Crays Hill travellers fight to keep centre

TRAVELLERS at one of the world's largest illegal traveller camps have hit back in the row over a controversial community centre.

Next month councillors are likely to vote to have the timber-framed structure at Dale Farm removed because they say it has been built without planning permission.

However, travellers argue that the building, known as St Christopher's, should be allowed to remain because they say the company that sold it to them said they did not need permission. BDR Log Cabins which sold the building denies the claim.

Now the Crays Hill travellers have set up a youth group in the building and say they are looking at setting up a range of clubs, including boxing and IT.

Basildon council leader Malcolm Buckley blasted the latest development as an attempt to embarrass the council.

He said: "We will be taking action at the earliest available opportunity. We have told the travellers that the building should be dismantled and stored away and erected somewhere where there is planning permission.

"I know they say that the people that sold them the building said they didn't need permission but if a brick seller said you could build a house in the middle of a field, would you?

"We issued a notice on the building three or four weeks ago but I haven't heard anything since."

The situation caused a storm back in May when it emerged the building had been bought courtesy of a £12,000 grant from Essex County Council's Youth Opportunity and Youth Capital funds.

Cllr Buckley added: "How is it a community centre anyway? It doesn't fulfil the right criteria, it doesn't have proper sanitary facilities.

"I think this is the latest in a long line of attempts to embarrass us."

However, Gratton Puxon, a campaigner at the site, welcomed the news saying the young people there were united after seven years of being "under siege".

He added: "The young people completed the day by planting an oak tree to commemorate the founding of the youth group, called Dale Farm Chaveys.

"They hope their centre and the new club will be seen by all as a positive achievement and assisted to expand membership and activities.

"Meanwhile, Basildon has issued an order for St Christopher's to be taken down, claiming that the log cabin requires a planning permit.

"However, the firm supplying it said that as a temporary structure, permission was not necessary."