Travellers who illegally occupied a green belt site in Flamstead, Hertfordshire, have departed following a High Court ruling, but have left behind significant amounts of rubbish and abandoned vehicles. Families began establishing the encampment in April, using bulldozers and diggers to alter the land on Friendless Lane. They were subsequently given a deadline to leave, which has now passed.
Photos from the site show litter, abandoned cars, and damage to the sun-scorched ground. The group initially arrived on Easter Sunday, taking advantage of the bank holiday weekend when local authority officials were off duty. More caravans and static homes arrived later, with the group reportedly laying down concrete paving on the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Residents attempted to impede the convoy of works vehicles entering the site, leading to a confrontation described as a 'crisis moment.' According to local accounts, the traveller group forced their way through the blockade, allegedly damaging vehicles and a police car. A parish councillor stated that individuals wielding iron bars were present and that lorryloads of crushed concrete were brought onto the site.
Legal Proceedings and Departure
In July, Deputy High Court Judge Christopher Kennedy ruled in favor of Dacorum Borough Council's legal action to clear the site. He noted '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 vacating.
Flamstead Parish Council chairman Billy Pither confirmed that the travellers have been leaving steadily over the past week, with drone footage capturing the departure of the last caravan. However, a couple of vehicles and a container remain on the site, unoccupied. Pither described the land left behind as "a mess," noting approximately 6,000 tonnes of hardcore material brought in by the group, which will require significant effort to remove.
Victoria Collins, 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 the council would monitor the situation and continue to liaise with the parish council and residents.
The travellers had reportedly applied for planning permission to convert the green belt site into a Gypsy and Traveller site with 14 pitches, each intended for a mobile home, touring caravans, and a 'day room.' Despite a temporary stop notice issued by the council on the Saturday before their arrival, construction on the site began on April 2, according to local observations, contradicting claims made by the agent submitting the application.
This incident highlights a trend of alleged 'land grabs' where travellers purchase fields and swiftly convert them into unauthorized caravan pitches, often submitting retrospective planning applications. Legal proceedings to clear such sites can be lengthy and costly, allowing occupation for extended periods.