08/07/2010 : Court of Appeal grant BHP possession order

Two residents of Lynton Close Traveller's site (NW10) lost their pitches for good today (July 8) when the Court of Appeal granted Brent Council an outright order for possession.

Brent Council, on the instructions of its managing agent, Brent Housing Partnership (BHP), issued possession proceedings against the residents Margaret Corcoran and Ann O'Donnell on grounds of serious and multiple breaches of their licences.

In March 2008, the police raided the site and found Class A drugs and weapons on the pitches where the pair lived. Other breaches of the licences included the harassment of Brent Council's agents by the residents and bringing extra caravans onto the site.

On 15 September 2009, the Judge granted Brent Council a suspended order for possession against the two residents. However the Court of Appeal removed the 'suspension' of the Order for Possession today meaning the duo will have to leave the site by 27 August 2010 or else Brent Council can make a request to the Court bailiff to evict them from the site.

Cllr Bobby Thomas, Lead Member for Housing and Customer Care, said: "Brent will not tolerate abuse of its staff or this kind of persistent illegal activity on sites that it manages. We will take action against anyone who makes Lynton Close an unpleasant place for others to live and work."

Gerry Doherty, Chief Executive of BHP said: "BHP is pleased with the verdict of the Court of Appeal. The appeal was lodged because of concerns that the Travellers' site at Lynton Close would have become extremely difficult to manage effectively without an outright possession order, especially in a case like this where there had been serious and multiple breaches of the licences. BHP's decisions, which were supported by Brent Council, to issue possession proceedings and appeal against the suspended possession order in this case have been wholly vindicated."