A traveller site infamously used as a hideout by the killers of PC Andrew Harper has reopened following a contentious £4 million taxpayer-funded renovation, igniting fury among local residents and the slain officer's family.
A Site of Tragedy and Controversial Renewal
The Four Houses Corner site in Ufton Nervet, Berkshire, was closed in 2020, the year after the horrific death of the young policeman. However, West Berkshire Council approved a costly redevelopment in March 2024 to meet legal requirements for traveller accommodation. This decision was made despite vehement opposition from PC Harper's mother, Debbie Adlam, and his former force, Thames Valley Police, and amidst public anger over cuts to other services.
Families moved back onto the site just weeks ago after the extensive works were completed. The revamped facility now boasts 17 double-berth caravan pitches, 'day buildings' with kitchens and bathrooms, two parking spaces per pitch, provisions for electric car chargers, and a children's play area.
'Sheer Hell' for Local Community
Neighbours report that problems have erupted almost immediately. They describe the site as a 'tip', with damaged fences, dumped rubbish, and a climate of intimidation. One resident living in a £600,000 home opposite said: 'The travellers being there is hell. They've already damaged the site, despite millions being spent on it... They have verbally abused locals. It's disgusting. The whole thing is horrendous.'
The local claimed there has been an increase in crime and that children are now scared to go outside. Other travellers, who were temporarily housed in nearby homes during the renovations, are also accused of causing 'mayhem', with frequent fighting and anti-social behaviour.
Another local expressed frustration at the council's priorities, stating: 'Our basic taxpayer-funded services are being stripped back, but the council can find millions for travellers... We have our bins collected only once in three weeks, the mobile library has gone, the roads are in a very bad state.'
Family and Police Opposition Ignored
For PC Harper's family, the reopening is a profound insult. His mother, Debbie Adlam, accused councillors of showing 'no respect' towards her son's memory. She told them: 'To open the site again, having had the history that it has, it just beggars belief that his whole life can be wiped out and we can just reopen it as if he didn't exist.' A family member confirmed they remain firmly opposed to the site's revival.
Thames Valley Police also formally objected, citing 'ongoing serious historic concerns' with policing the site and its drain on resources, which 'culminated in the murderers of PC Harper being associated with the site in 2019'. Conservative councillor Graham Bridgman described the location as a historic 'hotbed of criminality'.
Despite a total of 47 objections, the Lib Dem-run council pushed ahead with the project. PC Harper was killed in August 2019 after being caught in a tow rope and dragged for a mile by a car as he tried to stop three teenagers stealing a quad bike. His killers—Henry Long, Albert Bowers, and Jessie Cole—fled to the Four Houses Corner site to hide and destroy evidence. They were later convicted of manslaughter.
A West Berkshire Council spokesperson said: 'Any operational issues on the site are being managed directly with the residents.'
