Residents of the Surrey village of Alford are reporting significant distress and financial hardship following the establishment of an unauthorized traveller encampment. The situation, which began on April 2, has led to what locals describe as 'three months of sheer hell,' with homeowners struggling to sell their properties.
A group of travellers occupied a nearby field, transforming it into a 17-plot settlement without planning permission. This development has had a tangible impact on the local property market, with one homeowner stating that only one viewing has occurred for her house in the past three months. She claims that neighbours have been compelled to reduce their asking prices in a desperate attempt to secure buyers.
One affected resident, who is trying to sell a three-bedroom barn conversion valued at £600,000, expressed heartbreak over the situation. "Now we have them across the road, who would want to live here?" she asked, detailing the difficulty in selling her home. The noise from generators has reportedly forced her to sleep downstairs, disrupting her sleep patterns. She also noted the perceived disparity between the travellers' apparent new vehicles and the diminished value of residents' homes.
Complaints from residents also include alleged theft of ornaments by children from the encampment and verbal abuse from adults. The noise from the site, including early morning work and the movement of ponies and traps, has contributed to the disruption.
Waverley Borough Council has issued an enforcement notice ordering the travellers to vacate the land. However, the travellers have appealed this notice, and a hearing is scheduled for September to determine the outcome. The construction of the encampment was rapid, with 21 caravans and five static homes brought to the site over the Easter bank holiday weekend.
Locals first became aware of the situation on April 1, when unfamiliar individuals were seen measuring road widths. The following day, numerous lorries arrived to establish the settlement. Peter Foy, a local resident, described the speed of construction as both "impressive, but horrendous at the same time," reflecting the general anger within the village.
Travellers are known to often establish unauthorized sites during weekends and bank holidays to minimize immediate council intervention. The enforcement notice issued by Waverley Borough Council requires the land to cease its residential use, with all mobile homes, hardstanding, and rubbish to be removed.
In their appeal, the travellers are seeking retrospective planning permission and argue that the six-month compliance period given was insufficient. Councillor Liz Townsend, Waverley Borough Council's portfolio holder for planning and economic development, stated that the council acted promptly. "The council took enforcement action within hours of the very first day the unauthorised development began," she said, referencing Temporary Stop Notices issued on April 2 and April 3, and an Emergency Interim High Court Injunction obtained the following week. Townsend emphasized that the subsequent timetable is dictated by the independent Planning Inspectorate and cannot be influenced by the council.
Local councillor Jane Austin noted that residents have been left "visibly shaken" by the new development. The situation has led to residents feeling like "prisoners" in their own homes, with some reporting feeling unsafe to go outside.