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Unauthorised caravan encampment in Chiltern Hills: police and council take legal action

05.07.2026 02:17 1 min 3 sources
BBC News ENG + 2 more
Unauthorised caravan encampment in Chiltern Hills: police and council take legal action
Original source: BBC News

In Brief

A group of travellers illegally occupied a field in Flamstead, Hertfordshire, over the Easter weekend, concreting the land and placing up to a dozen caravans. Dacorum Borough Council obtained an injunction, and Hertfordshire Police are investigating.

Over the Easter weekend, a group of travellers illegally occupied a field on the outskirts of Flamstead, Hertfordshire, within the Chiltern Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. On Friendless Lane, they laid concrete and set up to a dozen caravans. Local residents described the operation as a "military operation".

Dacorum Borough Council issued a temporary stop notice and obtained a court injunction prohibiting use of the site. Hertfordshire Police are investigating several allegations of offences related to the encampment. Officers are gathering statements and reviewing body-worn camera footage to identify potential suspects.

Earlier, police stated they lacked powers to prevent such actions as it is a civil, not criminal, matter. The works have been deemed a serious breach of planning control.

Aggregated by OpenVan.camp from the public sources listed below, with AI-assisted translation and summary. We always link to the original source. Machine translation may differ from the original -- check the source for important details. Images and content remain the property of their respective owners. Copyright information

Story sources

Law on Unauthorised Caravan Encampments

09.04.2026 BBC News ENG Original source

Illegal caravan camp set up in Flamstead village

08.04.2026 dailymail.co.uk ENG Original source

Police Investigate Unauthorized Caravan Encampment in Flamstead

07.04.2026 bbc.com HRV Original source

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Police are investigating incidents around an illegal caravan camp established on private land within the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in Hertfordshire. Dacorum Borough Council issued a temporary stop notice after concrete hardstanding was laid, followed by an emergency injunction halting further work and placement of static caravans. A planning application to change the land use from agricultural to 14 Gypsy and Traveller pitches has received 44 objections.

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