursery Car Park in West Bridgford by breaking through a gate and gaining access to the grounds last night, the cops said.
Nottinghamshire police then worked with the local council to issue a Section 61 Notice, asking them to leave by midday today or face action.
And down south, there have been three sites set up during the course of the weekend in Plymouth, with the council supplying toilets and bins as per its legal obligations each time.
But they have since secured Notice to Quit orders through the courts, allowing them to legally enforce the removal of the caravans and vehicles.
One group of caravans and vehicles settled at a field next to Plymouth Albion rugby pitch by Brickfields late Thursday night, locals claimed.
It was said they were on land off Kings Road which has been earmarked to be part of Plymouth Argyle's new academy.
The rugby club said it was the second time this year this had happened but refused to further comment.
The travellers then moved on Sunday to council land at Stonehouse Creek. Another group were also reported at the Prince Rock playing field over the weekend.
The site, off the Embankment Road and near to Laira Bridge, has long been a regular go-to site for Travellers with a large number of caravans and vehicles moving onto the ground, each year, around the May and June time and running through most of the summer.
If the land is council owned, the council can issue a Notice to Quit. A Notice to Quit gives Travellers 48 hours to vacate the area. If Travellers fail to do so, the council has authority to escalate proceedings and apply through the court to have the groups removed.
If the land is not council owned, it will be down to the landowner to take action.
Councils across the UK have a duty of care to Travelling communities and all have designated areas where groups can stay.
The city council has a permanent site called The Ride near Saltram, in Plympton, but there is a waiting list. If an encampment is reported on public land or local parks, the council has to apply to the civil court for an eviction order.
If a camp is set up on private land it is the responsibility of the landowner to apply to the court for an order. In both cases it is down to bailiffs to enforce eviction orders and move Travellers on.
A spokesperson for Plymouth City Council told PlymouthLive: 'There are currently three unauthorised encampments in Plymouth.
'Over the weekend, groups arrived at Prince Rock Playing Fields and at Stonehouse Creek. In order to minimise disruption to residents, we will be issuing both groups with a 24-hour Notice to Quit at the earliest opportunity.
'So that the area can be kept as tidy as possible, and to minimise clean-up costs afterwards, toilets and bins will be provided to the group.
'Meanwhile, the encampment at Knowle Battery remains in situ. The group were served a Notice to Quit last Monday, and follow its expiry on Tuesday we applied to the court for a Possession Order. We are waiting for date for the hearing.'
In 2023 the council had to pay out an additional £7,000 to remove hazardous waste from Prince Rock playing field after Travellers left the site.
Shortly after one group of Travellers left the site, locals were shocked to discover huge mounds of waste - including suspected asbestos waste - dumped on the grass.
One resident later filmed the piles of waste which Plymouth City Council confirmed was likely to be hazardous and would require what they described as 'specialist contractors' to clear away.
Police officers have no powers to remove Travellers unless they receive reports of 'aggravating factors' such as disorder, antisocial behaviour, or crime.
Plymouth police used Section 61 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 in June 2021 to order Travellers at St Mary's playing field in Plympton to leave the site or see their vehicles seized. It is believed to have been the first time Plymouth police made use of the legal power.
The council has explained that the creation of a Temporary Stopping Site (TSS) in Plymouth would mean that police could effectively legally order Travellers who set up unauthorised encampments at council-owned land in the city to go to the TSS site - or face immediate eviction.
In 2011 three sites were earmarked by Plymouth City Council for development for Gypsies and Travellers to prevent the increasing number of unauthorised encampments. At the time support in principle was agreed for 30 pitches in Mowhay Road, St Budeaux, 10 pitches on Military Road in Efford and 15 pitches at Broadley Park in Roborough.
However, by 2014 the plans had come to nothing following opposition by councillors and residents and the insistence by one senior councillor that such plans were 'not affordable, even with substantial public subsidy.'
A council spokesperson told PlymouthLive: 'The type of unauthorised encampments that we see in Plymouth are not in anyone's best interest.
'They unsettle residents, cost the council money and do not provide the appropriate facilities for the Gypsy, Roma and Travelling community.
'We have long held an ambition to establish Temporary Stopping Sites (TSPs) for the GRT community to use while they visit the city. This would allow the police to use their powers to immediately direct any unauthorised encampment to a TSP.
'We have not been able to progress this because of the challenge of finding a location for TSPs within the city boundary and suitable for both the settled and GRT communities. Work on this continues.'
Meanwhile, a Rushcliffe Borough Council spokesperson has since informed Nottinghamshire Live that the Travellers have vacated the site, and a council team is currently carrying out a clean-up operation.
Neighbourhood Police Inspector Tim Cuthbert said: 'We know that there was a lot of concern in the local community over the size of this encampment.
'We have acted fast to ensure that the Travellers are removed from the site as we know the park is well used by lots of people and groups for events especially at the weekends.
'We served a Section 61 Notice last night, and a number of vehicles have now left the site. They have until midday today to leave the park otherwise enforcement action will be taken.'
'We are in constant contact with Rushcliffe Borough Council who are also seeking to minimise the impact and would like to thank the public for the calls we received yesterday. We hope this swift action will provide the local community with some reassurance.'
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