Pickles: Dale Farm saga won’t happen again

Published by Ross Macmillan for 24dash.com in Housing and also in Communities, Local Government

Councils will be given stronger eviction powers to deal with illegal traveller sites such as Dale Farm, Eric Pickles has told the Conservative Party Conference. 

The communities secretary said the new powers will “prevent unauthorised sites like Dale Farm from ever being established in the first place".

He strongly criticised the Labour planning rule “which gave a green light to traveller camps being dumped in the Green Belt and open countryside".

After weeks of wrangling, the Dale Farm residents are expecting a decision by the High Court today on whether their application for a judicial review will be accepted.

Mr Pickles said: “The Dale Farm saga has now spent 10 years before the courts. Justice delayed is justice denied.”

He explained the site is a threat to the Green Belt which calls for more protection.

“It’s time to respect the family life of those who have to live next door to these illegal sites,” he said.

But he also assured the government has given legal travellers stronger tenancy rights, akin to council tenants.

In a speech that strongly attacked the “inefficiency and incompetence of Labour”, Mr Pickles also highlighted the Government's plans for new housing.

He said: “We are selling off the Government’s disused land and empty offices, and will use it to build 100,000 more homes.

“We’re bringing back Margaret Thatcher’s Right to Buy and we’ll use the receipts to build more affordable homes.”

Prime Minister David Cameron announced last week that the Government expects the revived scheme to raise enough money to build another 100,000 homes.