An unauthorized encampment featuring 40 caravans has taken over Old Quarry Park in Birmingham. The site is located near an Asda retail outlet and a girls' secondary school, leaving local families anxious.

The 40-caravan occupation of Old Quarry Park

Dozens of motorhomes, caravans, and other vehicles descended upon Old Quarry Park in the Barnes Hill area of Birmingham on a Tuesday night. According to the report, this is believed to be the largest traveller encampment the city has seen this year, with aerial imagery showing playing fields carved up by vehicle tracks. Luxury cars bearing Irish numbeplates were among the vehicles parked on the green space, which is typically a hub for local dog walkers and families.

The proximity of the camp to a girls' secondary school, a fire station, and an Asda supermarket has heightened local alarm. one resident, speaking anonymously, noted that the community is "on edge" due to previous experiences with similar encampments in the city, which they claim resulted in thefts and "horrendous mess." This has left many families in Barnes Hill feeling unable to visit the parkland.

Birmingham City Council's 2019 Accommodation Assessment

Birmingham City Council has responded by stating its commitment to protecting public land and its intention to recover the area of Old Quarry Park. A spokesperson for the council emphasized that the city provides usable transit sites and plots specifically for the Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller community, asserting that these provisions align with current Government policy.

To support this claim, the council pointed to a Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment that was carried out and subsequently updated in 2019. The council maintains that these official sites should be the primary option for travelling groups, rather than the unauthorized occupation of public parkland.

The Blaby appeal and the 2029 residency

The situation in Birmingham echoes a contentious legal battle in Blaby, Leicestershire. in that instance, an illegal site established over the August bank holiday weekend last year was granted permission to remain until 2029.. although the Blaby District Council's planning commmittee initially refused a retrospective planning application in November, a Government planning inspector overturned that decision in April.

As the report describes, the inspector ruled that removing the camp would deprive the traveller household of a "settled base." This outcome has sparked outrage among local villagers, who argue that travellers are "hiding behind" their culture to bypass laws that apply to all other citizens, effectively being rewarded for illegal land occupation.

Bristol's Lanercost Road 'meanwhile site' controversy

Further tensions are emerging in Bristol, where the Green Party-controlled city council is proposing a "meanwhile site" on Lanercost Road in Southmead. This plan involves converting an unauthorized plot into a temporary, managed space for van dwellers, providing essential services like waste disposal, toilets, and water.

The proposal has met fierce reisstance from neighbors, particularly because the site sits on the doorstep of newbuild homes valued at £350,000. Local resident Ronda Golding , 53, has criticized the Bristol City Council for "glorifying van dwelling" and claims the administration has ignored over 100 emails from concerned citizens.

The missing timeline for the Old Quarry Park eviction

Despite the council's stated commitment to recover the land, several critical details remain unknon. the report does not specify a date for the eviction of the 40 caravans from Old Quarry Park, nor does it clarify if the nearby girls' secondary school has implemented new security protocols to address the fears of parents and students.

Additionally, while the report mentions "unscrupulous developers" using bulldozers to tear up fields in West Sussex, Kent, and Lincolnshire during the May bank holiday, it remains unclear if the Birmingham encampment is linked to these organized land-grab efforts or is an isolated group.