A High Court judge has ordered a group of travellers to leave an illegal site developed opposite the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) at Aldermaston in Berkshire. The group had constructed 13 static homes on the land in 2025 without authorization.
West Berkshire Council issued a temporary stop notice in November 2025 when an application for the works was submitted, but construction continued, and the notice was ignored. The council subsequently obtained an injunction on December 18, 2025, which restricted residential occupation and further works, though it initially exempted a caravan occupied by a single family. Despite the order, the site expanded to accommodate families on at least 22 separate pitches.
Judge Sylvia de Bertodano ruled that the families had disregarded court orders, stating that allowing them to remain would render future injunctions ineffective. She rejected the travellers' arguments that families had resided on the site before the injunction was granted, deeming their evidence unconvincing and unsupported by documentary or photographic evidence. The court found that all residents, except for one family living on the site since December 19, 2025, were in breach of the injunction.
The proximity of the development to the AWE Aldermaston site, a key location for Britain's nuclear warhead production, raised concerns. Evidence presented in court suggested the increased population density could strain critical emergency arrangements designed to protect the public in the event of a nuclear accident. A senior civil servant from the Defence Nuclear Organisation testified that the facility was already under significant pressure, and further population increases could jeopardize its operation. Concerns were also raised about the adequacy of shelter for vulnerable individuals near the nuclear facility.
While the judge acknowledged the difficulties faced by the travelling community in finding permanent housing and considered the rights of families and children, she concluded that establishing a home in defiance of a court order could not be permitted. The court found insufficient evidence to support claims that families could not return to previous accommodations while planning applications were processed.
Sixteen planning applications submitted by the group in May were found to be incorrectly completed and invalid. The judge did not rule on the potential for future planning permission but noted that any application would face significant obstacles due to the site's location. The judgment, handed down on September 7, 2026, set a likely departure date of October 5, 2026, pending further submissions, with a final deadline to be determined by September 14, 2026. One family remains exempt from the ruling as they resided on the site prior to the injunction being served. Other residents were given 28 days to leave the land from the likely departure date.