Travellers set up camp on illegal site

Jul 30 2008 by Gordon Robertson, Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser

TRAVELLERS UNDER FIRE

DOZENS of gypsies have pitched their caravans on an illegal site on the outskirts of Airdrie – despite a designated area for the travelling community lying empty just three miles away.

Council bosses have forked out a fortune in the past to create and maintain the site for travellers off Forrest Street between Airdrie and Plains.

Some estimates say the total cost since it was opened little more than 10 years ago could be as high as £1 million.

But now it seems like a huge waste of cash after gypsy travellers set up on private land between Calderbank and Chapelhall, just north of Woodhall Mill Road, near the A8.

North Lanarkshire Council want the travellers to move but told the Advertiser that their hands are tied because they don’t own the site.

And the presence of the travellers seems to have caused some tension locally with reports of youths stoning the caravans.

Chris McAteer, Supported Accommodation Manager, said: “North Lanarkshire Council is aware of caravans located on a piece of private land between Calderbank and Chapelhall. An officer from the council has been out to speak to the people at the site and advised them to move on.

“This is private land and the council has no legal powers to move on the travellers. Contact has been made with Strathclyde Police and the land manager in relation to this matter. Legal action is being taken by the land manager.”

The caravans began moving into the site – believed to be owned by Chapelhall-based pharmaceutical firm Organon – at the early part of last week.

By Friday there were around 15 caravans but that number had more than doubled by the start of this week.

Local youths stoned some caravans in what police said was a minor incident but was also believed to have forced some of the travellers to leave.

The designated site on the edge of Clarkston is locked up and has not been used in the last year.

But North Lanarkshire Council are still legally obliged to accommodate the travelling community, so the site, which has 16 pitches, must be maintained.

Mr McAteer said: “In line with legislation, all councils in Scotland must consider the accommodation needs of gypsy travellers in their Local Housing Strategy.

"In North Lanarkshire provision is made for travellers at a site in Forrest Street, Airdrie. In the event of travellers coming to the area we would make the site available to them.”