Surrey Woodland Cleared for Unauthorised Traveller Encampment Over Easter Weekend
Residents in Burpham, Guildford, have been left furious after witnessing the rapid transformation of local woodland into an unauthorised traveller encampment over the Easter bank holiday weekend. Men in hi-vis jackets were seen installing gates and fences, with drone images revealing that overgrowth and trees have been replaced by hardstanding within the newly created site.
Concerns Over Wildlife and Planning Breaches
A local business owner, who wished to remain anonymous, highlighted that the primary worry among Burpham residents is the impact on wildlife as trees continue to disappear. 'So far they have just been making it into a stable area, getting rid of the trees and walling it off,' he said. 'We have no details, nobody really knows what is happening. It is all a bit sudden, we are still trying to piece it together.'
He added that the tree clearing has particularly upset the community, leaving the area 'pretty bare' and emphasising that in Guildford, wildlife is often the first concern. The local claims the traveller group purchased the land, located near an industrial estate, a few months ago but lacks permission to build on it.
Council Response and Legal Process
Guildford Borough Council (GBC) has acknowledged the work carried out at the Clay Lane site and stated that they are investigating as a priority. Council officers have visited the site and are completing background work to gain a full understanding of the situation. 'We take all planning breaches extremely seriously,' a council spokesperson said. 'If a breach of planning control is confirmed on any site in the borough, we have several enforcement options.'
Cllr George Potter, the representative for Burpham, confirmed that planning permission has not been granted for the development, and Surrey County Council (SCC) has not authorised vehicular access onto the highway at this location. He noted that unauthorised development is a civil matter, not a criminal one, and legal enforcement can be time-consuming due to the lengthy legal process required.
Similar Incidents Across the Region
This incident is not isolated, as travellers also made similar 'land grabs' in Sunbridge, Kent, and Flamstead village, Hertfordshire, over the Easter weekend. It is understood that these actions were timed to coincide with the bank holiday, when council officials might be slower to react.
In Sunbridge, residents accused police of 'aiding and abetting' after travellers paved over a field and blocked a country road until 4am, leading to one local being arrested during a confrontation. Meanwhile, in Flamstead, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) was disrupted as traveller families used bulldozers and diggers to tear up the land, laying down concrete squares amidst rolling fields and woodland.
Community Hopes and Ongoing Uncertainty
Residents in Burpham are holding out hope that Guildford Borough Council will intervene, as they have with previous attempts to settle nearby. The anonymous business owner expressed the community's uncertainty: 'I think everyone is just waiting to see if it will be permanent or not. Right now it is just the construction workers there. We are about five metres away from it.'
He added that even construction workers on site are unclear about the permanence of the development, with some claiming it is 'all legit' at face value. Neighbours have already contacted the council, ensuring authorities are aware of the situation.
A Facebook user commented on the timing, noting: 'That's definitely going to be a traveller site, all geared up for works over the long Easter weekend.' This sentiment echoes across Surrey, where another incident saw travellers transform a rural field in Alford into a 17-plot 'gated community' with caravans and static homes, constructed rapidly over the same weekend.
As investigations continue, the battle for local communities in Surrey, Kent, and Hertfordshire remains ongoing, with residents and councils navigating the complex legal landscape surrounding unauthorised developments.
