COUNCILLORS are calling for a permanent Gypsy site in the city "as soon as possible" after travellers moved into an Estover field for the third time in the space of a year.

Twelve caravans and around a dozen cars and vans arrived on a plot of land near the Wrigley factory on Tuesday evening.

They are believed to have moved on from a camp in the car park of the disused Megabowl bowling alley in Plympton after bailiffs were called in.

The only way of accessing the Estover encampment is by driving off the busy Novorossiysk Road and down a steep grass bank, which is now muddied with tyre marks.

Plymouth City Council, which owns the land, installed a row of boulders to stop vehicles getting in after the last group left – but they have been simply tossed aside.

Moor View councillors Mike Foster and Edward Delbridge are now battling to evict the travellers amid concerns from local residents.

Last November a large encampment spent around two weeks on the land, then in May this year travellers arrived for a further three-day stint.

Cllr Foster said it was time to "put a stop to this" and push forward with plans to find a permanent Gypsy and travellers' site in the city.

He said: "I understand it is going through the legal process but a lot of people in my ward do have concerns.

"Last time they left propane gas bottles and it costs around £8,000 to clear up every time.

"We need to put a stop to this now and find a permanent site in Plymouth."

One woman who lives nearby called on the council to erect a barrier or locked gate to keep vehicles out.

"They keep themselves to themselves but it is a nuisance," she said. "The big bugbear is the rubbish they leave behind."

A council spokeswoman said there were 25 unauthorised encampments in Plymouth last year, which cost the council around £160,000.

They were made aware of the camp off Novorossiysk Road on Wednesday and have already provided portable toilets and bins after carrying out welfare checks.

She added: "This is the latest of a number of unauthorised encampments in the city in recent months and is yet another illustration of the pressing need for us to fulfil our statutory duty to provide authorised sites.

"Doing nothing is not an option for us."

Nobody at the travellers' site wanted to comment when approached by The Herald.

The Government has told councils across the UK they have to find land for gypsies and travellers and Plymouth has earmarked three areas – land at Military Road, Efford, which was approved last year, and plots in St Budeaux and Coypool which have been out for consultation.

Once a site is chosen, the council can apply for Government funding to cover the building costs.