A caravan site that has been at the centre of significant increase in criminal activity and threatening behaviour in recent months is to be closed
Bolton Council will this week make an application to the courts for a closure order to prohibit access to Crompton Lodge caravan park.
Incidents involving drugs, serious violent crime and firearms mean the site is no longer safe for residents, including families and young children, visiting council staff or other agencies.
In the last six months there has been an escalation in the level of violence and criminality, culminating in a serious attack on a council liaison officer.
Last month, a police investigation into the illegal abstraction of electricity resulted in council staff being escorted onto site to make the area safe for residents.
Significant vandalism to the Crompton Lodge site office has meant it is no longer possible for council staff to maintain a permanent presence in the area.
Repeated damage to onsite cameras means ongoing repairs or replacement of the CCTV system is no longer viable.
Toilet blocks on vacant pitches have also been broken into and used to store stolen items, drugs and firearms.
Stolen vehicles and high value plant equipment have also been found on the site.
All those occupying the site will now be served with letters, declaring that the council is satisfied that the site is causing nuisance to members of the public, and creating wider disorder for both nearby residents, the wider Bolton area and the Traveller community.
Crompton Lodge residents who have a tenancy agreement with Bolton Council will be provided with full support and guidance throughout the closure process.
A Bolton Council spokesperson said:
“As a council, we fully recognise our statutory duty to make provisions for the Traveller community.
“However, we have now reached a point where it is no longer possible to safely maintain and run this site, despite a number of joint interventions over many years.
“Due to repeated hostility, council employees and contractors are unable to visit without a police escort, and this is no longer sustainable.
“We are now seeking a closure order for Crompton Lodge, including for those that are legally tenanted to live there, so we can regain control of the site and make it safe and secure for the local community.”
Chief Superintendent Stephanie Parker, Bolton District Commander, said:
“The local community have been subject to unacceptable levels of crime and violence linked to this site, which has significantly escalated in recent months.
“The action taken today is to safeguard our communities and seek to reduce repeat demand on our local neighbourhood officers who have spent hundreds of hours in this area responding to serious incidents.
“Our top priority is to protect members of the public including the Travellers, residents, local authority officers, and our own police officers, and we will always seek to use all relevant powers available to do so.
“We continue to work closely with colleagues at Bolton Council and local charity organisations to ensure residents of the site receive the relevant information and support.”
