Dec 1, 20162 min read

Plans for a new transient Traveller Camp in Formby

There are plans by Sefton Council to designate a new transient Traveller Camp off Liverpool Road at New Causeway in Formby.

A spokesperson for Sefton Council said: "An internal review is being conducted by officers to review current ways of working and communicating about such encampments and to establish if there are any other tools or agencies that can be deployed to deal with unauthorised encampments."

There is currently a gypsy and traveller site (Red Rose Park) in Broad Lane, Formby, however this is usually fully occupied. The Council do not currently have a designated Transit Site to which Gypsy or Travellers can be directed to when they arrive in the borough.

At Southport Area Committee meeting next Wednesday 7th December at 6:30pm at Southport Town Hall. Councillors will discuss the potential new transit site, which would be situated off New Causeway just off Liverpool Road in Formby.

The site would provide for up to 6 pitches which may, for a short term stay, accommodate up to 12 caravans. However, the encampment would cost £20,000 to manage annually, and there is no budget currently available.

The traveller community are not strangers to our Bubble, back 3rd August 2016, a group of travellers set up camp on Bills Lane in Formby. A section 77 Notice was issued and then a summons served on 8th August. In the end, the travellers did choose to vacate themselves and moved off Bills Lane on Wednesday evening of 10th August. They left an absolute mess on the field with the grass burnt where they had fires, rubbish, rubble and even human excrement was left at the site as seen in this photo below.

Declan Kearney of Sefton Council said: "As you are probably now aware, the travellers vacated the Bills Lane site at tea-time last night - Wednesday 10th August but, have left an awful mess behind. Our Cleansing Dept will be on site tomorrow, Friday 12th August, to remove all the tipped rubbish on the site and our Grounds Maintenance team will follow up any GM issues to be dealt with."

He went on to say: "With regard to securing the site in the future, this is a difficult one as there are two houses in the far corner of the site. To install a collapsible bollard would be of great inconvenience to the residents."

Travellers also arrived in Formby village on Sumner Road back on April 16th this year and left after three days. This time, they tidied up after themselves, leaving tidy bags of rubbish in bags on the roadside.

The transient traveller site would hopefully stop the travellers from setting up camp in these public spaces.

What are your views about this?

Email: info@formbybubble.com