Residents of the Buckinghamshire village of Dinton are facing the prospect of a permanent traveller encampment after a family who allegedly attempted to extort them for £600,000 have applied to the local council to legalize their presence.
The Doran family purchased a quarter-acre greenfield site on the outskirts of Dinton in February and immediately installed three caravans and a mobile home. According to villagers, two men representing the family then approached them, demanding over £600,000 to vacate the land. This figure was reportedly forty times the £15,000 the family is believed to have paid for the plot.
After the village's 800 residents refused to meet the demands, the family's patriarch, Jimmy Doran, formally applied to Buckinghamshire County Council to turn the site into a permanent residence. The application seeks permission to station two mobile homes, two touring caravans, and a 'day room for traveller occupation' on the land, which overlooks the Chiltern Hills and is situated in a designated conservation area.
Villagers have expressed outrage and fear over the situation. Caroline Bevan, whose home is opposite the site, stated that she will feel like a 'prisoner in her own house' if the application is approved, as her bedroom will be overlooked by the proposed caravans. Ms. Bevan also reported receiving death threats and being subjected to online abuse after opposing the development. She is among 128 residents who have formally objected to the proposal, citing concerns about noise, privacy, traffic, and the violation of a restrictive covenant from the Church of England that designates the land for agricultural use only.
Michael Cook, who sold part of the land last year, described the situation as a 'nightmare come true,' noting the land's agricultural covenant and its location within an area of outstanding natural beauty. He expressed frustration that issues appear to be handled reactively rather than proactively.
The application comes seven years after other members of the Doran traveller clan allegedly made similar demands in Dough Bank, Worcestershire, in 2019. A planning notice has been posted on the site, which currently houses three caravans and the burnt-out remains of a static mobile home.
A Buckinghamshire County Council spokesperson confirmed that the application is still under consideration and no recommendation has been made. However, residents fear that recent changes to government planning rules, which have eased restrictions on traveller sites, will make it more difficult for councils and residents to oppose such applications. Official figures show a 73% rise in unauthorized traveller caravans across England since January 2020.