Middlesbrough Council has scrapped plans for a traveller site at Teessaurus Park following public backlash and concerns from residents
Middlesbrough: So, the council has decided to ditch the idea of putting a traveller site at Teessaurus Park. This was a plan that had been floating around for about a year.
When the proposal first came up in early 2024, it didn’t sit well with a lot of locals. People were pretty upset about it, and you can’t blame them.
The council was looking to add 14 new pitches as part of their Local Plan, and they thought this park would be a good spot. But, boy, were they wrong!
Teessaurus Park has been around since 1979 and is a beloved place. It’s got those cool life-sized dinosaur sculptures and a nice wildlife area. Families love visiting, and it’s a big part of the community.
One resident, Sue Martin, was so concerned that she started a petition. It got over 7,000 signatures! She really felt that the park was special and didn’t want to see it changed.
The council had to listen to all the feedback. They even hired consultants to look for better options for a traveller site. Turns out, Teessaurus Park just wasn’t the right fit after all.
Councillor Theo Furness mentioned that there was a lot of strong feeling about this issue. He’s glad they found a different proposal that meets the needs of the gypsy and travelling community, as they’re required to do by law.
They’ll be sharing more details about the changes to the Local Plan soon, so it’ll be interesting to see what they come up with.
