BRAINTREE Council has announced plans to invest £100,000 on protecting its open spaces from illegal traveller encampments.

The money will be spent over the next two years on better securing a number of potentially vulnerable council owned open spaces in the district in an attempt to deter travellers from setting up unauthorised camps on the land.

The move comes after a spate of illegal camps sprung up across the district during the past six weeks including one group that moved onto the Braintree Council owned Great Saling Playing Field.

Wendy Schmitt, councillor responsible for environment and place, said: “We have listened to residents concerns about illegal encampments on the council’s open spaces very close to their homes and we have decided to protect the most vulnerable areas from unauthorised access in the future.

“We will continue to work with our partners to make sure we can maintain our high quality green spaces.”

The first part of the programme will secure nine sites with the “most appropriate” security for the area that is concerned. The council could not confirm the sites or specific measures although these would potentially consist of timber bollards or knee rail fencing.

Diane Greenwood, chairman of Great Saling Parish Council, said: “This is good news for the whole district and I am glad the council has obviously realised there is a serious need to protect its open spaces.

“I think it has become clear how much it effects people and there has been so much of it recently.

“We were not previously on the list of vulnerable sites but after having a camp set up twice in three months I am going to push for us to be added.”