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94
The property at 36 Arpley Road, Penge, is included in a
Clearance Area and the Keeper was informed that it would be
unlikely that his registration would be renewed after the end of
1967.
MOVEABLE DWELLINGS
The control of caravan sites is obtained through The Caravan
Sites and Control of Development Act 1960. There are seven
licensed sites and in each case the "conditions" attached to the
licences enable the Council to enforce a high standard of
environment for the caravan dwellers.
The difficulty of dealing with itinerants camping on grass
verges and Council owned land was referred to in my last year's
report and ultimately the Council found it necessary to apply to
the Bromley Magistrates Court for Orders, under the Orpington
Urban District Council Act 1954, requiring the removal of the
caravans and prohibiting the use of the land for this purpose. At
the same time, it was decided to provide a permanent site for
12 gipsy families at Star Lane, St. Mary Cray.
There is no doubt that the congregation of itinerant families
on unauthorised land can constitute a serious public health problem
due to the lack of proper sanitary facilities, a situation which
is aggravated when they settle near to residential property.
The only permanent solution is to provide a sufficient number
of properly controlled and equipped sites throughout the country,
to absorb the itinerant population. It would then be possible to
prohibit the use by this population of any unauthorised land. A
long-term measure to be recommended is the gradual absorption
of families into society by rehousing from these sites, after a
period of rehabilitation.
Licensed Sites No. of Vans
Address permitted
The Paddock, Downe Road, Keston 12
Chalk Pit, Maidstone Road, Ruxley 25
"Cherry Tree Nursery", Foxbury, Chislehurst 1
"Lower Hockenden Farm", Hockenden, Swanley 1
"Crittenden Caravan Park", Pond Lane, High
Street, West Wickham 30
11 Heathfield Road, Keston 23
"Restavon", Berrys Green Road 60
In addition to the above there is a large site at Crystal Palace
organised by the Caravan Club of Great Britain, which is exempted
from the licensing provisions, and which will be discontinued after
the end of 1967.