Traveller Camp Set up in Greenhead Park

By Greg Dawson 
A group of travellers have set up their caravans inside Greenhead Park days after being evicted from All Saints Catholic College.
The college was forced to cancel lessons,800 pupils and 100 staff told to stay away while staff worked to evict the travellers from the field.
This is the second time in nine months that the school was forced closed as a similar camp was set up in September.
The camp has been set up at one of Greenhead Parks main maintenance entrances off Park Drive near the skate park, a path frequently used by the public.
Another instance of traveller camps includes one based in Springwood carpark last year opposite the leisure centre. The council swiftly took action evicting the travellers and installing new railings and rock barriers to prevent vehicles being driven over the verge of the car park.
A Kirklees Council spokesperson said: We’re aware of the travellers at Greenhead Park.
“We are visiting the site and will take legal action if we need to.”
Kirklees council has stated they will create a permanent travellers site at Birstall close to the M62. The reserved piece of land near the Showcase Cinema would have enough room for 20 caravan pitches.
The plan has been seen as controversial because of how close the camp is to a popular retail park, a petition objecting to the proposal was signed by more than 5,000 people in less than a week in March.
Clr Mark Thompson questioned the logic of creating a traveller’s camp so close to a retail park, he said: “I’m not sure that’s the right place to put a gipsy encampment. We collect £7.6m in rates from Junction 27 and we’re talking about putting a site in the middle of it.”
The permeant camp plan is still under review by the council but the process has already begun to evict the Greenhead Park campers, Clr Sheikh Ullah (Labour, Greenhead) said:
“There has been a small encroachment at Greenhead Park.
“We will request a welfare assessment and begin the eviction process as soon as possible.”