Overview

• A Canterbury Crown Court ruling found Medway Council breached the human rights of 15 Romani Gypsy families by attempting to evict them without taking steps to sell the land.
• The group, consisting of 15 adults and 14 children, was relocated to the former Wigmore Coach Park in summer 2023 under a three-month licence agreement.
• Medway Council issued an eviction notice in October 2023, citing plans to sell the land, but admitted in court that no action had been taken toward a sale.
• The court's decision permits the families to remain at the site under temporary licence, but they lack permanent tenure and continue to face uncertainty.
• An appeal hearing for the group’s planning application to convert the site into an authorised traveller settlement is scheduled for May 28, after an initial rejection last year.