Travellers who moved on to The Friendly Farmer carpark, off A46 at Newark, leave blight of rubbish in their wake
Travellers who unlawfully moved on to private land after being evicted from a park in Newark last year, leaving an abundance of waste, have again left a blight of rubbish in their wake.
After the unauthorised encampment on Cedar Avenue Park was evicted on November 27 last year — having been there for more than a month after breaking the fence on Lincoln Road — they moved straight on to the carpark of The Friendly Farmer, off the A46.
There for nearly five months the Travellers have finally left, however, not with all of their belongings.
Before the waste began to be cleared today, a huge amount of rubbish had been discarded — as well as two abandoned caravans.
Although not Newark and Sherwood District Council land and under no obligation for them to clean the mess, the district council got in contact with the landowners to ensure the waste was cleared as soon as possible.
Council leader David Lloyd said: “We’re pleased that the illegal encampment has moved on but we are concerned with the amount of waste and rubbish that had been left behind.
The waste and rubbish left behind by an authorised Traveller encampment on Cedar Avenue Park in Newark. (43380214)
“Regrettably in law, with it being private land, the responsibility for clearing the waste lies with the land owner. Although we, as a council, are under no legal requirement to clean the site ourselves, we’re in talks with the landowner to ensure that the mess is cleared soon.
“We are frustrated that these illegal encampments come to the district and we try and do all we can to remove them whenever we can.
“We condemn any illegal encampment in the Newark and Sherwood district and when mess is left, like this, it becomes an eye sore for those visiting and living in the community.
“Under current law it is the landowner who has to take appropriate legal action to remove an illegal encampment. In this case, the land is privately owned so the council could not take any legal action itself to evict the unlawful encampment.
"I am not defending the legal position on these matters, it is frustrating for all involved not least the landowner."
Having attended the site today (Wednesday), the council and landowner should have the mess cleared soon if not already.
After the eviction from Cedar Avenue Park last year, the council obtained an injunction from the High Court to protect six identified sites in the district where unlawful encampments had taken place in the recent past.
However, only being granted until March 2021 — the injunction has now expired.
