EVICTION proceedings have been started over three travellers’ camps.

Brighton and Hove City Council has applied to the county court for a possession order after another illegal encampment was set up on Devil’s Dyke Road.

A spokeswoman said the council is in the process of setting an eviction date should the occupants fail to leave voluntarily. The court will hear two applications on Thursday to evict travellers from Stanmer Park and Wild Park, Brighton.

The spokeswoman said: “We have visited the sites with the police and the travellers have been asked to leave. We have applied to the county court for a possession order to enable the council to re-gain possession of the land.”

Travellers moved onto the city parks last week.

A group had moved out of Wild Park, but the current encampment was set up before council staff closed off the area.

A council spokesman said they were clearing the site on Wednesday morning last week when another small group of travellers moved on to the park. “This happened before the clear-up had been completed and the site secured,” he added.

The council plans to build a permanent gypsy and traveller site with facilities in Horsdean. The council considered 50 possible locations before a planning application was approved by the South Downs National Park Authority (SDNPA) in February.

The site, funded by a £1.7 million government grant, will have 12 new pitches where travellers will have to pay rent and council tax. It will be built next to 21 existing transit spaces, which travellers can use for three months.

This space is currently full – forcing the council to pursue eviction proceedings to move travellers on from illegal encampments.

Previously coun Pete West, chairman of the council’s environment committee, said: “Once built, the new site will give greater stability for travelling families and strengthen links with the local community that already exist with the transit site.”