Travellers lose bid to stay at illegal camp

ANGUS Travellers have lost an 11th-hour court bid to live in an illegal encampment at the centre of a 12-year planning battle.

Families near Hillside have been made homeless following the failure of legal moves to stave-off sheriff officers appointed by Angus Council.

The l ocal authority has struggled to solve the unauthorised occupation of land to the east of the village, near Montrose, since 2006.

Bailiffs were sent to Kinnaber Road after an attempt to raise criminal proceedings against the site operator ended at Forfar Sheriff Court.

An interdict order was attempted at the court the day before they were due to tow up to six caravans away.

A council committee has now heard the attempt was refused by a sheriff and direct action will be followed up “as soon as possible”.

Council planning chief Kate Cowey gave an enforcement update to the committee that “removal has been arranged to take place as soon as possible”.

Councillors were told direct action has been “delayed” due to the lack of sheriff officers willing to execute the order, and the availability of storage for the caravans.

It is hoped any affected families would leave for other sites i n Angus such as St Christopher’s in Montrose or Balmuirwood by Tealing.

Several of the permanent caravans have already moved on.