Woodland beauty spot to be turned into UK's first purpose built 'Hippie camp' for New Age travellers costing taxpayers £1.1MILLION Exeter council spend £1.1million to transform illegal site into 'new age camp' Travellers have occupied the woodland spot in Haldon Hill since 2001 Camp's plots to be made available to the 50 travellers currently on the site By John Stevens A woodland beauty spot is to be turned into a purpose-built New Age travellers" camp using £1.1million of taxpayer's money. The picturesque site at Haldon Hill, near Exeter, Devon, has been used illegally for 12 years. But now the existing ramshackle camp will be transformed into a permanent site with 15 official plots for "new travellers" under the plans approved by Teignbridge Council. Plotting plots: Plans have been approved to spend £1.1m of taxpayers' money on this illegal site to turned into a permanent travellers camp The purpose-built site, which is thought to be the first travellers" camp of its kind in Britain, will include communal allotments, a children's play area and composting bins. The hard-standing pitches will be fitted with amenities such as electricity, water, showers and toliets. A community building will be added, along with site roads and visiting parking. There will also be a site manager to deal with any problems. The travellers arrived in August 2001 and since then the camp has grown into a collection of caravans, old buses, huts and shelters that house up to 50 people. Opponents believe the present camp should be cleared and the residents moved on. Picturesque? A sign revelling in the death of Lady Thatcher is seen at the illegal site which is set to be Britain's first official purpose built camp for travellers Claims: Despite the site being on council grounds, the travellers, who have been living there since 2001, only welcome visitors who have 'appointments' Clean-up: The site is currently littered with debris but after the million pound project is over the site will sport communal allotments, a children's play area, and composting bins But the council said it has granted planning permission for the permanent site as it believes it will be a smaller and tidier alternative to the current camp. Philip Vogel, Teignbridge District Council executive spokesperson for housing and planning said: "This decision is to be welcomed. The site could not stay as it was. Residents did not have access to suitable sanitation, the encampment was unauthorised and it was having a negative impact on the surrounding environment and the wider Haldon community. Like authorities up and down the country, we need to provide sites that are suitable for gypsy and travellers. This site will go some way towards addressing that need. The Department for Communities and Local Government announced last January that it was making £60million available to help build new sites for travellers. Invasion: The woodland site at Haldon Hill off the A38 near Exeter in Devon, has been used illegally for 12 years New site in sight: The new camp will have 15 official plots which Teignbridge District Council claims are 'needed' to cater to local gypsy and travellers The Homes and Communities Agency, which is distributing the funding, confirmed that it will fund the project in Haldon Hill as a site to be allocated to New Age travellers. Mike Hanrahan, chief executive of Teign Housing, which will manage the development, said: "This site, for new travellers, will be the first of its kind and has a unique opportunity to act as a model for similar opportunities within the district and across the country. There are lots of different opinions about this project, but we now have the chance to lead by example and build a better understanding and more tolerance of each other's lifestyle choices. Travellers living on the existing site will be allowed to remain there until the new plots have been constructed. Those currently at the site will have the chance to be housed on the redeveloped plots. Anyone living there would have to pay a fee, which would include a service charge and the pitches would also be subject to council tax. Travellers who are not allocated a pitch will be helped by the council to find "alternative suitable accommodation." The council said enforcement action will be taken against any travellers then remaining on the land.