Neighbours have welcomed plans to install bollards on a village green plagued by illegal encampments. They come amid continued complaints over damage and mess left by groups pitching up on the land.
Nottingham City Council, which leases the Clifton village green off a freeholder, says it has received initial permission to install bollards on the remaining sections of the land. Wooden bollards had been put up in some areas back in 2017, but the council says the issue has persisted on the unprotected grassland.
The village green, which sits in Village Road just off the A453, is used for leisure activities and by dog walkers. The well-kept grassland has pockets of daffodils and residents have described it as a "lovely area".
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However, it has been plagued by illegal encampments for many years and the council now hopes the plans to finish installing bollards will prevent this. Residents welcomed the plans. Michael Atherton, a retired electrical engineer who worked at Brush and now lives in the village, said: "They do not come often, with Covid it hasn't been as bad, but they come roughly three times a year.
It is just an inconvenience. It's a lovely area so it is definitely a welcome thing." And Alan Rothwell, who lives on the Clifton estate but walks his dog on the green, added: "It is a fantastic idea. It is a problem so this is a God-send.
"They leave such a mess. Hopefully it will sort the problem out.
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I know it is probably expensive to put them in but I would say they would save money in the long-run from cleaning up everything." Nottingham City Council says: "Clifton Village Green has a history of illegal encampments.
Local residents have repeatedly complained about damage to the green from these camps and being prevented from using the green for leisure and sports purposes. "In addition, litter and other debris have been left by encampments on the green.
In 2017, bollards were installed on part of the green which successfully stopped encampments on this section; however, since then, camps have continued to be set up on the remaining unprotected sections of the green. This has caused stress and inconvenience for residents, due to the proximity to houses and the footpath to the Nethergate stream, and incurred costs by the city council for clean-up and eviction of illegal encampments.
"Failure to enclose this area would lead to the land being illegally occupied and thus generating issues of ASB and crime."
