The Dundee Traveller site has partially reopened after a weeks-long closure due to “significant damage” at the facility.
Balmuir Wood, the purpose-built caravan park for Travellers near Tealing in Angus, shut for the “foreseeable future” in September.
It has now been confirmed repairs have been carried out at the site with part of it now reopened.
Lib Dem councillor Fraser Macpherson raised concerns about Balmuir Wood with officials last summer – when he was told there had been several incidents of vandalism causing “significant damage”.
However, he was told on Wednesday the site had partially reopened.
Plans for a full reopening have not been confirmed.
Mr Macpherson said: “It is vitally important that the Balmuir Wood site is properly and fully repaired and fully available.
“I am continuing to press Dundee City Council to ensure that happens.”
A spokesperson for Dundee City Council said: “Repair works to the site at Balmuir Wood have been going on and it is now partially open with pitch availability.
“Work is continuing on the other pitches which require repairs, and the site will be fully open as soon as possible.”
Rise of Traveller camps in Dundee
It comes as data obtained by The Courier shows a rise in illicit Traveller camps in the city in recent years.
Since the beginning of 2022, a total of 22 Traveller encampments have been reported to Dundee City Council.
Of these, only one was reported in 2022, while six were reported in 2023 and 15 in 2024.
The following Traveller encampments were reported to the council over the last three years:
2022
- 4 caravans – Tayforth House, December 2 to December 16
2023
- 2 caravans – Kingsway Tesco Extra, January 20 to January 27
- 9 caravans – Charles Bowman Avenue, April 16 to May 2
- 2 caravans – Charles Bowman Avenue, May 22 to May 31
- 5 caravans – Sidlaw House, July 23 to August 1
- 2 caravans – Balmuir Wood, August 18 to August 23
- 10 caravans – Balmuir Wood, October 24 to January 8 2024
2024
- 6 caravans – Charles Bowman Avenue, March 2 to April 4
- 4 caravans – Balmuir Wood, April 4 to May 9
- 10 caravans – Texol site, Myrekirk Road, April 7 to April 25
- 10 caravans – Camperdown Country Park, April 25 to May 3
- 7 caravans – Balmuir Wood, May 13 to June 26
- 5 caravans – site 17 at Dundee Waterfront (next to Tay Road Bridge), May 23 to June 2
- 9 caravans – Camperdown Country Park, May 27 to June 3
- 12 caravans – Camperdown Country Park, June 4 to June 8
- 12 caravans – Caird Park, June 25 to July 2
- 4 caravans – Balmuir Wood, July 8 to July 24
- 14 caravans – Drumgieth Park, July 18 to July 21
- 6 caravans – Riverside pitches, August 16 to August 19
- 6 caravans – Riverside Nature Reserve, August 19 to August 29
- 4 caravans – Balmuir Wood, September 25 to October 15
- 9 caravans – Camperdown Country Park, October 3 to October 7
The council confirmed there had been damage caused at sites including Camperdown during encampments but did not hold the cost of dealing with this.
According to Shelter Scotland, it is a criminal offence to lodge, occupy or encamp on privately owned land without the consent of the owner.
The council previously warned it would take legal action against unauthorised encampments in the city.
Council officials did not comment on the reasons behind the rise in encampments in the city – and whether there was any link with the condition of Balmuir Wood.
‘Devastating lack of Traveller sites in UK’
However, a national charity says there is a general lack of dedicated Traveller sites across the country.
A spokesperson for Friends, Families and Travellers said: “A recent report by Friends, Families and Travellers showed a devastating lack of transit sites across the UK, with over 91% of local authorities having no transit site provision for Gypsies and Travellers.
“Where dedicated stopping places do not exist or are no longer available, Gypsy and Traveller families are forced to stop and rest elsewhere.
“Everyone deserves to live in peace and free from fear of retribution, and we urge all councils across the country to commit to providing safe stopping spaces for Gypsy and Traveller people.”
Conversation