Local Residents Frustrated as Travellers Enter Green Belt Land
Residents of Flamstead in Hertfordshire have expressed deep frustration following an incident where a group of travellers entered and damaged a beauty spot. The event has sparked outrage among locals, who witnessed the arrival of bulldozers and diggers on green belt land off Friendless Lane.
The villagers first noticed the machinery being driven onto the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) on Thursday. Caravans followed suit on Easter Sunday morning, leading to further concerns about the damage being caused to the area.
Drone footage captured the extent of the damage, showing large areas of concrete laid down by the travellers. It is believed that the group took advantage of the Bank Holiday weekend, hoping that local authorities would be slow to respond.
Violent Encounters and Damages
One unnamed parish councillor shared details of the confrontation, stating that the travellers allegedly damaged cars and used iron bars to force their way onto the site. According to the councillor, the incident occurred around 7 o’clock on Sunday, with a lot of violent abuse and threats reported.
“The travellers barged their way through, there was a lot of violent abuse and threats, people wielding iron bars, a few cars damaged, they drove into a police car and drove past. They started to bring in lorryloads of crushed concrete,” the councillor said.
Residents estimated that around 300 trips were made by individuals delivering materials onto the site. In one instance, a police car was reportedly rammed off the road during the process.
Legal Actions Taken
Despite Dacorum Borough Council issuing a temporary stop notice on Saturday, the travellers arrived three days later. The notice is a planning enforcement tool used to halt work, but it appears to have been ignored.
Villagers attempted to prevent vehicles from entering the beauty spot. Reports suggest that a tree was felled on Saturday in an effort to block off a nearby road, though it remains unclear who was responsible for cutting the tree down.
One resident described the situation as “absolutely horrendous,” stating that the vans and caravans drove at them, pushing their way through and bumping into people. Another resident felt as though his home village had been “invaded” in what has been an “absolute nightmare” situation.
Ongoing Protests and Legal Proceedings
Locals have since begun a ‘lawful’ protest as works reportedly continued on the site at around 9am this morning. It remains unclear who owns the field, adding to the confusion surrounding the incident.
Hertfordshire Constabulary is currently reviewing the events at Friendless Lane over the Easter weekend. A statement from Dacorum Borough Council mentioned that they were informed of unauthorised hardcore being laid on privately owned land on Friday 3 April. The council served a temporary stop notice on Saturday 4 April, requiring all work on the site to cease immediately.
The council also submitted an application to the court for an emergency injunction for the site, which was successfully granted. The order prohibits any unauthorised works or use of the site.
Hertfordshire Constabulary added that while the civil matter is led by the council, they are continuing to monitor the situation and maintain a police presence in the area. They are investigating allegations of criminal damage, traffic offences, and threatening behaviour.
“In these circumstances, police have no enforcement powers to prevent access to the land or building work taking place,” the statement concluded.
