A group of travellers have set up camp in the car park of the historic Linotype Works building in Broadheath.
A total of 17 vehicles, mainly caravans, arrived in convoy at around 6pm last evening.
When approached by Altrincham Today this morning, one of the travellers said they would stay “as long as we like”.
Local residents said they were first alerted to the situation when many of the caravans were seen driving through Broadheath without lights on.
It appears the travellers have then unlocked the secured gates to the site, part of which is currently being demolished ahead of a conversion into a residential development by Morris Homes.
The car park is very close to a residential development, and one local resident said she had confronted them when they arrived.
“I asked them what they were doing and they said ‘we’ll be here for six months love, we’re building a road’. I told them the police were on their way and they said ‘the police are our friends’.”
She said the main source of disturbance during the night had been a “really vicious” dog that the travellers had been attempting to bring under control, and that she had seen one of the group relieving himself only yards from her front door this morning.
“I looked out of the window, he clocked me and carried on. I just thought ‘come on’. I don’t need to see you urinating outside my front door first thing in the morning.”
One of the most remarkable buildings in Altrincham, The Linotype and Machinery Company factory dates back to 1897. At the height of its success, the firm employed more than 10,000 people to make typesetting machines for the national newspaper industry.
Mike Brookes, a partner in Nick Brookes, the company in charge of demolition of part of the building site, said the group’s arrival was “absolutely disgraceful”.
“They are breaking and entering a beautiful listed building and we want them gone as soon as possible. They are low lifes.”
He said the group had offered to go if the company made a payment of £5,000.
Brookes said he was concerned about the live cables and live substation on site, and that they “could get killed” if they interfered with it. There are also copper cables and slates on site which he was concerned about.
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The scene at the Linotype Works in Broadheath this morning, after 17 vehicles belonging to a traveller community arrived last evening. More details soon.
Posted by Altrincham Today on Thursday, March 24, 2016
Watch video from the scene this morning
He said he had instructed his workers not to confront the group. “I’ve got a duty of care,” he added.
A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police said they had received several calls from the public and would continue to monitor the situation.
As the land is private, the job of evicting the travellers will be down to the landowner rather than Trafford Council, although councillor Matthew Sephton visited the site this morning and said he was “looking into the situation” with fellow Altrincham representative Cllr Alex Williams.
I can assure residents that @AlexWilliams175 and I are looking into the situation at #Altrincham‘s Linotype building today.
— Cllr Matthew Sephton (@MatthewSephton) March 24, 2016
A statement from Trafford Council said: “The Council is aware of an unauthorised encampment of travellers and caravans in the Broadheath area this morning.
“The Council has liaised with Greater Manchester Police on the matter, and we have been informed that the landowner, who is responsible for the site, will be taking legal action to move the caravans on.”
It’s the third time in nine months that travellers have descended on a site in Altrincham. Last June a group arrived at the Grove Park Playing Fields off Thorley Lane in Hale, and then in August a separate group set up camp in John Leigh Park.
On both occasions the travellers were served eviction notices and moved on after a couple of days.
