Thanet council says it will pursue prosecution if a Traveller group at Marina Esplanade in Ramsgate does not quit the site in 24 hours.
The group were evicted from land at Ramsgate Port yesterday (February 25) and had been sited at the Ramsgate seafront car park prior to that – meaning they are now in breach of the Section 77 notice to quit previously issued.
Yesterday Kent Police officers assisted staff from TDC with the eviction. Officers were present to ensure there were no breaches of the peace.
A Thanet council spokesperson said: “There is currently an unauthorised encampment at the Marina Esplanade car park in Ramsgate.
“Officers have visited and have warned the encampment that they are breaching a Section 77 notice already issued on this land. If the group has not moved on within 24 hours, the council will be pursuing prosecution.”
Temporary site proposals
Thanet council is proposing temporary “tolerated sites” for Travellers groups which could be created at the former education space at Tivoli Brooks, Margate; Ramsgate Port car park and Potten Street car park in St Nicholas-at-Wade.The aim would be to use the sites on a rotation basis to alleviate the issue of unauthorised camps on the isle.
Thanet currently does not have an authorised Traveller site, with the nearest being in Canterbury and Dover.
Unauthorised encampments at sites including Dane Valley, Marina Esplanade, Government Acre and the car park by Dreamland have risen sharply from two in 2013 to 55 in 2018 and around 53 last year.
According to a council report some 70 locations across Thanet have been assessed as vulnerable to vehicle based unauthorised encampments.
Speaking of the temporary pitch proposals Joseph Jones, of the Gypsy Council, previously told The Isle of Thanet News: “It’s nice to see a positive move towards a responsibility to provide, but I still feel there is room for a permanent site too. In Leeds, Yorkshire, they have a tolerated site policy, well tried and tested and it’s good that TDC are looking in that direction.”
Well that was a quick move by TDC, so where do think they will go from there, back on the roundabout and jump off at the easiest unprotected location
The can go to Manston where there is nobody to antagonise. Tivoli would be a bad choice as there are residential homes just across the road from the proposed site. The people do not integrate well with the local population so they need putting away from highly populated areas if TDC are thinking of a site.
Kent Resident, you make it sound as though Manston (assuming you mean the old airport) is huge area with no one near by!! I don’t think the residents of Minster, Acol, Monkton or Manston would agree with you, no one wants them, why should they benefit from a system they manage to evade, a system we all contribute to, they bring nothing but filth and crime to our area, they moan that they are not respected!! with their way of life they should realise, respect begets respect, respect our area for starters and they’re likely be a little more tolerated.
pity tdc dont pursue them with parking enforcement like they do with disabled bay holders own car parked in its bay outside there house when badge has fallen down god help you if this happens they will take you to hell and back as there is no independent parking review team just the officer in charge of the dept.who told me travellers are exempt from parking enforcement as in fear of being stabbed
Travellers are exempt from most public order issues as far as TDC are concerned. Woe betide anyone who drops a cigarette butt in Margate High Street but Travellers are allowed to defecate all over the place and nothing gets done about it.
Stop with all the hate. The travellers aren’t bothering anyone. You hear the word traveller or gypsy and immediately you judge and are on the attack. Look a bit closer and see the struggling family who work hard with young children simply trying to just settle somewhere. Leave them alone they aren’t a problem to any of you. Stop the discrimination and be kind.
Did you not read any news sites last year? The chaos travellers constantly caused in Thanet and Deal was disgraceful. Genuine, law abiding travellers are no problem. The ones that have targeted Thanet over the last year are a problem.
They could all go and live very happily on Mr Jones’ huge plot of land at Coxheath near Maidstone – i’m surprised that he hasn’t offered them the use of his garden already