A GROUP of Travellers who have taken up residence at Dundee’s Technology Park say they have “no plans” to leave and will stay until at least the end of the month.
Seven caravans settled behind a derelict building on Luna Place after pitching up just over a week ago.
But despite saying they have been approached to leave the site, one Traveller said they will be staying there throughout Christmas and into the New Year.
The Traveller, who did not want to be named, said: “We have been here for a few days now and have been approached by an officer to tell us the usual, but we’re going to stay.
“It’s too close to Christmas for us to move on, so this is where we’ll be spending Christmas and the New Year.
“It would be too much hassle to move somewhere else because it is so close to Christmas Day and all the families here want to do is relax and enjoy it.
“Right now, there are no plans to move.”
The Traveller could not say when the group would be moving on or where they would be going next.
Members of the group also claimed they had been approached by the council and told they could stay at the site as long as they wanted.
However, Councillor John Alexander — the city’s housing convener — said: “I would highly doubt anything of that nature was said by an officer from the council.
“It is not the council’s locus to say whether the Traveller group could stay there as it is not council land — we do not have that authority.
“If something along those lines has been said, then I am not aware of it. But I highly doubt it.”
The Traveller claimed that the group had been told by an officer from the council they could stay as long as they wanted as long as they kept the place clean.
He said: “When we got here we went through the usual with the officers who turn up everywhere we go.
“But they told us we could stay here as long as we keep the place looking clean and tidy, and that’s what we’ve been doing.
“If you look around here, there’s no rubbish lying around at all.”
Seven caravans have taken up residence on land at Technology Park in the West End of the city.