Investigation amid claim Travellers breached court order

A probe has been launched as residents allege illegal site now has new mobile home

An investigation has been launched in St Cyrus after Travellers were accused of breaching a court order by continuing to develop the unauthorised site.

Aberdeenshire Council was granted an interim interdict to stop any further activity after unauthorised work started on the site at North Esk Park in October to prepare for the arrival of more mobile homes.

Enforcement officers from the local authority have returned to the site following allegations of further development, including the arrival of a new residential caravan.

Residents living close to the illegal encampment have now arranged a meeting with Aberdeenshire Council this week to ask what measures are being taken to ensure the site is vacated by the end of January 2019.

One local said: “Clearly, the Travellers have no intention of leaving.

“There was further development at the site when a new residential caravan arrived, which left the road effectively blocked for at least two hours.

“This must clearly be a violation of the enforcement order which was meant to put a stop to any further development.

“The feeling among residents is that the council are unwilling to take direct action to get them off the site.

“I feel that they hope gentle persuasion will get the site cleared, but that will bring little hope of success.”

The homes originally appeared on farmland close to the River North Esk in 2013, triggering opposition from residents and a lengthy planning battle.

After refusing permission and instigating enforcement, Aberdeenshire councillors voted overwhelmingly to grant retrospective permission for the creation of an official halting site in 2016.

However, the application was called in when SEPA objected after revealing the site had flooded in 2002, 2012, 2013 and after Storm Frank in 2015.

Scottish Ministers overturned retrospective planning permission and the Travellers were given until July 31 to clear the site.

Aberdeenshire councillors then agreed to extend the deadline by six months to allow time for other “positive” options to be devised.

A spokesman for Aberdeenshire Council said: “We received information that further development may have taken place on site at North Esk and we are currently investigating the situation.

“We can confirm we visited the site and that the matter remains under investigation for the meantime.”

Mearns SNP councillor Leigh Wilson said any unwarranted activity would do nobody any good “least of all the Travelling community”.

“It is most disappointing if, in fact, there has been more movement, and the community there have to work with the council if they want an outcome which benefits everyone,” he said.

The feeling among residents is that the council are unwilling to take direct action to get them off the site. I feel that they hope gentle persuasion will get the site cleared, but that will bring little hope of success

The illegal site at North Esk Park, St Cyrus, where residents claim Travellers have developed the site instead of vacating it as they have been ordered to do.