Homeless camping out in Wolverhampton city centre

Four tents are pitched at the derelict site at the junction of Cleveland Street and Victoria Street and are surrounded by piles of sleeping bags, litter and loose bricks.

Staff at nearby shops said 'immigrants' had been living there for months but had now been revealed to passers-by after a section of the wooden fence bordering the site had blown over last weekend.

Wolverhampton council said those living in the tents had refused an offer of accommodation and that different groups had been using the site.

Several buses exiting the city pass by the derelict land which was previously bordered by the community art project Before I Die, which got people to list hopes and dreams on a giant chalkboard.

Lesley Roberts, the council's strategic director for housing, said: "The council has been actively working with its partner agencies to try and find a solution for the rough sleepers in Wolverhampton.

"All have been offered short-term crisis accommodation – but most have rejected this in preference of remaining on the street. This was the case even when we recently enacted the Severe Weather Emergency protocol that means by law we have to provide shelter for rough sleepers when freezing temperatures are forecast over three days.

"Like most cities, Wolverhampton does have an ongoing issue with homelessness, but we are working hard to address this."

Derelict buildings which remained at the site were demolished in the past year, with the camp believed to have sprung-up shortly afterwards.

C P Bigwood is the agent for the land and has signs stating it is for sale for a 'retail and student development opportunity'.

Staff at neighbouring shops said there had previously been as many as nine tents, with others sleeping rough behind shops in Cleveland Street.

Rakesh Klaire, who works at Tribe Menswear, Victoria Street, said: "They have been there for quite a while. At one time there were as many as eight or nine tents. We see one of them quite often, out the front of the shop asking people for money. But they don't harm anyone."

Azeem Tariq, who owns Wolverhampton Carpet and Flooring, said: "They shouldn't be there. The police should be looking into it. There should be some CCTV in place."