Council staff in Gosport, Hampshire, employed a 'ring of steel' made of trucks and deployed a tractor to kick up dust in an effort to deter travellers from entering a field. Contractors parked five council trucks at the entrance to Grange Lane Fields, adjacent to a school, in an attempt to prevent more caravans from setting up camp. A tractor was also used to cut the dry grass, creating a large dust cloud.
Despite these measures, local residents reported that additional travellers arrived after council staff left for the day. The Gosport Reform Party stated on Facebook that council vehicles and police had attended the scene, expressing a desire for more proactive measures to secure open spaces. Local resident Laura Biddle noted that a traveller camp has been a recurring issue in the area each summer.
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Police confirmed they were aware of an unauthorized encampment and were liaising with the landowners, Gosport Borough Council.
In a separate incident on the same day, a councillor in nearby Fareham shared images of a field left strewn with rubbish after travellers had departed. Items found included tents, a pram, gas canisters, wires, water bottles, and a motorcycle, with the council expected to bear the cleanup costs.
These local events coincide with criticism of national planning policy changes. Labour has been accused of weakening standards for traveller sites. The new National Planning Policy Framework, issued by Angela Rayner's department, reportedly removed proposals that would have limited the impact of encampments, including concerns about 'long-distance travelling' and 'potential environmental damage'. References to minimizing adverse impacts on health and wellbeing from local environmental factors and ensuring sites are not isolated from the community were also omitted. The updated framework now includes a suggestion that locations not well-related to existing settlements may be appropriate.
Shadow Housing Secretary Sir James Cleverly criticized the changes, stating that Labour's planning revisions make it easier for travellers to bypass regulations. He argued that the modifications invite unauthorised camps and retrospective approvals, potentially frustrating local communities. The Conservative Party has pledged to crack down on illegal traveller sites if they return to power, aiming to ban indefinite returns and end retrospective planning approvals. 
