'They're not short of a few bob are they?': Residents say travellers leave mess in local park after invading it with their flashy caravans every year
Residents next to a leafy park have told how a group of travellers use their green space to pitch up flashy caravans and leave behind huge piles of rubbish every year.Dozens of vehicles and trailers parked-up on playing fields at Swanshurst Park, in Birmingham on Sunday 30 March.Locals have told how the group, who are described as largely quiet, 'aren't short of a few bob' after admiring their luxury live-in vehicles.Birmingham City Council have pledged to 'recover the land' for local people and MailOnline understands an eviction notice is due to be served on the encampment.But it is unlikely the park, which was also occupied by travellers in May and October last year, will be clear until early next week. Retired bin man Roy Wilson, 69, lives just a few doors away from the camp and says travellers regularly stay at the beauty spot.Roy said: 'They've been on there for some time and they come from time to time.'It used to be frequently used. The weather's changing and they come and use it, lasting about three or four days before they get moved on. Dozens of vehicles and trailers parked-up on playing fields at Swanshurst Park, in Birmingham on Sunday 30 March just weeks after their last visit Resident Diane Parker said the travellers have been using the beauty spot as a camp for six years and they usually wake her up driving their cars on the grass at night Locals have told how the group, who are described as largely quiet, 'aren't short of a few bob' after admiring their luxury live-in vehiclesRead More Travellers' green belt land grab: Councils pressured to find more permanent spots in English country 'I've lived here for 50 years and they've been coming here for 40 odd.'I haven't heard of any trouble here but I know they leave mess. I don't know if anyone has had run-ins or issues with them.'Whether they'll be moved on in the next couple of days, who knows. They go in a week usually.'It's an average amount for the caravans here. Whether people have had other problems who knows.'They're not short of a few bob are they? Some nice caravans there. They've got it good.'Resident Diane Parker said the travellers have been using the beauty spot as a camp for six years and they usually wake her up driving their cars on the grass at night.The 73-year-old said: 'They've been coming here for roughly six years. I think there's an injunction against them.'What would the police do if I was over there with a caravan and a car? We've seen young lads driving 4x4 around and the police didn't think. 'They churn up the grass. They don't pay council tax.'I don't know why [the council] put all the tree trunks around if they can get on [the grass] anyway. The huge tree trunks are meant to stop them.'I can't say I've had any trouble. But it isn't fair is it really for us, if we did it the story would be different.'Earlier this week, local community group Friends of Swanshurst Park said an eviction notice would be served on the community and posted on Facebook: 'It has been reported to me that travellers are back on Swanshurst Park.
Residents said the group tend to leave large piles of rubbish behind when they leave the site It is unlikely the park, which was also occupied by travellers in May and October last year, will be clear until early next week'We think it best if members of the public do not put themselves in a position in which they feel uncomfortable by working on the wildflower patch while the travellers are in close proximity.'The notice will be served as soon as possible for them to leave but realistically, they will not be gone before the end of the week.'A mother-of-three said those on the park should be offered a travellers permit so that they can clear up their rubbish legally.The 42-year-old said: 'It's the mess that they leave is the real issue. There can be bags piled high of rubbish and the council have to come and clean it up.'The problem is that they have no fixed address so they can't use the local tips, and they're not going to take it all with them.'They need like a travellers permit or a register, something like that. So they can legally clean up.'The council tried putting wooden fences up but that doesn't really stop them, they just get cut down.'They're quite quiet but their dogs run loose. Years back you could go over there and they'd offer you a drink but I wouldn't go there now.'I've got dogs and I wouldn't want to be near their dogs when they're loose. They come and go, like on a loop, hopping around other spots.'I don't go on the park now anyway. The playground has been broken thanks to the locals so we avoid it anyway.'Another mother on the street said she'd heard them churning up the greenery a few times.The woman, who wished to remain anonymous, said: 'We try and not take notice of them. We leave them to it but if there's any trouble we let the police know.'This time around we haven't heard anything. What we notice is the mess. Apart from that they're quite quiet. Dozens of vehicles and trailers parked-up on playing fields at Swanshurst Park, in Birmingham on Sunday 30 March A group of travellers have parked a fleet of caravans on a much-loved beauty spot as locals are warned to stay away'You do get them driving their cars at night sometimes. But we just take the kids to the other side of the park to avoid it all.'Another local whose house looks out onto the park, said: 'They're never any bother. I've lived here for 40 years, they're often quiet.'People do say they leave quite a lot of rubbish, but it blends in with the bin strikes.'I'm not that concerned. There were some there about two weeks ago but only on the car park.'I know it bothers a lot of people, I suppose they aren't much trouble. Happens more than once a year.'But then you have to look at it, they don't have council tax. If you think about the bin strikes now, all that rubbish will get cleaned up immediately.'They do leave a lot of rubbish. A few years ago it took a couple of pickup trucks a couple of runs to clean it up.'The council said it would liaise with communities and businesses who may be impacted by plans to introduce up to 15 temporary sites for travellers.A pilot programme, set to begin in the summer, could see 'negotiated stopping' sites made available and would involve unused pieces of land.They typically provide hard standing for holding caravans, a secure boundary and basic sanitary provision, while some also provide electricity.But due to factors such as repeated vandalism and unauthorised encampments, the council's two operational transit sites have often been closed.This comes as the number of 'illegal' traveller sites being set up across the UK is on the rise with local councils increasingly unable to remove them, a planning enforcement officer has claimed.New planning policy announced by Labour housing secretary Angela Rayner in December will force councils to release green belt land for travellers to create permanent encampments if there is an 'unmet need'. At present neither temporary or permanent travellers sites are allowed on green belt land as they fail to qualify as 'very special circumstances' - but that is about to change. A council spokesperson said: 'Birmingham City Council is committed to actively protecting its land and will take steps to recover this land where unauthorised encampments encroach upon it.'The council has usable transit sites and plots for use by the gypsy, Roma and traveller community - which is in line with Government policy - and details of the gypsy and traveller accommodation assessment carried out and updated in 2019 can be found on our website.'
