London borough secures temporary injunction prohibiting illegal encampments at 350+ sites

Hillingdon Council has secured a High Court injunction until 18 June that prohibits illegal encampments on more than 350 sites across the borough.

The local authority said that providing the injunction was working effectively in practice, it would then ask the court to extend it for a three-year period.

The injunction, which refers to 'persons unknown', forbids caravans, mobile homes, vans and lorries from coming onto 358 specific sites for the purpose of occupying it or depositing waste.

It also prohibits any person - whether travelling onto the land in a vehicle or not - from fly-tipping there. 

The list of restricted sites includes 290 parks and green spaces, along with leisure facilities, public car parks and car parks attached to public buildings such as libraries and theatres.

Hillingdon said there had been 41 land incursions in the borough since January 2018, leading to clean-up costs of approximately £200,000.

The local authority said the injuction would mean that neither the council nor the police would have to rely on their respective powers under the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, “which is not always quick and effective at removing incursions and encampments”.

Cllr Ray Puddifoot, Leader of Hillingdon Council, said: ''I am very pleased that we have obtained this injunction, which protects a significant number of valuable sites in the borough.

“A great deal of our time and money is spent each year in dealing with incursions and encampments and these resources can now instead be used for the direct benefit of our residents."