High Court bid to stop work on Meriden travellers site

May 19 2010 By David Irwin

SOLIHULL Council is to make an audacious bid to prevent work restarting on a travellers site before proposals have gone to planning chiefs.

This Friday, May 21, 2010, the legal team is going to Birmingham High Court - in an attempt to convince a judge to make an injunction.

There’s a lot hanging on the decision; the stop-notice, which had been issued on Bank Holiday Monday, is due to expire next weekend.

As the council go to the courts, the recent rumpus in Meriden has also been raised in Europe.

This week, MEP Nikki Sinclaire, spoke about the stand-off, during a EU meeting in Strasbourg.

She said that the European Court of Human Rights gave special rights to groups of travellers.

“The principle that everyone is equal in the eyes of the law should always apply, not the EU preferred Orwellian scenario; that some are more equal than others,” said Ms Sinclaire.

“I believe passionately that we are all equal. That is the basic premise of a democratic society, and the ECHR has given one section of society special rights.”

It’s three-weeks since a group of travellers arrived in Meriden and began work in Eaves Green Lane.

Since then, members of Residents Against Inappropriate Developments (RAID) have operated a 24-hour vigil.

This week, the group - which has over 500 members - has been buoyed by letters of support from around the world.

Now the protesters are urging people to put pen to paper and send their own objections to Solihull Council.

The application for a 14-pitch site is due to go before the planning committee later this year.

* RAID will be protesting outside Birmingham High Court on May 21, 2010, between 9am-12noon.