A group of travellers have set up an encampment at an Aberdeen industrial estate.
It is believed the group of six caravans turned up at the KMD business centre, near to the Royal Mail sorting office in Altens, on Friday.
Community figures have now raised concerns about rubbish being left behind after a site in Stonehaven was recently defiled with empty bottles, bricks, bags of rubbish and even an abandoned car and a burned-out caravan.
The travellers pitched up in a private field overlooking Fetteresso Cemetery, on the outskirts of Stonehaven, earlier this summer and eventually moved on last week.
Cove and Altens Community Council secretary, Sue Porter, said traveller camps were a common occurrence in the area and argued a permanent stopping site might be the answer.
She said: “I believe the individual who spotted them first reported it to police, but we know that moving them on tends to be a very long process.
“It’s a national problem because all we can do is report it and let the police work within the law.
“I think a permanent camp would be better in some ways because they will be responsible for the site and are more likely to look after it and keep it clean.
“My main concern is about the mess that gets left behind when they move on, because it’s not fair that somebody else has to clean it.”
Infrastructure convener, Neil Cooney, who also serves as a councillor for the area, explained that if the caravans were on private land, the council’s hands were effectively tied.
He said: “It depends on who owns the ground. If the camp is on private ground, then they [the owners] will have to launch their own action.
“We stand ready to offer any advice required and I imagine they will launch an action.
“It’s important to remember, though, that most travellers are only at one site for short periods of time.
“This sounds like quite a small family encampment which isn’t as big a problem as the huge camps of 40 or 50 units.
“We are seeing more of these type of small camps rather than the huge ones of the past.”
A police officer responded that the force was aware of the camp.
However, nobody was at the encampment when the Press and Journal visited yesterday.
