No evictions at Dale Farm yet (From Echo)

No evictions at Dale Farm yet

5:00pm Wednesday 18th March 2009

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THE mass eviction planned at Crays Hill traveller camp will not take place until at least the summer.

Council chiefs have said it will take around three months before the law lords will decide if they will hear appeals by travellers.

Lawyers acting for 86 families at Dale Farm and around 15 at Hovefields yesterday applied to the House of Lords to hear their case against the eviction planned by Basildon Council.

The case, funded by Legal Aid, centres around human rights issues and the rights or wrongs of evictions.

Council leader Malcolm Buckley said: “We are checking if there are any plots at Hovefields which are not involved in the proceedings, and if not theoretically those could be evicted.

“There is no point serving the 28-day notices until we know the outcome. We hope the law lords take the common sense approach that three judges have already thrown this out and refuse to hear it.

“However, it could take two to three months to decide if the case will be heard and longer if it goes beyond the summer recess. If they do agree to hear the case, it could be another two-year delay before it is heard.”

Grattan Puxon, speaking for the travellers, said: “We are hopeful this application will lead to a further appeal and eventually a common sense solution for Dale Farm.”

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