UPDATE: Doncaster Council to apply for Tent City eviction order on Friday

Doncaster Council is applying to the courts for a possession order that would allow them to evict the residents of Tent City

Doncaster Council says it will apply to the courts on Friday for an order to evict the people living at Tent City, due to their belief that the camp has become 'increasingly unsafe'.

Set up to provide shelter to the borough's homeless, 'Doncaster Tent City' sprung up on council-owned land in the town centre previously occupied by the Doncaster Civic Theatre on November 19.

Earlier this month organisers said that all residents would have vacated the land by December 10.

However after they failed to close the camp on the agreed date Doncaster Council confirmed they would be applying for a possession order due to their belief the camp is becoming 'increasingly unsafe' and was unsustainable.

A Doncaster Council spokesman told the Free Press that a decision would be made over the order by a judge at the town's county court on Friday morning.

If the order is granted, Doncaster Council will then order the camp's residents to vacate the land within a time-frame set by the judge presiding over the case.

Jo Miller, Chief Executive, Doncaster Council said: “Homelessness is rising in most of our towns and cities, and Doncaster is no different to any other in that respect. However no one needs to sleep rough or be homeless at Christmas and we are working hard with our partners towards making sure that accommodation and support is offered to those who need it.

“That's why we've worked positively with the Tent City organisers since the day they arrived on 19 November. They wanted to raise awareness of homelessness issues and help those in need and we've supported them in that from the word go. Tent City planned to be here for a very short period and said that they were going to close on 10th December. Unfortunately that hasn't happened.