Flamstead Villagers Outraged as Travellers Bulldoze Green Belt Land
Villagers in Flamstead, Hertfordshire, have been left furious and distressed after a group understood to be travellers forcibly entered and tore up a local beauty spot using bulldozers and diggers. The incident, which unfolded over the Easter weekend, has sparked widespread anger among residents who describe feeling "invaded" in what they call an "absolutely horrendous" situation.
Aggressive Entry and Damage Reported
According to local reports, the machinery was first spotted being driven onto green belt land off Friendless Lane on Thursday. This was followed by caravans arriving on Easter Sunday morning, with one unnamed parish councillor revealing that the travellers allegedly damaged cars and wielded iron bars as they forced their way onto the site.
The councillor told The Telegraph: 'At about 7 o'clock on Sunday, a whole load of 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.'
Residents estimated that around 300 trips were made by individuals delivering materials onto the site, with one incident claiming that a police car was rammed off the road. Villagers did their utmost to stop vehicles, including reports of a tree being felled on Saturday to block a nearby road, though it remains unclear who was responsible.
Concrete Laid Despite Council Action
The travellers arrived three days after the diggers, despite Dacorum Borough Council issuing a temporary stop notice on Saturday—a planning enforcement tool used to halt work. Drone shots show huge areas of concrete laid on the field, within the Chilterns National Landscape, leaving locals livid.
One resident told the BBC: 'The vans and caravans drove at us basically pushing their way through and bumping into people. They were determined to get through us and were really aggressive. It was absolutely horrendous.' Another described it as an "absolute nightmare," with feelings of invasion in their home village.
Legal and Police Response
Dacorum Borough Council stated that they were informed of unauthorised hardcore being laid on the privately owned land on Friday, April 3. After assessing the situation, they served a temporary stop notice on Saturday, April 4, requiring works to cease immediately. On Sunday, April 5, the council submitted an application for an emergency injunction, which was successfully granted by the court to prohibit any unauthorised works or use of the site.
A council statement read: 'We now must wait for the court scheduled hearing date before further legal proceedings can take place. Any breach of this notice may result in further enforcement action.'
Hertfordshire Constabulary is monitoring the situation, with a police presence to prevent a breach of the peace. They are investigating allegations including criminal damage, traffic offences, and threatening behaviour. A police spokesperson said: 'We are in the process of taking statements and reviewing body worn video and once this is complete, we will look to make arrests wherever necessary. In these circumstances, police have no enforcement powers to prevent access to the land or building work taking place.'
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 community's frustration and concerns over the ongoing disruption.
