Travellers set up camp on London's Kew Green by £1.5million houses

Travellers park their caravans and 4x4s on London’s Kew Green as they set up camp in well-heeled neighbourhood where houses cost £1.5million each

• Five caravans pulled up on Kew Green on Tuesday, along with other vehicles
• Richmond Council said it has already started eviction proceedings for the Green
• It is not the first time Travellers have set up in the affluent west London area

A group of Travellers have set up camp in an affluent area of west London where houses cost £1.5million each, just a stone’s throw away from Kew Gardens.

At least five caravans, 4x4s, as well as several other cars have been pictured parked on Kew Green after arriving into the area on Tuesday.

The group, which consists of men, women and children, were pictured talking seemingly amicably with members of the Richmond Parks Patrol Service on Wednesday afternoon.

Richmond council released a statement on social media on Tuesday confirming the arrival of the group, adding it had already begun the ‘welfare checks and legal process’ to remove them from the Green.

A spokesperson told MailOnline that a court hearing is to be held on Friday, at which time the council will seek permission to evict the group from the Green. 

The group of men, women and children arrived in Kew, west London on Tuesday

A young woman crosses the green carrying a plastic bag on Wednesday

A number of vehicles, including a blue 4×4 which appeared to be missing a window, are parked on the Green

A council statement read: ‘We are aware that a group of Travellers have arrived on Kew Green.

‘Traveller camps breach our Public Space Protection Orders which prohibit unauthorised access and camping on our open spaces. 

‘We have started the welfare checks and legal process to move them on as soon as possible.’

Public Space Protection Orders are designed to counter anti-social behaviour which is having, or is likely to have, a significant impact on local residents.

According to Richmond Council, as of 16 October 2017, all parks and open spaces are controlled by Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs), which impose various restrictions to dog control and antisocial activities in parks and open spaces.

A young woman folds bedding outside a caravan on Kew Green on Wednesday

Two children from the group speak with a smiling passer-by in Kew, west London

A man smokes and drinks from a can outside one of the caravans to arrive on Tuesday

Two caravans pictured on the Green on Wednesday, alongside 4x4s and other vehicles

Richmond Council says it has begun legal proceedings to force the group to move on 

The Orders were renewed on Thursday 15 October 2020 for a further three years. 

It is not the first time the Green has hosted the Travelling community. In 2021, 12 caravans and cars pitched up in June, but left voluntarily hours before a legal bid could have slapped them with an eviction notice.

The council said there was no damage caused and all rubbish had been cleared away, but secured a three-month order which banned Travellers from the site. 

Just two months later in August 2021 21 vehicles pitched up on the Green as a different group arrived. They too eventually left. 

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