Gipsies set up camp near Newport’s Transporter Bridge (From South Wales Argus)
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Gipsies set up camp near Newport’s Transporter Bridge
10:20am Saturday 27th October 2012 in News
Gipsies set up camp near Newport’s Transporter Bridge
GIPSIES have set up camp near Newport’s Transporter Bridge.
Four caravans have been sited on Stephenson Street, near Corporation Park, since at least Thursday.
Newport council said it was aware of the illegal encampment and was investigating.
A spokeswoman for Newport council said: "Encampments such as this demonstrate why Newport needs official Gipsy and traveller sites.
“A well-managed transit site, where the temporary residents will pay for services and can stay for a specified period, will help the council tackle the continuing problem of illegal camps.
“The council is also seeking to establish a residential site for a small number of families who are longer term residents of Newport and have strong links to the city. They will also pay for services as well as council tax in the same way as other residents."
In 2009 a family lived near the Transporter Bridge illegally for nearly a year before they were moved to a "tolerated" site on Esperanto Way where they remain.
The city currently has no designated Gipsy and traveller sites and plans are currently being drawn up for potential sites in Ringland, Marshfield and Allt-yr-yn.
A preferred site for a permanent camp at the former road safety centre on Hartridge Farm Road has been identified along with a preferred transit site in a yard off the A449.
Smaller residential sites on the former Ringland allotments and Brickyard Lane in Allt-yr-yn have been identified as being suitable if the need arose in future, while land on Celtic Way, Marshfield, was chosen as an alternative transit site if the preferred option could not be developed.
The areas were chosen from a shortlist of 11 taking into account of 7,100 responses from the public.
There is an immediate need for 17 residential and seven transit pitches but a recent Welsh Government survey found 59 caravans sited in the city - 38 of which were in unauthorised areas.
The council must earmark such sites as part of its Local Development Plan (LDP). Full council will make a decision on whether to replace five existing sites in the plan with the newly chosen areas early next year.
Comments(14)
Bobevans
says...
11:28am Sat 27 Oct 12
Magor
says...
3:40pm Sat 27 Oct 12
macbumble
says...
3:42pm Sat 27 Oct 12
youngashie
says...
4:42pm Sat 27 Oct 12
macbumble wrote:And what has Flat Holm done to you that makes you want to despoil such a beautiful place.? I very much doubt that you have ever been there?.
I can't see it will make any difference with a proper camp the travellers will still stop anywhere. Suddenly Flat Holm springs to mind put on there.
cwmbran man
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5:02pm Sat 27 Oct 12
ccc49
says...
5:40pm Sat 27 Oct 12
smokintheweed
says...
1:20am Sun 28 Oct 12
Howie'
says...
10:46am Sun 28 Oct 12
Llanmartinangel
says...
11:39am Sun 28 Oct 12
Howie' wrote:Reward them for breaking the law at the cost to the rest of us. Like it. Question Howie: if I broke into someone's house for a bed for the night each time I was in a different town, would society provide me with a free hotel room? Thought not.
I guess Newport needs an official transit site for them sooner rather than later.
Radio Wales
says...
1:56pm Sun 28 Oct 12
Maybe I'm wrong, but I always thought Celtic Way was in Coedkernew near Duffryn, not in Marshfield - Not trying to mislead I hope? Don't they know there's an arsenal quite near there?
Sunelectric
says...
2:59pm Sun 28 Oct 12
Radio Wales wrote:Celtic Way is in Coedkernew village which is within the parish of Marshfield (as is Marshfield village).
Here we go again... Platitudes galore from 'The Council' They still haven't answered the question why all the suitable sites suddenly changed with the colour of the council. Suitable for whom? I wonder.
Maybe I'm wrong, but I always thought Celtic Way was in Coedkernew near Duffryn, not in Marshfield - Not trying to mislead I hope? Don't they know there's an arsenal quite near there?
Hevsym
says...
7:20am Mon 29 Oct 12
TheSheriff
says...
9:01am Tue 30 Oct 12
Leigh. says...
10:52am Sat 27 Oct 12
If they paid tax, water rates, council tax electricity gas etc etc maybe they could stay, but all they do is cost the tax payer more money. Does no one have the guts to stand up to them on the council??