Council plans for permanent transit travellers’ site

​Wakefield Council is considering options for a permanent transit travellers’ site in the district to enable the Police and the Council take swift action against illegal encampments.

It costs the tax payer a significant and increasing amount of money to move on, and clean up, illegal encampments. It is expected that a permanent transit site would deter travellers from setting up illegal encampments and would enable the Police and the Council to move travellers on more quickly, to the legal site, if necessary.

Cllr Denise Jeffery, Wakefield Council’s Cabinet Member for Economic Growth and Regeneration, said: “We are looking at a number of locations for a transit travellers' site to provide them with a suitable place and to help put a stop illegal encampments in the district.

“Although we are at the very early stages of this process and no decisions have been made, I can reassure residents that Welbeck is not under consideration. We have made a commitment to providing a country park at Welbeck, once it has been fully restored and this remains our priority for this area.

“I fully understand that this can often be a sensitive issue and we are working to ensure that an appropriate site is identified as quickly as possible. I ask residents to bear with us and we will share more information as soon as we can.”

Once a site is identified, the Council will apply for planning permission, giving residents the opportunity to share their views on the proposal.