Will evicting these people result in more or fewer problems in the future?
One would hope fewer. Leaving them to stay would set a dangerous precedent in terms of the invasion of our open spaces in contravention of our planning laws. When we had an extension built on our house the amount of red tape and approvals that we had to obtain was ridiculous. Why should this lot be able to circumvent that because "it's their rights"?
You cannot have one law for the law abiding majority and another for those who choose to break the law and make the lives of their new neighbours hell. The sooner we get rid of this lot the better. Their own country doesn't want troublemakers like them, so why should we have to put up with it? I favour deportation personally, but that won't happen because "it's their rights".
I think Applelover hits the nail on the head with this question.
It's interesting how planning laws are on top of everyone's agenda... what the travellers have done is wrong, but I still feel this eviction will cause more problems than the planning-related one it has solved.
At present, there is a rough estimation of how many travellers are living on the site, and so the schools/health/etc in the area can cope with them. Whether they should be receiving these is a whole other matter, and not one for a simple solution. However now, they could be now anywhere... they may turn up at schools, doctors etc who are not ready to cope, not have budgeted for it.
Additionally they were very much tucked away in Dale Farm (you could just about sport from A127 but not driving through the village), if they rock up at local parks, more central locations it will cause more problems. I can't imagine house prices have instantly recovered, now will they given there is a legal traveller camp there. I'd be wanting compensation from the council if I lived there, and I have great sympathy for the people of Crays Hill who have seen their property devalue. Interesting to see if there is any court cases given the way in which Basildon Council have handled the debarcle.
A final cost will also be interesting (if it is ever announced), and the knock-on effects that will be seen across the council as a result of this. I hope the social, education, health departments remind the planning department of this! I live under BDC and so I am directly involved.
We DO have some massive wider issues to address... for example benefit fraud. Now I'm going to stick my neck out here, and suggest there may be a fair bit of it going on across the settled community of Basildon too (By the way do we deport them too?). This can often be found out by surveillance, investigation, recording, reporting etc. If you turf out this group of people, what chance have you ever got of investigating them?
There was one concentrated area of travellers which have now been dispersed, potentially your way, and I personally think there will be far more problems now than there ever was before. Also that disruption could well lead to more crime (I'm not saying it is okay by any means, but displaced people in need, will do what they need to survice). That money could have been far better spent.
Hooray for this planning law victory though!