Traveller families who occupied a wildlife spot at the centre of an unauthorised development dispute have left the site after an injunction was served – though concerns remain at the damage left behind.
Work started at the land off Sheering Mill Lane in Sawbridgeworth, near Bishop’s Stortford in Hertfordshire, on Friday afternoon and continued over the weekend.
East Herts Council said it became aware early on Saturday morning of works taking place at the site, which does not have planning permission for development.
The encampment led to villagers forming “peaceful protests”, with a local politician sharing a picture on Facebook just before 10pm on Sunday of residents – of which he estimated there were around 200 – sitting on camp chairs nearby.
East Herts Council said it became aware early on Saturday morning of works taking place at the site. Credit: ITV News Anglia
Angus Parsad-Wyatt, the mayor of Sawbridgeworth and an East Herts district councillor, said the work by the council and the local community was “really important”.
He said: “The fact that officers at East Herts council worked through the weekend to get in front of a judge and to get the powers that we needed was really important.
“The community also had a huge part to play in this. At one point we had up to 500 people down here in the road and because they were here peacefully protesting, they were able to get the police to close the road.”
Mr Parsad-Wyatt said people living locally felt “frustrated, angered and upset” as the wildlife habitat and flood plain had been “completely destroyed”.
He said: “There’s been a pattern in recent years across the country of unauthorised building works happening over bank holiday weekends and I think the local community were alive to this as a potential risk.”
However, a representative of the Traveller community in Essex said a longer-term solution – including identifying suitable sites – was required to prevent similar incidents in future.
Sherrie Smith, of Travel Stronger, Gypsies and Travellers Essex, said that several Traveller families had intended to make the site their home.
“It’s very unfortunate [that] the travellers are being pitted against local residents of areas but I think we need to look at the planning laws and legislation.
“I’m not saying retrospective planning is the way forward. What I’m saying to the local councils is provide what is culturally needed… If they were to work with planning inspectors and find and identify plots of land that were appropriate you wouldn’t have things like this happening.”
Hertfordshire Police said that officers had entered the site on Monday morning and all those who had unauthorised access “left the site peacefully”.
The force added: “This was following an amended High Court injunction, which was granted and served [on Monday].
“The High Court injunction meant that anyone found carrying out activities prohibited by the injunction – including bringing caravans on site and occupying the land for carrying out development – could be arrested by the police.”
They added that no arrests were necessary.
The local community gathered to form a “peaceful protest” on Sunday. Credit: Angus Parsad-Wyatt
Local independent councillor Greg Rattey said: “[On Friday] we first heard that travellers had started to enter the site.
“They had huge lorries for tarmacking and fencing and all sorts and of course it was the beginning of this.
“The villagers, local people from the town, came out and did a great job.”
Mr Parsad-Wyatt thanked residents who had taken part in peaceful protests, as well as police and council officers involved in securing and enforcing the court order.
The injunction is due to remain in place until the next High Court hearing on 15 September, although East Herts council said it would try to get an earlier hearing.
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