Latest news with #CastleCombeParishCouncil
Telegraph
29-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Telegraph
Cotswold residents say their privacy is under attack by drones
Residents in a Cotswold village say their privacy is under attack by drones peering through their windows. People in Castle Combe, Wiltshire, have claimed that drone footage of children playing in a garden was seized by police and a pedestrian was followed by a device. The number of tourists recording aerial footage of the houses and streets has reportedly increased since the Covid-19 pandemic. The village, dubbed one of the most beautiful places in the UK, is home to about 400 people and visited by thousands of tourists every year. Residents also fear that the drones could make people more vulnerable to a burglary, which has been a problem in the area. Castle Combe Parish Council has now put up signs around the village warning people not to use drones, while villagers have propped up 'no drone' signs in their windows. Nick Botterill, a former district councillor for Castle Combe, said the drones were a 'nuisance' and posed a security threat. The retired business owner said: 'People are having them at quite low levels when there are lots of people around, so it's not just a privacy issue; actually is it safe to do so in confined areas? 'It could be a security risk as well because we have had burglaries in the area.' 'They could easily crash them into buildings, they're taking pictures of people's private [homes]. They're a nuisance on numerous levels. Somebody was followed along the street by one,' the 62-year-old added. Fred Winup, who has been the chairman of the parish council for 18 years, said many 'amateur' drone users are breaking the law without realising. 'About a month ago, somebody was filming children in a garden and the police were called and seized the footage. It's just not on to do that sort of thing,' he said. 'The majority of users are not intentionally wanting to cause a problem, they like to have a memory of a pretty village, but they don't realise they're invading people's privacy in their homes.' Mr Winup said that since the sign at the entrance to the village was put up by the council explaining the rules of drone usage, fewer people seemed to be using them – with two or three drones flying overhead on a busy day. He added: 'When I explain to people they are causing an issue almost invariably they understand. A lot are foreign; a guy from California was flying a drone just above my head as I walked down the street. 'I asked: 'Why are you doing that?' 'We were both pleasant and came to an agreement to take it down.'
Daily Mail
29-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Drone wars break out in England's prettiest village: Locals call in police as tourists' eyes-in-the-sky buzz over their homes to photograph the stunning locale
Enraged residents of the UK's 'most beautiful village' have been reportedly forced to call in the police following an influx of tourists flying drones over their homes. Villagers living in scenic Castle Combe, Wiltshire, have claimed that their privacy is being disturbed by dozens of tourists using drones to take aerial footage of the houses and streets. The picturesque Cotswolds village, home to around 400 people, has been dubbed one of the most beautiful places in the UK, boasting scenic walking routes and quaint old streets. Popular with tourists and even featuring in blockbuster films such as Steven Spielberg 's War Horse, thousands of holidaymakers flock to the charming destination each year. But now, a former councillor has said that residents have been forced out, having been deterred by over-tourism and encroaches on personal privacy. They claim that the growing influx of holiday homes and invasive tourists has put enhanced pressure on the council and homeowners - with the village becoming 'hollowed out' by second homes and Airbnbs. Castle Combe Parish Council has even placed signs around the village warning people not to use drones. Meanwhile, villagers have began propping up 'no drone' signs in their windows in the hope that it will discourage tourists. In a bid for privacy, Castle Combe Parish Council has placed signs around the village warning people not to use drones (pictured). Meanwhile, villagers have also began propping up 'no drone' signs in their windows in the hope that it will discourage tourists Complaining that drones infringe on 'people's private lives' and even pose a security risk following an increase in local burglaries, Nick Botterill, the former district councillor for Castle Combe, described them as a 'nuisance on numerous levels'. The retired business owner and local authority councillor in two areas added: 'The parish council's done a good job at putting up signs to deter people but it's one of those things that has grown from nowhere to become a significant nuisance. 'It's such a localised issue. As the local member I attended parish council meetings and this is something that came up and was discussed several times. 'Various signs have been put up advising users of drones what they can and can't do.' Mr Botterill, 62, said the issue had become even more prominent since the pandemic, alleging that 'more and more' tourists are bringing drones in order to take photographs. Emphasising that visitors should remember that the quaint village is 'not a theme park', he added: 'It's got to the stage where it's no longer just the odd thing. 'People are having them at quite low levels when there are lots of people around, so it's not just a privacy issue; actually is it safe to do so in confined areas? Frederick Peter Winup, chairman of the Castle Combe Parish Council, said that locals were becoming increasingly concerned about privacy and safety, even reporting one instance in which the police were called as a result of the 'invasive' drone usage by tourists 'You've got these things going up and people milling around and launching them, they're buzzing around, they could easily crash them into buildings, they're taking pictures of people's private areas - they're a nuisance on numerous levels. Somebody was followed along the street by one.' In general, drones can be legally flown over a village in the UK, however they must adhere to the regulations set out by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). Prohibited areas include 150 metres horizontally of residential, commercial, industrial or recreational areas. The former district councillor also complained that the significant number of tourists are failing to boost the local economy, adding that they are 'simply making a nuisance of themselves because they spend an hour and then buzz off'. As a result of local complaints, Mr Botterill alleged Wiltshire Council have made efforts to mitigate the damaging impacts of tourism. The measures include traffic management systems and also social media posts designed to deter visitors during busy periods such as bank holidays by warning them that it would be difficult to find parking. Frederick Peter Winup, chairman of the Castle Combe Parish Council, said that locals were becoming increasingly concerned about privacy and safety, even reporting one instance in which the police were called as a result of the 'invasive' drone usage by tourists. He said: 'About a month ago somebody was filming children in a garden and the police were called and seized the footage. It's just not on to do that sort of thing. 'The majority of users are not intentionally wanting to cause a problem, they like to have a memory of a pretty village, but they don't realise they're invading people's privacy in their homes. When it happens quite a lot people get quite annoyed about it.' In one instance, Mr Winup even reported witnessing a drone hovering over him while he was sat in his garden. On another occasion, he said a drone was continuously flown over his head while he was walking along the street. Nick, a local resident who lives nearby to the picturesque village, described how Castle Combe had become 'hallowed out' as a result of tourists. He added: 'There are quite a few Airbnbs and second homes; generally there has been a drifting away. 'It's the usual reasons - people could sell their property for a large sum, there is nowhere to park, no shops and it becomes sort of self-reinforcing after a while. 'But it's a beautiful village and people are attracted and I can quite understand why people come to look at it. I'm not pretending it's Venice but the same sort of arguments - how do you mitigate impacts? - are quite difficult.' He also reported that tourists have been surprisingly 'receptive' to the signs, which have been up for about a year. Speaking previously, other residents said the number of people who live in the village full-time has fallen sharply in recent years - with houses being snapped up and used as second homes or Airbnbs. Des: 'In the hotter months people pitch up like it is the beach which can be a bit annoying. There are coaches that come and do guided tours of the Cotswolds so we will have those pitch up a few times a day. But now, she describes life in the once charming village as 'terrible' due to an influx of 'invasive' tourists who 'will pitch up at one of the benches and be here all day'. Outlining her frustrations, she said: 'In the hotter months people pitch up like it is the beach which can be a bit annoying. There are coaches that come and do guided tours of the Cotswolds so we will have those pitch up a few times a day. 'The other bad thing is that people will fly their drones across the village. It feels very intrusive. They are not supposed to do that and there are signs up and down. 'You will wander into the garden and hear the sound of a drone and think "what is going on?".
