The peaceful relocation of a Travelling community has been hailed “the best possible outcome” by a local business leader.
The Travellers, who first arrived on open ground near Montrose Road in Forfar at the beginning of May, have been at the centre of at least two court actions to move them on.
They have now moved on from the site at Glencoul Mill, owned by Guild Homes, following a “very productive” meeting in Finavon.
When they moved in, managing director Mark Guild said he would prefer to work with the council and the Travellers, rather than quickly evict them and move the problem on somewhere else.
Mr Guild said the Travellers indicated they will now leave the county, and appreciates the “balanced” approach taken by the community and council in helping the group disperse.
He said: “At Finavon it was a good meeting, and the police, council and some of the councillors were in attendance along with a section of the community.
“Everyone had the opportunity to give their views it was very constructive and fully informed everybody of the true facts surrounding the situation.
“I was able to tell them nearly half of the travellers had moved on from Glencoul and I expected the rest to move on within days.”
The encampment followed a mass exodus from a site at Orchardbank Business Park, where a sheriff had granted a motion lodged by the joint owners of the land, Angus Council and Hermiston Securities Ltd, ordering the Travellers to leave the site.
They had moved to Orchardbank opposite the Scottish headquarters of the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association hours before bailiffs were due to arrive to throw them off the Montrose Road site.
Mr Guild added: “We’ve been in continual contact with the Travellers throughout the six weeks they’ve been there and they kept the site tidy.
“They’re leaving as a result of discussion we’ve had, without a court order, and the gate will be closed behind them.
“I’m very thankful to the Travellers many of whom I have met and seemed genuine and Angus Council.”