Get involved...
Get involved: send your pictures, video, news and views by texting ECHONEWS to 80360, or email us Click here for details »
Updated: Traveller site thrown out
6:50pm Wednesday 20th June 2007
Comments (26)TRAVELLERS' hopes of moving to Pitsea have been shattered following fierce opposition.
More than 350 residents living near the proposed legal site at Terminus Drive pleaded with Basildon Council not to let travellers from Crays Hill set up a new home on their doorsteps.
At a Basildon Centre meeting, the development control committee unanimously agreed with officer recommendations to refuse permission to house up to six familes.
Councillors had heard the site, sandwiched between the A13 and the c2c railway line, may be contaminated, so costly investigations would be required.
Zachary Scott, a US human rights volunteer currently living at the site, spoke for the travellers.
Fighting back emotion, he said: "These are real people with real issues. You can't just keep moving them around.
"I ask you to show compassion for them, their children and children with special needs.
"The site at Pitsea may be contaminated, but it's no worse than Dale Farm when they arrived."
Objections from neighbours centred around the site being unsuitable for residential use.
They told how it posed flood risks and there were concerns over sewage disposal, loss of open space and the impact on already stretched services, such as schooling, in Pitsea.
One objector, who did not give a name, said: "If this is approved it could be expanded, legally or otherwise. Travellers have been evicted twice before from this area.
We don't want another Dale Farm situation in Pitsea."
Labour councillor Danny Nandanwar (Vange), who has campaigned against evicting travellers from Dale Farm, described the site as unsuitable for human habitation even on a temporary basis.
The Dale Farm Housing Association application was for a small legal site for the most needy members of the community at Dale Farm, in Oak Lane, Crays Hill.
These included an 86-year-old widow, two orphaned teenage sisters from the mobile home blaze at Dale Farm in 2005, two profoundly deaf children who attend a special school and a woman suffering severe rheumatoid arthritis.
Travellers argued the objections stemmed from prejudice.
Site spokesman Richard Sheridan, who chairs the housing association, said: "We have been turned down on greenbelt. Now they don't want any of us on brownfield either."
Terminus Drive, which is owned by regeneration agency English Partnerships, is currently set aside for industrial use.
It was first identified as a possible alternative home for the Crays Hill travellers by Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott in November 2005.
He left the final decision with the council.
Councillors heard the land was now earmarked by the agency as a possible sports club site for one of the six needing relocation from Gardiners Close, Basildon. It is believed it could be Basildon United Football Club.
The agency is still trying to find homes for all six sports and social clubs as it is confident a multi-million pound business park will eventually go-ahead.
The council approved the plan, but it was put on ice last year because of a lack of funding.
Your Say YourEcho
Northern Angel, Wickford says...
9:56pm Tue 19 Jun 07
Let's keep them off our doorsteps!
Thry're NOT welcome here!
The man in the shed, Canvey says...
10:26pm Tue 19 Jun 07
Annoyed !, Basildon says...
7:44am Wed 20 Jun 07
jon, here says...
9:16am Wed 20 Jun 07
adenough, basildon says...
9:20am Wed 20 Jun 07
Bored, says...
9:55am Wed 20 Jun 07
tina, basildon says...
9:59am Wed 20 Jun 07
Lisa Jensen, says...
1:37pm Wed 20 Jun 07
The Vicar, says...
1:39pm Wed 20 Jun 07
Lisa Jensen wrote:I hear the Church of Scientology is applying to build on the site now.
<b> I think you are all a bunch of bigoted idiots. </b>
jon, here says...
4:41pm Wed 20 Jun 07
Finally got out of bed then. 30 - 40 years ago there was a Gypsy site at Pitsea next to the station but they moved on. The current crop are not Gypsies but economic refugees and health tourists. Wake up and smell the tax bill.
annoyed, basildon says...
5:54pm Wed 20 Jun 07
walby, says...
7:14pm Wed 20 Jun 07
Lisa Jensen wrote:so lisa everyone who has posted on here is an idiot.....!
I think you are all a bunch of bigoted idiots.
and thats coming from a woman who vilifies people for name calling.
looks like your true colours are showing.
Lisa Jensen, says...
7:17pm Wed 20 Jun 07
walby wrote:Not at all Walby, if you noticed, which I doubt you have, I have hardly been on here of late, the reason being that I have totally had enough of the bigotry that goes on here. Carry on and say what you will, you will never get rid of them, you will just be guilty of moving it onto someone elses doorstep.
Lisa Jensen wrote: I think you are all a bunch of bigoted idiots.so lisa everyone who has posted on here is an idiot.....! and thats coming from a woman who vilifies people for name calling. looks like your true colours are showing.
walby, says...
7:20pm Wed 20 Jun 07
annoyed wrote:if people want to fight these intrusions by these landgrabbers it should be done collectively,not with the attitude of not in my back garden.
you dont mind if they are at crays hill but not for pitsea
your post shows you as being selfish and insular.
the only way to win against these people is to unite.
not have an attitude like your's it stinks.
walby, says...
7:21pm Wed 20 Jun 07
Lisa Jensen wrote:an irish doorstep hopefully.
walby wrote:Not at all Walby, if you noticed, which I doubt you have, I have hardly been on here of late, the reason being that I have totally had enough of the bigotry that goes on here. Carry on and say what you will, you will never get rid of them, you will just be guilty of moving it onto someone elses doorstep.Lisa Jensen wrote: I think you are all a bunch of bigoted idiots.so lisa everyone who has posted on here is an idiot.....! and thats coming from a woman who vilifies people for name calling. looks like your true colours are showing.
Vernon, Basildon says...
7:30pm Wed 20 Jun 07
Lisa Jensen wrote:Lisa, are you finally conceding that these travellers are undesirables?
walby wrote:Not at all Walby, if you noticed, which I doubt you have, I have hardly been on here of late, the reason being that I have totally had enough of the bigotry that goes on here. Carry on and say what you will, you will never get rid of them, you will just be guilty of moving it onto someone elses doorstep.Lisa Jensen wrote: I think you are all a bunch of bigoted idiots.so lisa everyone who has posted on here is an idiot.....! and thats coming from a woman who vilifies people for name calling. looks like your true colours are showing.
Basildon Billy, says...
10:29pm Wed 20 Jun 07
The current crop are not Gypsies but economic refugees and health tourists. Wake up and smell the tax bill.Jon for mayor
Basildon Billy, says...
12:35am Thu 21 Jun 07
"These are real people with real issues. You can't just keep moving them around.TRA-VE-LLERS
Lisa Jensen, says...
5:42pm Thu 21 Jun 07
Vernon wrote:No that is not what I am saying at all. Personally I would not give a sh1t if they were at the bottom of my road. What I am saying is that Walby and the likes will be guilty of moving what THEY and others percieve to be a problem onto someone elses doorstep.
Lisa Jensen wrote:Lisa, are you finally conceding that these travellers are undesirables?walby wrote:Not at all Walby, if you noticed, which I doubt you have, I have hardly been on here of late, the reason being that I have totally had enough of the bigotry that goes on here. Carry on and say what you will, you will never get rid of them, you will just be guilty of moving it onto someone elses doorstep.Lisa Jensen wrote: I think you are all a bunch of bigoted idiots.so lisa everyone who has posted on here is an idiot.....! and thats coming from a woman who vilifies people for name calling. looks like your true colours are showing.
Northern Angel, Wickford says...
6:52pm Thu 21 Jun 07
That's a load of rubbish to say that!
You most certainly would not want them bringing crime and poor school attendance to your area.
Plus the fact that it mkaes it harder for those to sell their houses in the immediate locality to these camps.
Travellers are exatly that...travellers.
So why the hell aren't they travelling????
Lisa Jensen, says...
7:50pm Thu 21 Jun 07
Northern Angel wrote:A lot are not travelling as they have come to the realisation that it is not a way of life that is either easy for the children or condusive to a good education. I honestly would not be bothered, I do not believe that ALL travellers are criminals and I certainly know for a fact that the majority of Dale Farm children do actually go to school now, as proven in the Echo the other day.
Of course you would give a sh1t Lisa!!! That's a load of rubbish to say that! You most certainly would not want them bringing crime and poor school attendance to your area. Plus the fact that it mkaes it harder for those to sell their houses in the immediate locality to these camps. Travellers are exatly that...travellers. So why the hell aren't they travelling????
Sam, says...
9:34pm Thu 21 Jun 07
Angela, Crays Hill says...
4:32pm Fri 22 Jun 07
How do you know for a fact that the children go to school now?
I know for a fact that the traveller children that go to my sons school (which is not Crays Hill school)definately do not attend every day.
Basildon Billy, says...
5:16pm Fri 22 Jun 07
Most people wouldnt have a problem with them if they hadnt spent the last 6 or 7 years stealing & being abusive
evilc, essex says...
5:20pm Sun 24 Jun 07
Ideal place to settle all the travellers.
In this section
- A127 Horror smash: Child dies
- Woman left homeless after flat fire
- Updated: Cyclist airlifted to hospital following crash
- Businessman launches new ‘school in a box’
- A ray of light in Sue's sad story
- Patient dies of swine flu in south Essex
- Performance to melt the ice from school’s youngsters
- Rayleigh gas pipe work on schedule
- French lessons pay off on lunch trip to bistro
- College teacher under investigation for ‘affair’
Sponsored Links
Local Advertisers
Local Information
Enter your postcode, town or place name
Basildon Billy, says...
9:17pm Tue 19 Jun 07
I dont get what clearer message they need that they arnt welcome