Norwood Green residents to hold demonstration as new traveller camp appears days after last one cleared

Angry residents are to hold a demonstration after another travellers camp appeared on Norwood Green only days after the last one departed.

More than 20 caravans arrived on the green near the children's playground during Wednesday (July 13) night - the same place that the last travellers first set up camp .

So far this group of travellers have kept their camp limited to the end of the green by the playground, but residents are angry that another group has arrived only days after the mess left behind from the last encampment was cleared by Ealing Council .

Around 50 people are expected to attend the demonstration on the green, which will start at 7pm on July 14 (Thursday), where residents will show how unhappy they are that Norwood Green is being used by travellers.

Mhairi Maclean, who was one of the organisers of the Village Day that was cancelled as a result of the last traveller camp , is also organising the demo.

She said: "We want to get the message across that we want to reclaim the green for the community of Norwood Green.

"We do not want a summer of inconvenience that comes with the travellers making camp on it."

Ongoing issue

Travellers first moved onto the green on June 28 when only a few made camp, but that number swelled to more than 20, causing the annual village day to be cancelled.

The residents of the site told getwestlondonthat they were unaware of any event being held on the green and would not have moved to the site if they had , also suggesting rubbish on the green - which included large pieces of furniture - could have been dropped by local kids.

A council spokesperson said: "This is a different group of travellers to the one that camped on the green recently and we are moving as quickly as possible to resolve this situation.

"We have an official site in the borough specifically for travellers and Norwood Green is not suitable for a camp of this type.

"Norwood Green is a much loved and well used public space and we have just finished clearing the site following the departure of the last group.

"We have asked this group of travellers to respect this green space and the local community and leave Norwood Green in the same condition that they found it."