Dale Farm
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Dale Farm is part of an Irish Traveller site on Oak Lane in Crays Hill, Essex built green belt land which houses over 1,000 people. It is the largest traveller site in the UK and has been the subject of a dispute as to the legality of the site.
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[edit] History of the dispute
Local Authorities used to be legally obliged to provide sites for travellers under the Caravan Sites Act 1968. This was obligation was removed in the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994. The Commission for Racial Equality says that this has led to there being too few sites to accommodate all travellers [1].
According to the Commission for Racial Equality Dale Farm 12% of traveller caravans are on land owned by travellers but without planning permission. They say that 90% of traveller planning applications are initially rejected compared to 20% overall.
Dale Farm was started in the 1970s when the then Labour Party run Basildon District Council gave planning permission to 40 families. Following the eviction of other sites the site contains about 100 families. Dale Farm is owned by the Sheridan clan of travellers but has been refused planning permission by the local council. Basildon Council's Development Control Committee recommended in June 2005 that up to £5 million be spent on paying private contractors to bulldoze part of the site and returning it to greenbelt. [2]
There is currently an eviction order on the site, although it is under judicial review. The review will conclude in February 2007.
The campaign to save the village at Dale Farm has been supported by many people and groups, including political parties, church and community groups, human rights organisations and grass roots activist groups and individuals. The Peace and Progress Party called a meeting at parliament in June 2006, following which, Corin Redgrave collapsed at a council meeting at Basildon Town Hall. More recently, the Commission for Racial Equality issued a statement to the effect that the eviction order is racially motivated.[3] This statement has been supported by the vicar at nearby Our Lady of Good Counsel Church, Wickford.
[edit] Trivia
The site was featured on the channel five program At War with Next Door in December 2006.[4]
