The number of caravans parked on unauthorized sites in England has reached a new record high, with a 23% increase in the year leading up to January. Official figures indicate these encampments now constitute nearly a fifth, or 17%, of all such sites. The number of residential vehicles on land not owned by travelers has surged by 81%, contributing to an overall total exceeding 29,000, the highest recorded since data collection began in 1979.
This surge has fueled public anger, particularly in cases where land is purchased and rapidly developed with tarmac and pitches over weekends or bank holidays, circumventing council oversight. Travelers then seek retrospective planning permission, often leading to lengthy and costly legal battles for local authorities to remove them from the developed land.
Amidst these developments, the government has announced plans to reduce the frequency of data collection on these sites, shifting from twice-yearly counts to a single annual event. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has stated that managing unauthorized traveler sites is the responsibility of local councils.
Shadow communities secretary James Cleverly criticized the current situation, stating, "On Labour's watch, the number of traveller caravans on illegal sites is soaring and encampments on other people's land are up by a staggering 81 percent. And Labour are trying to cover it up." He asserted that the Conservative party supports local communities affected by these issues and aims to change laws, potentially by leaving the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), to empower police and local authorities to address the problem directly.
Figures from January show a total of 29,402 caravans in England, an 8% increase from January 2025. Caravans on unauthorized sites specifically rose by 934 to 4,950. Of these, 615 were on unauthorized encampments on land not owned by travelers, an increase of 275 caravans.
Cleverly has reportedly raised these concerns with Labour Communities Minister Matthew Pennycook. However, Pennycook has indicated that enforcement decisions and record-keeping related to unauthorized development are matters for local councils.
Case Study: Essex Green Belt Development
Separately, a case in Essex highlighted the speed at which unauthorized sites can be established. Travelers were ordered to demolish a sprawling site constructed on protected green belt land near Romford. The development reportedly began on a Friday afternoon and transformed undeveloped grassland into a construction site with earth-moving operations, delivery of building materials, and installation of fences and utilities within hours. This rapid development, described as a "disciplined rapid unauthorised development" by a planning inspector, aimed to present local authorities with a fait accompli upon their return to work. Families involved were given four months to leave the land.
Advocacy Group's Perspective
Friends, Families and Travellers, an advocacy group, has previously attributed the problem of unauthorized sites to a lack of official stopping places. A spokesperson noted that "too many families remain stuck in limbo" and are denied access to essential services like sanitation, healthcare, and education without safe places to stay. The group advocates for increased access to safe stopping places to provide stability and dignity for Gypsy and Traveller families.