Police and council enforcement officers have evicted a Travellers group from Dane Valley green – but they have now stopped in Westbrook by the Sunken Gardens.
The group set up on the site on February 17. They had been parked at the Marina Esplanade car park in Ramsgate since February 11 after being evicted from the council-owned car park by Dreamland on the same day.
Around 20 caravans have now left the green after a removal notice was served.
Thanet council has confirmed prevention measures are being looked at for Dane Valley Green.
A spokesman said: “We are looking at different options to help prevent unauthorised encampments at Dane Valley and other sites.”
The spokesman said work at Jackey Baker’s in Ramsgate, where £15,000 was spent installing a two metre high fence along the boundary, bollards that restrict access for vehicles to the public right of way, new gates and CCTV, has made a “big difference.”
The Dane Valley site will now need to be cleared. The group had requested a council skip when they first moved to the site and ward councillor Gary Taylor had provided waste bags.
A Thanet council spokesperson said: “Thanet District Council secured a court order for the removal of the unauthorised traveller encampment that was based at Dane Valley. The eviction took place this morning. Enforcement officers in partnership with Kent Police were in place to secure a number of sites across Thanet.
Site provision
Charity Friends, Families and Travellers say local authorities are not providing adequate land for Travellers to stop on with many families forced to pull up in public spaces and on private land. This leaves many with interrupted access to basic water and sanitation, education and healthcare.
A spokesman said: “We would recommend that the district council and local authority work with the Traveller community in the area to identify land that would be suitable for building new sites to accommodate these residents.”
The nearest authorised sites are in Aylesham, Dover and Canterbury.
Some of the group moved on to Garlinge Rec. Police were in attendance and it appears one vehicle got stuck by the wooden pillars.
The group has now moved to Westbrook’s Royal Esplanade, by the Sunken Gardens.
