Birmingham's traveller site closed for the second time in two years after it's trashed again

Birmingham City Council's transit site for travellers has been rendered “uninhabitable” and forced to close for the second time in two years. The site in Proctor Street, Aston, has space for 12 caravans but was previously closed in January 2023 following “significant damage and vandalism”.

It only returned to use in May after taxpayers' money was spent on repairs - but councillors have been told it was already shut again because of more damage. Transit sites are authorised areas where members of the travelling community can be directed when in the city.

They typically provide a hard standing for holding caravans, a secure boundary and basic sanitary provision while some also provide electricity. Earlier this year, councillors angrily questioned why repairs at the Proctor Street site had taken so long.

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Quinton's Sam Forsyth said at the time: “For the second city not to have a designated, official travellers site is a disgrace - when is Proctor Street going to be open?" A new council report said repairs took longer than expected due to the level of damage, coupled with unforeseen complications with the electrical supply, lengthy contractor response times and new spend control processes.

The site returned to operational use in May 2024 but was later been rendered “uninhabitable” due to damage to a welfare unit and the water supply, the document said. “Officers from Housing Management are working with Acivico to arrange the necessary repairs,” the report said.

“However at the present time, due to the lack of basic sanitary provision and potable water, the site is closed.” Planning consent has been granted for a second location at Aston Brook Street East, Aston, with space for four caravans, but it was due to be sold after the work needed was deemed uneconomical, the report said.

“At the present time, Aston Brook Street East is not being pursued as a viable option due to the costs required to bring the site into operational use versus the number of viable pitches achievable. This site is instead being scheduled for disposal".

Another site in Tameside Drive, Castle Vale, has been home to long-term occupants who had “indicated a willingness to sign occupancy agreements", the report added.

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“Work continues with the current occupants of Tameside Drive,” the report stated. “However, due to the length of time this site has been inaccessible to the council and the likely costs of bringing the site into use in line with current legislative requirements, it is not currently viable as a transit site.”

It added that a plot of land adjacent to the Tameside Drive site had been unused for around 50 years since the demolition of a primary school. Enquiries have been made and surveys are ongoing to determine what works are needed to bring this land into use as a permanent site for the use of the current occupants, freeing up the transit site for others.

“It is however likely that any works will come at significant expense,” the report said. “Given that this will create a further General Fund pressure, a decision will need to be taken as to whether to pursue this proposal once indicative costs are known.”

With a lack of such sites available in Birmingham, the city council has been recommended to adopt a ‘negotiated stopping policy’. According to the report, negotiated stopping is when a common agreement is made between those in the travelling community and the local authority to use an unused piece of land as a temporary stopping place.

The report will be discussed by the council's licensing and public protection committee on Wednesday, November 13.