A group of travellers have established an unauthorised encampment on council-owned land adjacent to the Alexander Stadium in Perry Barr, Birmingham.
Arrival and Location Details
The convoy of caravans and other vehicles was first spotted on Friday, November 21, occupying an area near playing courts and directly opposite a newly built play park off Church Road. Local reports indicated the group arrived in substantial numbers, creating a noticeable presence on the site.
By Sunday, November 23, the scale of the encampment had diminished, with a visible reduction in the number of caravans and vehicles present on the land.
Council Response and Site History
A spokesperson for Birmingham City Council issued a statement confirming their position. "The council is committed to actively protecting its land and will take steps to recover this land where unauthorised encampments encroach upon it," they said.
This is not the first time this particular location has been subject to such an incursion. In previous years, travellers have taken over a car park that was being used by contractors working on the children's play area. In response, the council had installed gates and other preventative measures to secure the land.
Contrast with Walsall's Permanent Facility Plans
In a contrasting development within the wider West Midlands region, an application has been submitted to convert a temporary traveller site in Walsall into a permanent facility.
The site in question is the Pleck Transit Site located off Narrow Lane. This facility currently offers space for six caravans and twelve cars, and is equipped with a fresh water tap and separate male and female showers.
The move towards permanence follows a 2021 decision by Walsall Council's cabinet members to allocate the disused land between Darlaston Road and Old Pleck Road specifically for the use of the gypsy, Roma, and traveller (GRT) community.
