Express & Star

Holding site for travellers in Sandwell given go-ahead despite opposition

A holding site for travellers will be built opposite a park despite furious objections from residents.

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Rubbish left by travellers on Black Patch Park in February this year. The new site will be built nearby off Foundry Lane.

Councillors pushed through the plans for the ‘temporary transit site’ near Black Patch Park, Smethwick, at a meeting.

The derelict land at the corner of Boulton Road and Foundry Lane will house up to 34 caravans at one time and have toilet and washing facilities.

Councillors and the police say it will allow them to immediately remove unauthorised encampments from council land and order travellers to move to the transit site within an agreed time.

But residents and users of Black Patch Park fear an increase in anti-social behaviour and crime once the site is established. A dozen turned up at the meeting to protest. Juls Beckford, aged 52, spoke at the Sandwell Council planning committee meeting on behalf of residents in Avery Road and Murdock Road. She said: “What sort of security measures will be put in place? We have been told about the £250 deposit and £80 rent, but how will they pay it? Who will be on the door securing it?

“Once the site is full with 30 caravans, where are the rest that arrive going to go? How is the community going to be made safe? When travellers have occupied the park businesses have been broken into and dogs have attacked children. Our children can’t play in the street.” Planning officer Alan Reynolds said: “This site will enable us and the police to resolve the problems we have in Sandwell and to reduce the numbers of unauthorised encampments in the future for the benefit of 300,000 people across the borough.”

The planning committee approved the transit site for three years on Wednesday.

West Midlands Police will use powers under the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act to move travellers from illegal encampments to the new site within 24 hours.

Those using the transit site will be charged £80 per caravan per week to pitch up for a short stay, plus a £250 deposit for each group.

Groups who refuse to move to the new site could banned from the borough for three months.

The council says it will evaluate the site after two full years in operation and then make a decision on future provision.

In February tons of rubbish was dumped at Black Patch Park and was discovered in the wake of travellers being moved on from the site.

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