A group of travellers has moved onto King George V Playing Fields in Sutton Coldfield, marking the second time in recent months that caravans have been parked on the site. The encampment was discovered on Thursday, October 1, and by Friday morning, three caravans and four other vehicles were visible on the green space.
The group is situated on the lower right-hand side of the playing fields when viewed from Sutton Oak Road, with one caravan and two vehicles obscured from the road by trees. The gate, which is normally padlocked, was found wide open on Friday morning.
Second Encampment in Four Months
This is not the first time the site has been occupied. In mid-June, a similar encampment forced the cancellation of a Midsummer's Eve event. At that time, a padlock was reportedly broken to gain access.
Sutton Vesey councillor Anja Pawson (Conservative) told BirminghamLive: “Residents messaged us and told us they [travellers] broke on to the King George V Playing Field. Cllr Husham Khan [Sutton town councillor for Vesey] contacted the police and I called the council officer responsible for this. They already knew about it.”
Eviction Process Underway
Councillor Pawson confirmed that both West Midlands Police and council officials have been informed and are following a process of eviction. She explained that welfare checks must be carried out first, which could delay the removal until mid-week.
“They now need to carry out welfare checks first. Then there’s the weekend. We are probably looking at Wednesday or Thursday before they are moved on,” she said.
Pawson also highlighted the recurrence of the issue: “This is the second time this has happened. We had caravans in June. The noticeboard was knocked down then and was moved. Our Conservative group has pushed for quick enforcement and for preventative measures.”
Council and Police Response
A spokeswoman for Birmingham City Council said: “We are aware of an unauthorised encampment at King George V Playing Fields. Council officers are currently undertaking welfare assessments and will follow the appropriate statutory procedures to address the situation. The council is working closely with West Midlands Police to monitor developments.”
The council has not yet provided a specific timeline for the removal, but the process of welfare assessments and statutory procedures is expected to take several days, with eviction likely by Wednesday or Thursday of the following week.
