A TRAVELLER hotspot has been fortified in a bid to prevent future encampments.

Newton Abbot’s Osborne Park has been the destination of choice for a number of groups of Travellers in recent years.

Now it has been ringed with a sturdy rail, and earth ‘bunds’ are being constructed to make it even more impregnable.

The work is part of a £73,000 project by Teignbridge Council to protect a number of locations which have proved vulnerable to unauthorised occupation by groups of Travellers in the past.

The council has installed new height barriers and other measures such as earth banks and wooden posts in Osborne Park, Forde Park, Courtenay Park, Bakers Park, Decoy Countryside Park, Sandringham Park and Coach Road.

The move follows six incidents across the district last summer.

The council says the incidents upset local residents and left it having to pay clean-up costs.

At the same time the council pledged to work with neighbouring authorities and other agencies to explore the development of a network of transit sites.

These would provide designated, temporary stopping places for Gypsies and Travellers.

Teignbridge currently has one designated site at Haldon Ridge.

When the project was launched last year council leader Richard Keeling (Lib Dem, Chudleigh) said: ‘\We realise for many of our residents it’s been difficult and at times frustrating, but we hope this proactive and balanced approach will help improve and protect our green spaces.

‘By investing in preventative measures and working with partners to explore longer-term solutions, we’re aiming to reduce disruption for residents and ensure a fair and lawful process for all.’

Members of the council’s executive committee received an update from Cllr Peter Williams (Lib Dem, Teignmouth East), who told colleagues: ‘The initial phase of rails has been installed at Osborne Park, and now we are moving on to the next phase which is the bunds.

‘This should now make life easier for all the residents. Hopefully we can get through this year with Osborne Park being a safe place for the community to use.’

Last year Osborne Park and Sandringham Park were subject to high-profile unauthorised Traveller encampments.

Last week the car park at the council’s own Forde House offices was occupied.