News & Sport for Harwich & Manningtree, Leisure and local info From Harwich & Manningtree Standard

Chelmsford: PM quizzed on travellers buying land

From the archive, first published Tuesday 23rd Nov 2004.

West Chelmsford MP Simon Burns has questioned Prime Minister Tony Blair in the House of Commons about the issues raised by travellers buying land in rural areas and occupying it without planning permission.

He referred to problems earlier this year at Cranham Road Little Waltham, when bailiffs acting for Chelmsford Borough Council evicted traveller families from land on which they had been living.

He asked "Will the Prime Minister intervene to ensure that local authorities are given the greatest powers possible to combat the problem and to protect local residents whose lives are made such a misery by that antisocial practice?"

Mr Blair said he entirely agreed.

"My understanding is that we are actually giving local authorities greater powers to ensure that they can take immediate action in the courts, rather than having a drawn-out process that often means that buildings or dwellings are erected by travellers before there has been a chance to take action.

"However, we are looking at the matter again to ensure that the powers are sufficiently tough."

Published Tuesday November 23, 2004

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