Encampments banned from city parks for two years
Birmingham City Council has successfully gained two injunctions banning encampments from moving onto four city parks and recreation grounds until July 2019.
A High Court judge issued the injunctions – covering Perry Park and Alexander Stadium, and Selly Oak Park, Selly Park Recreation Ground and Hazelwell Park, in Stirchley – yesterday (17 July 2017).
The ruling - made by the Honourable Mr Justice Morris sitting in the High Court in Birmingham - came into effect immediately and bans households from setting up or joining encampments on any of those four sites.
It is the first time Birmingham City Council has used injunctions to tackle unauthorised encampments on council-owned land. Anyone who breaches the orders covering these parks and recreation grounds may be arrested, will be guilty of contempt of court and may be fined, have their assets seized or face imprisonment.
Mark Croxford, Head of Environmental Health at Birmingham City Council, said: “We have succeeded in getting two High Court injunctions which ban any encampments from moving onto four of the city’s parks and recreation grounds for two years, until July 2019.
“This is a new tool for us to use to prevent anti-social behaviour and fly-tipping associated with unauthorised encampments. We will monitor the impact this has on the four sites and may look at taking similar action on other locations affected by repeat incursions.”
The council's Environmental Health department applied for the injunctions after a series of traveller incursions in Perry Park and Selly Oak, during which residents reported incidents of anti-social behaviour and fly-tipping.
Both injunctions ban people from entering or remaining on any part of the parks and recreation grounds covered by the injunctions to establish, join or be part of an encampment.
ENDS
