A LOCAL authority nearly 20 miles away from lands occupied by Travellers at Dale Farm in Essex, who are facing eviction, has dug trenches around parkland, following intelligence that the Travellers intend to move there if they are forced out.
In a statement, Harlow council said it had acted to protect Harlow Common to stop “possible illegal intrusion” by Travellers, who will launch a last-ditch effort at the court of appeal today to stop Basildon Borough Council evicting them from part of the Dale Farm lands.
The council said it had received information that the Travellers had “identified Harlow Common as a possible site”, but it insisted that it was not discriminating against Travellers, saying it offers 44 pitches for Travellers’ caravans already. “Harlow Council has always had good relations with the Travellers who live on our two legal sites. Travellers visit and stay in Harlow on a regular basis. It is therefore important to keep the current work at Harlow Common in perspective.
“However, residents do expect the council to protect its green open spaces and like other authorities across Essex, it is acting responsibly in ensuring its open land is protected against possible incursion,” it went on.
Harlow Council is one of many landowners in Essex who have moved to block access to lands in recent days, since the eviction of several hundred Travellers from Dale Farm could begin within days, if today’s court bid fails.
Lawyers for the Travellers will seek a stay on the eviction, pending a full hearing of the case, when the decade-long battle between the Travellers and Basildon council comes before Lord Justice Sullivan in the court of appeal this morning.
Last week, Mr Justice Ouseley in the high court ruled the Travellers had delayed too long in challenging the council’s decision to take direct action against them and he decided that the council’s actions were not “disproportionate”, as the Travellers’ lawyers had argued.
The Travellers’ decision to develop several acres of Dale Farm, in breach of the planning law, meant they were breaking criminal law daily, he said, adding eviction was necessary to ensure that the planning system was not brought into serious disrepute.
One resident, Kathleen McCarthy said: “It’s illegal for us to live by the roadside and it’s illegal for us to live in our homes. The government and the council are leaving us no legal means of continuing our way of life. We are tired of being made criminals by an unjust system that discriminates against us.”
Yesterday, Travellers and supporters worked to increase the defences at Dale Farm, although it is still far from clear how many will choose to stay if an irrevocable decision is made by the courts in favour of the council.
“As the legal avenues for stopping this senseless eviction become exhausted, it becomes more and more important for people to show their support for the residents by coming to Dale Farm,” said Ali Saunders of Dale Farm Solidarity.