What's happening with the Dale Farm eviction?

[Teachermumof3]

Does anyone who live locally know what's going on? Have many of the travellers left? Will there be a horrible fight at 9am tomorrow?

at niceguy.

I have been in homeless accommodation with my medically-vulnerable DD following a horrendous marriage-break-up when she was a baby and then in very unsuitable "permanent" council housing for years until DD was seven.

And I worked and paid taxes including council tax for all those years.

It's nice that these newly homeless families are going to be housed immediately over and above every other person who is on the list and that new kitchens and bathrooms are being installed to make them acceptable.

Makes you proud to be paying.

I look forward to these activists settling in Basildon with its ridiculous private rent rates and hopefully they will also be paying council tax which reflects the extra cost they have caused to residents.

Around 14:45 the head of the enforcement staff went with loudhailer (and a dozen or so staff, and a half dozen Police) to explain that Basildon Council's intention is to return the land to being green belt, and that he and Basildon Council had concerns about the safety of the area, since the barrier would prevent emergency vehicles from gaining access if needed.

He asked if anyone wished to raise other health and safety issues and there was no response so he then turned and left the barrier. There was some shouting at the group, initially from residents in the legal section, and then from the group of protestors on and behind the barrier.

A reporter for BBC Radio 5 walked along with the group and was asking what was to happen, but apart from the prepared 'speech' nobody from the enforcement group said anything.

It seems there is to be ANOTHER court hearing on Friday.

How come they can keep delaying & delaying? If I built an extension to my house tomorrow without planning permission, do you think I could string it out for 10 years!?!?! Somehow I suspect not.

16.50 Dale Farm residents have won a last-gasp injunction restraining Basildon Council from clearing structures from the site pending a further hearing at London's High Court on Friday.

Bloody hell-is the whole thing delayed yet again?! This is ridiculous. Or does this mean they can move the people on, but not the buildings??

So those that have concreted themselves into things are stuck there until Friday at least.

So those that have concreted themselves into things are stuck there until Friday at least. grin

Well-I hope they have a really comfortable few nights... and don't need too many poos!!

I want big brother to roll up and point a camera at them! I'd watch that over the usual program any day.

17.05 When they heard about the injunction, supporters who had chained themselves to the barriers began to unlock themselves.

Will the others be smashing the concrete apart!?

I think this is becoming a joke-we are letting them take the complete piss out of us.

I wonder if the anti-climax will leave the rent-a-mob feeling deflated,

with any luck...

There were some faintly crusty individuals trying to hitch to the nearest train station at about 4:30pm, walking from Dale Farm direction with big rucksacks - not something that we get a lot of round here.

Perhaps rent-a-mob are getting bored?

This has been going on for 10 years or so.
I did smirk at the crusty individuals trying to get away from Dale Farm.
We lived in Billericay for a couple of years. I can confirm there isn't a lot of life around that area of Essex.
I am sure I used to go to a farmers market there through.

Saw an interview with the guy with the arm in concrete - he's a classic rebel without a cause.

rip - the farmers market is currently police HQ.

What I am curious about is, where are all the men? The only males visible to on tv are the external campaigners and the (very vocal) women. Where are all the traveller men?

Is it a case of, like on the Big Fat Gypsy Wedding, that "Pader does not want to be filmed as it might affect his scrap metal business"?!

I have read this thread for the past few days and can't believe how ignorant some of the messages are. Quite shocking infact that the majority of them seem to be coming from what you'd normally assume were "intelligent" people? My mothers family are Irish Travellers and this is something im very proud of which is why it is so frustrating to hear them talked about in this way by people who are so obviously against them???!!! Im sure any other minority (especially in this country) would be given more respect and understanding of their culture!!!

These people were encouraged, by the council, to buy this land in the first place. The land was originally a scrap yard and now houses these people who DO NOT want council houses and benefits etc!!!

Its absolutlely ridiculous that this country would even consider the cost of 18 million to destroy these peoples homes and split up these families!!!

No Emma, what's absolutely ridiculous is thinking that it is ok to think you are above the law.

The traveller's did not get planning permission. They've dragged the sorry mess out for ten years. They offered to sell the land back to the council and voluntarily move but instead of the £100k it's worth, asked for £6 million.

They've played the system completely. They submitted their planning application an hour before a bank holiday weekend when there's no time to review it and then over that weekend moved everyone in.

Respect & understanding? Don't make me laugh. I'll show you respect & understanding when you respect the laws of the land. Until then, they can sod off.

Oh dear Mr nice guy.......lets not get so excited!

Firstly "I" dont think im above the law by any means and nor do they, the fact that they applied for planning permission proves this.....or doesnt it? They didnt just turn up there and set up home, they actually did get planning permission for half of the site...the site which was SOLD TO THEM ORIGINALLY by the council, why sell them the land??? Is that not playing the system???

There's plenty who enter this country "illegally" who well and truely play the system and what a shame it is that the councils dont spend the 18 million on that problem. Try reporting that a large community from another minority were going to be evicted from their homes and you'd soon see an out cry!!!

Its very clear, especially having read these messages, that the prejudice towards them is too great for them ever to stand a chance of keeping their culture/way of life going, but thankfully the decision of whether or not they "sod off" has been delayed and rightfully so.

Without being infammatory, why are they called travellers if they want to stay in a frankly, unattractive bit of Essex?
This is a genuine question by the way.
Also, why are there so many hangers on - crusty travellers from all four corners of Europe arriving. Ridiculous.
Finally, what did Gloria Hunniford think she could do?

What interested me about all this was a report from Ireland which showed the houses that a fair few of the Dale Farm residents own. Very nice houses indeed, boarded up, bolted and with large keep away signs on the doors. Apparently they all go back there at Christmas. What's stopping them from returning there now? Wrong season?

news.sky.com/home/article/16074367

The travellers who had left prior to Monday's 'eviction' are heading back there now. I just can't see how this is going to end!?

I'm not overly excited. Personally I think we've treated them for too long with kid gloves because of the fact they are travellers.

I think you are missing the point about planning permission. You apply... when you get APPROVAL ....THEN you are entitled to build. They got planning permission for approximately half the site. That's fine. It's the other half they didn't get permission for which is the problem. The applied for it over a bank holiday weekend, moved in then tried to use the fact they'd already moved in to get retrospective permission. They failed.

When you buy land, you can't simply do with it what you want. I bought my house but I can't just decide to build myself an extension without planning permission.

You are correct, plenty of people enter the country illegally and some will also play the system. And that should also be dealt with according to the law and none of them should get away with it. It's the same principle here. Just because someone else somewhere else is breaking the law, doesn't mean you are OK to do the same.

My only prejudice is with those who think they can selectively choose which laws to keep and disregard those they don't like.

As ignorant as some comments are, they never really surprise me!

My mother lives in a house but she is a traveller, shes from travelling people, its what they are. They are recognised by British law as an ethnic group and
maybe people have travelled from "all four corners of Europe" to support this community and prevent these families homes being destroyed!

As far as some of them owning houses in ireland "very nice houses indeed"......whats the problem with that??? Im sure many of you own houses abroad that you visit at certain times of the year etc why not go and live in them?

Also, I really dont get your point about the NHS services and schools??? you might want to consider standing at the doors of your local A and E departments......Job Centres....Dentists..... schools etc and count the amount of scroungers on benefits using these services funded by taxpayers having not done a days work in their lives or paying a penny in tax!!!. Traveller children have every right to attend these schools and their community as a whole have every right to use the services of the NHS just like anybody else in this country???

But most people don't own 2nd homes, Emma
About 33% of the UK population doesn't own any property at all, never mind a holiday home. That's why such a sensitive point.

I think the case is pretty compelling that the way the law changed in '94 (or whatever) to require planning permission applications from travellers was immediately biased against ethnic minorities like travellers, I can find you an academic reference or two in support of that. So campaigning for a change in the law back to Council obligation to provide sites might be in order. But doesn't justify breaking the rules in meantime.

Why is it such a sensitive point....theyre not asking for houses or handouts, their home is the land which they were sold. Thats nothing to do with 33% of the population not owning property? Just because a "few" own a house in Ireland thats it, they should go and live there???

Yes, breaking the rules isnt justified I completely understand that but these people are treated completely unfairly....just looking at some of these messages on here is enough to prove that!

In reply to what was said about the whoe "planning permission" issue, owning a property I fully understand how it works so wasnt "missing the point", i think you may hve missed mine....in that if they thought they were completely above the law why did they apply for planning permission atall?