Dale Farm Travellers urged to clear barricades and protesters

TRAVELLERS at Britain’s largest illegal site were last night urged to clear barricades and stop non-residents from protesting, in line with a court order.

Basildon Council gave a plot by plot breakdown of how they plan to clear Dale Farm in Essex, as required by an injunction put in place on Monday.

In return, the local authority wants residents to stop blocking access to the site and to discourage non-Travellers from protesting there.

“We have complied with the judge’s order and provided the plot by plot schedule as requested,” said Basildon Council leader Tony Ball.

“We have made repeated pleas to the Travellers to ensure health and safety is considered on site, and these measures would help enable a safer operation for all concerned.

“The council has complied with the law and the terms of the order. We now hope that the Travellers do the same.”

Dale Farm residents have until tomorrow to raise any issues with the council.

On Monday, they won an eleventh-hour court injunction preventing the clearance of 51 unauthorised plots until Friday.

Residents and their supporters are expected to open the heavily barricaded main gate to the site today, to allow in a school bus to pick up children.

They had already agreed to admit a planning inspector.

Non-Traveller protesters insist that despite that concession the barricades will remain.

Campaigner Sam Walters said: “Basildon Council must take this time to fulfil its responsibility to find and approve a legal and culturally suitable site for the Dale Farm community.

“A leaked source has revealed that the council intends to communicate with the residents via email. The council is aware of the fact that, due to limited opportunities for schooling for most Travellers, a large proportion of the Dale Farm residents are illiterate, and have virtually no access to email.”

Meanwhile, Basildon Council confirmed that if it succeeds in overturning the injunction preventing clearance of the Essex site on Friday, action could recommence within hours.

A spokesman said: “No decision has been taken but this is a seven-day operation and we could move in on the Saturday.”

In that case, the Travellers would also be liable for all costs incurred by the delay. The estimated cost of the total operation is £18 million (€20.5m).

Dale Farm residents and council bosses have been at loggerheads for the past 10 years over illegal development at the site.

The homes on one half of the six-acre site are legal, but structures on the other half were put in place against planning rules.