Travellers face bank holiday crackdown | News

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles is urging town halls to take firm action against traveller groups who attempt to take advantage of forthcoming bank holidays to occupy new unauthorised sites.

With extended breaks coming up for the Easter weekend and the royal wedding, Mr Pickles said local authorities needed to be "vigilant" for fresh incursions by traveller groups.

At the same time, the Government has agreed to pay up to £1.2 million towards the costs of clearing Dale Farm in Essex - said to be the largest travellers' site in the UK - where Basildon Council is taking action to evict unauthorised pitches from Green Belt land.

Officials estimate that evicting more than 400 travellers from the former scrapyard near Basildon, Essex, could cost taxpayers £18 million.

Mr Pickles said that the Department for Communities and Local Government would now be consulting on new planning guidelines intended to strengthen the hand of local authorities in dealing with unauthorised developments.

"We are giving councils the power and discretion to protect the environment and help rebuild community relations. Clearer planning guidelines will make the planning system easier for all to understand," he said.

"A small minority may still try to abuse the system. Councils should be particularly vigilant over the extended royal wedding and Easter weekends to take firm action against anyone who tries."

Aides said the revised guidelines would reduce the scope for retrospective planning applications for unauthorised sites and remove the pressure on councils to compulsorily purchase land for travellers.

via thisislondon.co.uk