Essex: Dale Farm Travellers win planning permission for small site

camped in a sea of mud

Campaigners are welcoming the news that some members of the Irish Travelling Community evicted from their land in Dale Farm Essex, in 2011, have been given planning permission for asmall mobile home park by Basildon Council.

The decision to grant planning permission follows a long struggle over where the Travellers would go after they were forcebly moved in a major eviction operation which cost £7million. Some off the families crowded onto the nearby legal site. Others have been camped on a nearby lane with no facilties.

The new location will accommodate only 15 families and won't be ready for at least a year, but the change in policy has been seen as a break-through.

The successful planning application by the Irish Travellers Movement for a site at Gardiners Way represents the fifth attempt by and for over 80 Dale Farm Families who have, in many cases, never had a legal place to live. Block applications for the 52 illegal plots at Dale Farm went through three public inquiries from 2004. An attempt to re-site the community in Pitsea, though backed by then Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, also failed.That was followed up by applications for other locations in the district, including Church Road and finally Gardiners Way. The latter was earlier rejected on a technicality before a fresh application was put together by the Irish Traveller Movement.The new plan includes a community building and play area.

Most of the travellers are devout Catholics, attending Our Lady of Good Counsel parish church which has always been steadfast supporter of their cause.