'A last resort': Bristol City Council launches legal action to remove unauthorised caravan encampment
Bristol City Council has launched legal action to remove an unauthorised caravan encampment.
A group has been occupying council-owned land at Lanercost Road in Southmead for some time.
The site is due to become a lawful ‘meanwhile site’ for van dwellers, but the council says the current encampment will need to be evicted first.
Local councillors say the site is not suitable for van dwellers and that the council needs to “get these people removed ASAP”.
In a Facebook post, the Southmead Labour Group wrote: “ClIr Kaz Self has been up to the unauthorised van dwellers site on council owned land in Southmead. On Bramble Road (where families live) it stinks of wood burning smoke.
“This is anti-social behaviour and having a high impact on local residents health.
“Enough is enough, it's time the council took action.”
In response, Cllr Barry Parsons, chair of the homes and housing delivery committee, said: “The Gypsy Roma Traveller team has met with the group on a number of occasions to carry out welfare checks and discuss alternative options. As the group have remained on site, we have been forced to take legal action – something which we always consider to be a last resort.
“We are in the process of preparing a case to be heard in court, and we hope to be granted a possession order for the land. The legal process for eviction can take time, and include a number of visits to the site by the GRT Team, but we have now completed all required paperwork to continue with enforcement action.
“Plans have been submitted to turn this area of land into an authorised Meanwhile Site, which would be managed by the council, with occupants signing a licence and agreeing to the rules of the site. However, the unlawful encampment will need to be evicted first.”