Permission for bollards on green arrives day after travellers turn up camp

The news came the day after travellers left the Greenham open space after setting up home there at the weekend.
On Sunday travellers in about 16 caravans and associated towing vehicles and cars descended on Stroud Green and refused to move on as requested by the landowner, West Berkshire Council.
On Monday, the clerk to Greenham Parish Council, John Boston, received confirmation that the Government had approved plans for bollards to be placed around Stroud Green. As the area is registered as common land, approval must be granted by the planning inspectorate on behalf of the environment secretary. David Wilson Homes agreed to bring forward £2,000 of the developer contributions owed with regard to the racecourse development to fund the bollards. Usually this only comes due once a certain number of homes have been built.
West Berkshire Council ward member for Greenham, Julian Swift Hook (Lib Dem), said: “There’s a possibility that now that a group of travellers have identified the green as a place to stop then in the near future we might have a much larger group.
“It’s imperative that we protect the green from unwelcome visitors and this is the best way to do it. We have been working on this for many months now and it’s just incredibly ironic that the permission arrived on Monday – 24 hours after the travellers arrived. It’s going to ensure that the green is preserved properly for local people to enjoy.
“I’m delighted that everybody involved has come together to make it happen. It’s a brilliant example of people working together for the benefit of the community.”
Mr Swift-Hook said that he was hoping the bollards could be installed in less than a couple of weeks.
West Berkshire Council gave the travellers notice to leave by 2pm on Tuesday, but went of their own accord at about 10am.
The chairman of Greenham Parish Council, Tony Forward, said: “It’s a fantastic gesture [by David Wilson Homes] and superb news. It’s a gesture that will really help the community.”
He said that as soon as the travellers arrived, members of the community got very jittery.
He added: “[The bollards] should enable residents in the area to be able to go to bed in the area in the knowledge that travellers are very unlikely to use the area again.
“We should be able to say goodbye to travellers on Stroud Green.”