TRAVELLERS are congregating at the former park and ride site in Creekmoor, and a new illegal encampment has sprung up elsewhere in Poole.

Today there are 16 caravans and motor homes at the large Creekmoor site – double the number there on Friday.

There were also three caravans and a motor home newly arrived at Sterte Esplanade in Poole – part of the group which had been camped at Baiter, and moved on at the weekend. 

The swelling in size of the Creekmoor encampment has confirmed residents’ worst fears, reflected by Creekmoor Councillor Judy Butt, who told the Echo on Friday: “We are holding our breath waiting for the next lot to turn up.” 

She said she and other ward councillors had been inundated with enquiries from residents over the weekend about when and if the council will begin the legal process to move the group on.

The councillor added: “We are asking the council daily when the eviction process will be put in place, as it has been in other wards.

“The deepest concern of the residents is that this site will be seen as a magnet. A nice central place to stay – they’ve got loos, they’ve got skips – a place they can stay undisturbed until the air show and steam fair. That is the theory residents are writing to us with.”

Borough of Poole regulatory services manager Peter Haikin confirmed council officers made further visits to the Creekmoor site.

He said: “Temporary toilets and a skip have been provided in order to reduce any contamination and subsequent clean-up costs.

“We are continuing to monitor the site to identify if there is any detrimental effect on the local community, as we are required to do for all unauthorised encampments. This is a necessary part of the legal process to obtain a court order for the eventual removal of the travellers.”

Elsewhere in the borough the traveller group at the harbourside car park at Baiter moved on over the weekend –having been served with an eviction order on Friday afternoon.

Most left on Saturday night and the remaining group on Sunday morning. Council officers found the site had been left in a reasonable state – and a full clean up has now taken place.  

And the group of seven caravans camped north of Napier Road in Hamworthy vacated that site on Saturday.

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