Residents of the quiet village of Tilsworth in Bedfordshire say they are now outnumbered by travellers who have established an unauthorised encampment on a field adjacent to an existing legal site. The development, which began on Friday, June 12, now houses 19 motorhomes and caravans, adding to about 70 on the neighbouring site. With the village comprising only around 140 homes, locals claim the traveller population now exceeds their own.
Council action and resident frustration
Central Bedfordshire Council secured a temporary stop notice on Tuesday, June 16, under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, requiring all construction work to cease. The council is also pursuing an injunction to ban further work. However, villagers have criticised the response as "useless" and were "stunned" after receiving what they described as a "threatening" email from a council official.
One father living near the site told the Daily Mail: "That email is trying to silence us. We just don't feel it's fair that travellers are able to move into a field and cause mayhem. They've destroyed hedges and habitats." He added that the travellers told residents they "can't do anything" and "would do what they want."
Council defends actions
A spokesman for Central Bedfordshire Council said: "We understand the concern this matter has caused for residents in Tilsworth, and we recognise that people want clear information about what action the council has taken. Officers have responded quickly and treated this as a priority." The spokesman noted that the council was notified on the evening of Friday, June 12, and officers worked late to arrange a site visit the next working day. The temporary stop notice was served on June 16, and since then construction has stopped and plant machinery is being removed.
The council acknowledged receiving a significant number of enquiries from residents and has responded to those who contacted them. They emphasised that they must follow the correct legal process and ensure any formal action is supported by evidence, citing the example of the illegal development by Captain Tom’s family, which took just over two years from initial investigations to demolition of the outbuilding.
Political and legal developments
Councillors are now reviewing a retrospective planning application for the site, which could potentially grant official approval. The Conservatives have called for ministers to ban retrospective planning approval for sites built without permission. The council is awaiting a date for a High Court hearing to seek an injunction.
A local resident said: "It was the usual Friday afternoon situation, 5pm when they knew the council would close." The council official's email, which stated that "the frequency of these emails is starting to prevent the officers conducting their duties," has been condemned by villagers as an attempt to silence them.
