During the May bank holiday weekend, unauthorized caravan sites were established in the Hampshire hamlet of Wivelrod and the Bedfordshire village of Wilstead. Using heavy machinery ,travellers transformed pasture and protected open spaces into makeshift camps, sparking intense local frustration.

The 2022 planning rejection that Wivelrod residents say was ignored

In the Hampshire hamlet of Wivelrod, heavy machinery was used during the May bank holiday to transform pasture land into an unauthorized caravan site. As the report states, this specific plot of land has a history of failed development attempts, including a 2019 sale offer and a planning application for a traveller site that was rejected due to local opposition. Even after an appeal was denied in November 2022, the site was eventually occupied by a convoy of lorriies and earth-moving machines that laid down concrete strips.

The sudden arrival of these machines has caused significant distress among long-term residents. One unnamed local resident noted that the situation has caused extreme stress for their family,describing the atmosphere as one where "all hell broke loose."

Hardcore bases and mobile homes appearing near the A6 in Wilstead

In the Bedfordshire village of Wilstead, located near the A6, travellers established a mobile home on land that had been identified as protected open space. According to the source, the encampment was created over the three-day weekend by laying down a hardcore base to support the structures. This move has drawn sharp criticism from Borough Councillor Marc Frost, who argued that the area must remain open space and that the same planning rules applied to all developers should be strictly enforced here.

Damian Hinds' call to ban retrospective planning consent

East Hampshire MP Damian Hinds is calling for new legislation to prevent developers from using retrospective planning consent to bypass local rules. This move comes as part of a growing trend across the Home Counties, where individuals purchase or lease rural plots and then attempt to secure permission after the construction of hard foundations is already complete. Hinds is urging ministers to ensure that any developer who deliberately withholds planning permission is barred from seeking future approval.

Who is responsible for the lack of enforcement in Wivelrod and Wilstead?

Local residents in Wivelrod and Wilstead are questioning why authorities failed to intervene despite receiving notifications of the activity months in advance. There are several unanswered questions regarding the specific reasons for council inaction and how local authorities plan to monitor these sites moving forward. Additionally, the report primarily highlights the grievances of local residents and officials,leaving the specific motivations or perspectives of the travellers themselves unaddressed.