SQUATTERS MOVE TO EVADE EVICTION

10-11-2008

Squatters campaigning for more council housing in Birmingham have given bailiffs the slip – by moving to a new site 50 yards away. And they’ve denied claims that their trespass will cost taxpayers “thousands of pounds”.

Members of Justice Not Crisis were ordered to quit their camp in Balsall Heath at a court hearing on Friday – and although they were also warned off a number of other nearby areas, they’ve still managed re-establish their “tent city” on a piece of derelict land owned by the local authority.

Meanwhile JNC spokesman Steve Austin disputes claims by Birmingham’s Cabinet member for Housing John Lines that securing and clearing up their earlier site would cost taxpayers “thousands of pounds” (see link here)

Austin says there’s no evidence to suggest the land was close to being developed: “If there really was a development agreement and things had progressed as far as councillor Lines had stated in the article why was there no planning application on the site.

“Having checked with the council's planning department the last planning application was in 2001 for the demolition of the old council homes that stood on the site.

“He states that 20 of these homes, if there ever were any homes, would be either shared ownership or for rent. As Justice Not Crisis has said on many occasions the developers nearly always go for shared ownership as it requires less subsidy that rented homes.

“The alleged agreement stated 20 homes but what chance that there would have been any for social rent?

“As for the cost of securing  There were two gaps in the fence when we arrived. That’s why we chose the site. So we haven't cost the Council a penny.

“Finally there is the cost of cleaning up the mess. What mess? As much as possible is taken from the site and recycled. Other rubbish is taken away and disposed of properly.

“Almost everything on the site belongs to someone and will be returned after we leave while arrangements have been made to dispose of the rest. In truth the site will be cleaner after we leave than when we arrive.

“Once again councillor Lines misleads to hide his incompetence.”

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