Travellers camp at A49/A44 roundabout near Leominster grows

In April the council issued a direction for the travellers to leave the encampment on land by the A49/A44 roundabout near Leominster, which it owns, or face court proceedings.

“Multiple complaints have been received from residents regarding the burning of materials at the site and the general condition of the area,” the council said at the time.

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But it appears the camp has only grown since, with vehicles now filling up the approach road to the site from the pedestrian crossing over the A49.

The site, which apart from the approach is largely screened from the road, was recommended for the purpose in the council’s 2019 Travellers’ Sites Development Plan.

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But the council said in April it had rejected this idea “for multiple reasons, including the disruptive activities being undertaken on the site and concerns regarding (its) suitability for long-term use”.

The council did not respond when asked this month whether legal action over the site was still ongoing.

Herefordshire Council owns and runs six travellers’ sites around the county, including a ten-pitch site at Croft Lane between Leominster and Luston.