Travellers who illegally occupied a green belt site in Flamstead, Hertfordshire, have departed after a High Court ruling, leaving behind substantial amounts of rubbish and abandoned vehicles. The group began setting up camp on the beauty spot in April, using bulldozers and diggers to alter the land.
The travellers were given a deadline of Monday to leave Friendless Lane, and have now done so, but photographs reveal the extent of the litter and damage that remains. The site, described as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, was reportedly paved with hardstandings and concrete by the group.
Residents described a "crisis moment" when attempts were made to prevent a convoy of works vehicles from accessing the site. According to local accounts, the situation escalated to violence, with travellers allegedly forcing their way through a blockade, damaging cars and impacting a police vehicle.
In July, Deputy High Court Judge Christopher Kennedy ruled in favour of Dacorum Borough Council's legal action to clear the area. He cited "flagrant" breaches of interim orders and deemed the injunction against the travellers "just and proportionate." The judge also ordered the group to contribute £15,000 towards the local authority's £51,000 legal costs and to clear the site before their departure.
Flamstead Parish Council chairman Billy Pither confirmed the travellers have been leaving steadily over the past week, with drone footage capturing the departure of the final caravan. However, he noted that a couple of vehicles and a container remained unoccupied. Pither described the land left behind as "a mess," with approximately 6,000 tonnes of hardcore brought onto the site, which will require significant effort to remove.
Victoria Collins, the Liberal Democrats MP for Harpenden and Berkhamsted, welcomed the news of the site's vacation, acknowledging the significant concern it had caused local residents. Dacorum Borough Council leader Sally Symington stated that the council would continue to monitor the situation and liaise with the parish council and residents.
Reports from April described the travellers' group as damaging cars and wielding iron bars while forcing their way onto the site. A parish councillor recounted that travellers barged their way onto the field, engaging in violent abuse and threats, damaging vehicles, and ramming a police car. The group reportedly began bringing in lorryloads of crushed concrete, with residents estimating around 300 trips to deliver materials.
An application for planning permission was submitted by the group to convert the Green Belt site from agricultural land into a Gipsy and Traveller site, comprising 14 pitches. Each pitch was intended to accommodate one permanent mobile home, two touring caravans, and a 'day room.' The agent submitting the application claimed work had not yet started on April 6, though locals indicated construction began on April 2.
This incident is part of a broader trend of alleged 'land grabs' where travellers reportedly purchase fields and swiftly convert them into unauthorised caravan pitches, often submitting retrospective planning applications. Such situations can lead to lengthy and costly legal proceedings, allowing occupation of the land for extended periods. Unauthorised developments also reportedly sprang up in Kent and Surrey over the same Easter weekend this year.
Shadow communities secretary Sir James Cleverly previously commented on the issue, stating that communities often discover illegal traveller encampments after bank holidays. He highlighted concerns about trespassing, unlawful pitch creation, and the feeling of abandonment among residents when criminality is perceived to go unpunished and green spaces are damaged. His party has proposed banning retrospective planning approval for caravan sites and strengthening countryside protections.