Travellers camped near major housing development

Around a dozen caravans and cars are parked up in Tinsley Park Way, off Crankwood Road, just yards from the Pennington Wharf regeneration scheme.

While the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) is the principal landowner in the area, the site in question is said to belong to Wigan Council.

One local, who asked not to be named, said that the travellers appeared to have arrived over the weekend.

"We have had travellers camped off Slag Lane, earlier in the summer, and there was also a time where they were parked on a play area on Crankwood Road," he added.

Another neighbour said that there had been at least seven occasions, in recent times, where travellers have set up camp in the area.

Council legal officials are understood to be aware of the latest encampment and are believed to be in discussions to take steps to remove the travellers from the land.

Housing giant Taylor Wimpey has moved onto the second phase of the Pennington Wharf housing scheme, in partnership with the HCA.