Shrewsbury tree planting plan to block travellers

Shrewsbury Town Council approved the measures, which will be put in place at Springfield Recreation Ground, after concerns generated by a two-week encampment this year.

The plan was approved by the council's recreation and leisure committee which met on Wednesday evening.

Councillors had previously been in favour of putting up bollards or fencing as a preventative measure.

However, Helen Ball, town clerk, said residents had raised concerns about the impact more serious security measures could have on their enjoyment of the area.

She said: "We have had a few residents who said they did not want to see bollards put up or the area fenced off.

"Obviously we need some security measures but the councillors considered whether there are other measures we could use, rather than just putting up barriers."

Mrs Ball said that the plan would be to use a combination of the shape of the land – a slope makes part of the entrance impractical for vehicles, and particularly caravans to tackle – and mature trees to prevent people gaining access to the site.

She said: "We will use the topography of the ground, because there are parts where you have to drive down a slope and you cannot take caravans down.

"But where you can drive in we are going to look to plant mature trees so that people cannot drive through.

These trees will be strategically placed, which will prevent people who want to try and get on there unlawfully."

A budget has been put aside to buy the trees.