Concerns over the recent influx of travellers into the Brentwood area heightened this week, as the borough council stepped up its efforts to have groups removed from land in Mountnessing, Ingatestone and Warley.

In recent years travellers have set up illegal camps across the borough during the summer months, often leaving behind thousands of pounds worth of mess and damage for the council to clean up, at taxpayers' expense.

As the Brentwood Gazette went to press on Tuesday, there were caravans on land at Roman Road, Mountnessing, Stock Lane in Ingatestone and a playing field off The Drive, Warley.

However, borough solicitor Brian Keane said: "The council is doing everything it can to ensure that these travellers are not able to abuse the laws of this country."

The travellers own the land on which they are camped in Mountnessing and Ingatestone, but are in breach of the council's planning regulations by camping there. Both sites fall within the Green Belt.

Mr Keane said about a dozen caravans have been parked at the Mountnessing site for about three weeks now. The council has served enforcement notices on the travellers for breaching the planning rules, and has now applied to the High Court for an injunction to order them off the land. The hearing will take place next Tuesday, June 10.

The council has also served enforcement notices on the similar-sized group of travellers who arrived in Ingatestone early last week, and is in the process of applying for an injunction ordering them to move on.

Mr Keane said the problem with enforcement notices is that the legal process involved can take a long time, in some cases as long as one year. He said he was hopeful that the courts would grant injunctions ordering the travellers off the land, but this could not be guaranteed.

The smaller group of travellers in Warley are parked on a field owned by Warley County Primary School. The council has agreed to act on its behalf, and is applying for a repossession order from the courts.

Warley resident and community activist Tony Haywood Biles says he is concerned that the travellers' vehicles will damage the football and cricket pitch on the field. He is also urging people to make sure that any work they have done on their homes and gardens is carried out by reputable businesses, to combat fly-tipping in the area.

Meanwhile, Brentwood and Ongar MP Eric Pickles said he is hoping to pass an amendment to the Local Government and Planning Bill, currently going through Parliament, which would give local authorities the power to remove caravans pending any appeal by travellers camped illegally.

He said: "It seems to me that Mr Keane and the council are very much on the ball and are taking all the necessary steps to get this sorted out as soon as possible."

Published Thursday, June 5, 2003

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