By Matt Jarram, Local Democracy Reporter
Extra security bollards are being installed to try to protect a village green from illegal traveller encampments.
Nottingham City Council says Clifton Village Green has been targeted for years, leading to complaints about damage from residents.
In some previous incidents, people living nearby said hedgerows were being used as toilets and others said they had temporarily moved out of their own homes to live with friends and relatives to avoid the disruption.
Cllr Kevin Clarke, leader of the opposition Nottingham Independent Group, and ward councillor for Clifton, said the cost of regularly clearing up the land was significant.
The council is now installing wooden bollards around the perimeter of two sections of the green to protect the area from further misuse.
As part of a delegated decision on the plan, the Labour-run authority said: “Clifton Village Green has a history of illegal encampments. Local residents have repeatedly complained about damage to the green from these camps and being prevented from using the Green for leisure and sports purposes.
“In addition, litter and other debris have been left by encampments on the green.
“In 2017, bollards were installed on part of the green which successfully stopped encampments on this section; however, since then, camps have continued to be set up on the remaining unprotected sections of the green.
“This has caused stress and inconvenience for residents, due to the proximity to houses and the footpath to the Nethergate stream, and incurred costs by the city council for clean-up and eviction of illegal encampments.”
Nottingham City Council is lease holder and manager of the Clifton Village Green, and the authority says this has meant “repeated expense”.
Letters have been delivered to all residents in Clifton Village before the plans were decided under a delegated decision – which means it took place outside of a council meeting.
Cllr Clarke said: “They should have done this years ago. Every time travellers come on there it causes them how much to clear it up when they gone.
“It is something residents have pushed for a long time. They go on at least two to three times a year and it is a nightmare for residents.
“The mess they leave afterwards on the Green such as human faeces and the other year they left a caravan on there for the council to move. I welcome this and I am sure residents do.”
Pat Rice, chairwoman of the Clifton Village Residents’ Association, said: “We are delighted. We have been pushing for the extra bollards around the village Green. It has been some time since the others were installed.
“It is the lack of consideration for the residents. The main footpath out of the village would have washing strung on it and they would use the hedgerows as toilets so it was not pleasant for villagers.
“Some residents around the Green would move out and live with friends and relatives while the travellers were there. It is just a pity the council did not do the full Green at the time.”
