Latest news with #illegalconstruction
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE The travellers' tactics: How travellers are obliterating Britain's prized countryside to turn them into concrete carbuncles for their caravans in illegal landgrabs
Travellers are using 'military' shock and awe-style tactics to obliterate areas of idyllic British countryside and turn them into concrete 'carbuncles' for their caravans, it can be revealed. Groups across the UK have been accused of carrying out brazen bank holiday 'landgrabs' to rapidly build camps under the noses of council chiefs while their offices are closed. Allegedly weaponising the national breaks, industrial diggers, excavators and lorries carrying gravel, are mobilised to rip up and pave over fields in protected green belts during 'deliberate and meticulously planned' operations. Cynically, the 'illegal' conversions are done without any planning permission, flouting development rules - with 'retrospective' applications later submitted to councils to allow the newly-constructed sites to remain. In the past month, at least two new encampments have been set up in West Sussex and Cheshire during the two May bank holidays, with fuming locals accusing travellers of making a 'mockery' of building laws. The latest unauthorised works took place in the quaint village of Burtonwood, near Warrington, in Cheshire, during last week's bank holiday, with travellers taking less than 72 hours to convert a field into a gravel car park. They covered half the open space in hardcore and also built a 10ft-high wooden fence around the boundary, with groups allegedly working through the night - much to the fury of dismayed locals. 'I have never felt so impotent as a councillor in not being able to do something,' local politician Stuart Mann said last night. 'The neighbours suffered for 36 hours solid that went through the night. It was a military operation in terms of how [the travellers] achieved it.' The works on the land appear to mirror a similar incident weeks earlier near the West Sussex town of Petworth, in the heart of the protected South Downs National Park, during the VE Day bank holiday at the start of May. A tranquil plot in Blind Lane, Lurgashall, was transformed into a building site as heavy machinery ploughed through the field without planning permission, turning it into gravel car park, with 10 caravans later appearing there. Local MP Andrew Griffith was left horrified by the unauthorised development and now fears travellers elsewhere could launch similar landgrabs if planning rules aren't tightened up. 'These are clearly deliberate and meticulously planned operations,' Mr Griffith, the Conservatives' Shadow Business and Trade Secretary, told MailOnline. 'In the Lurgashall case it took far too long for the local council to act leaving ratepayers and residents at the mercy of this devastating planning blight. 'It is clearly foreseeable that bank holiday weekends are the moment of maximum danger and yet that's when town halls fail to ensure staff cover.' Work at the six-acre Burtonwood site in Cheshire reportedly started at 6pm on Friday, May 23. MailOnline understands it came after travellers legitimately purchased the plot of land. Within hours, villagers reported excavators and tipper trucks working through the night to remove soil and replace it with concrete, completing the job in less than three days. Before and after aerial photographs show the extent of the destruction and more than a dozen caravans and other vehicles have since moved onto the site. Although a retrospective planning application has now been submitted to Warrington Borough Council, Cllr Mann said an investigation had been launched after complaints from locals, who say the land is green belt and should be for agricultural use only. He claimed to have been bombarded by 'hundreds' of emails from worried locals, with more than 50 people turning up at his surgery to express concerns. Speaking to MailOnline yesterday, Cllr Mann said the community had been left feeling 'helpless' and angry at the development. But it has also led to questions about how the local authority could have reacted to the issue, which could now take weeks to resolve despite an enforcement notice being issued. 'In my head, why was there nothing that could be done to at least put a pause on what was happening?' he said. 'Why couldn't someone turn up and say stop let's work something out.' Other residents have reportedly had applications for their own developments on neighbouring land refused by the council, according to Cllr Mann. 'We have to have a level of faith in the planning process but it needs to be fair for anybody to build something,' he added. Nigel Catlow, vice chairman, of Burtonwood and Westbrook Parish Council, described it as a 'very serious and fast-moving issue'. In a letter to the council, he said: 'The landowners appear to be in serious breach, making the most of the Bank Holiday and the council being on a long weekend. 'This is of great concern to many residents and council taxpayers in Burtonwood and the wider area of Warrington West.' Locals took to social media to express their anger, with one saying: 'The transformation is shocking.' Another, Jacqui Worrall, wrote: 'Breach!?.. it's a s****** concrete jungle!!!!' While Ray Houghton added: 'Blame the person who sold the land to them in the first place. The people doing this have no respect for the laws.' At the West Sussex site, efforts made to stop the development from going ahead appeared to fail. Builders arrived at the site on Friday, May 2, and work continued over the Bank Holiday weekend despite council notices and visits from Sussex Police. By Sunday afternoon, a septic tank was seen being delivered to the site as well as more gravel - with caravans later occupying the plot. A female council planning officer posted a second notice on the gate to the site on the Monday as three men carried on working. An earlier order to stop work was ignored. It's unclear who was responsible for the unauthorised development. However, Mr Griffith said locals had been left appalled by it. Speaking at the time, the MP for Arundel and South Downs said: 'I completely share the outrage and concern of residents about this illegal breach of all respected planning standards and behaviour. 'It makes a mockery of a system where we all jump through lengthy and costly hoops to install a dormer window when such brazen breaches happen unchecked.' The MP added the incident came 'almost a year to the day' that Chichester District Council's Lib Dem administration 'advertised a £50,000-a-year traveller liaison role which many felt sent precisely the wrong signal'. In May 2023, a beauty spot in the Cotswolds was ruined by travellers, who bulldozed their way onto a site they had not got permission to live on, despite the council trying to stop it happening for 17 years. People in Kayte Lane, a rural community below Cleeve Hill, in Southam, near Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, feared for years the unauthorised occupation of the land would happen before it finally did two years ago. Sixteen caravans plus several cars and vans entered the site, which the travellers moved onto over the late spring bank holiday. Travellers laid down hardstanding in the field, put up a high wooden fence along the edge of it and installed CCTV cameras, some of which overlook their neighbours. One local resident, who did not want to be identified, said the group used a bulldozer to clear vegetation from parts of the site when they moved on to it. It sparked a legal row, with locals last year accusing the authorities of not doing enough to prevent it from happening. Tewkesbury Borough Council first obtained a court order in 2007 to try to protect the greenbelt land, which is close to Cheltenham Racecourse, from being developed. It refused a retrospective planning application from the travellers in November 2023, after receiving more than 200 objections. But the unauthorised development still went ahead, sparking local fury. 'Tewkesbury Borough Council don't enforce anything. We're fighting against a brick wall,' one resident raged at the time.' Speaking last night, Mr Griffith urged action by Labour to clampdown on groups brazenly flouting planning laws nationally. 'The government must use the Planning and Infrastructure Bill currently going through Parliament to remove what increasingly feels to many like a 'two-tier' planning system,' he District Council has already secured a High Court injunction to halt further activity on the two-hectare field near Lurgashall. The injunction prohibits any further unauthorised works or vehicles and caravans entering the site. If a person fails to comply with the order, it could result in a jail term. Council leader Adrian Moss insisted the authority would 'not hesitate to take action' when planning rules are broken. 'We want to assure the community that we are doing everything in our power to respond to this. We will also be working with those on the site, local parish councils, and the local community, to offer support,' he said. A spokesman for Chichester District Council added: 'We take these matters incredibly seriously. We have planning rules in place to protect areas of countryside in our district, including the South Downs National Park, and if harmful development is carried out then we will take appropriate enforcement action. 'We want to assure the community that we are doing everything in our power to respond to this. We will also be working with those on the site, local parish councils, and the local community, to offer support.' Sussex Police told MailOnline it was aware of the traveller site but said it was a 'civil matter'. A spokesman for Warrington Borough Council confirmed it had 'established a priority enforcement case' over the situation in Burtonwood. 'We have received a report about a potential breach of planning on land off Farmers Lane in Burtonwood and are currently investigating the issue.'
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Homeowners beware: Efforts to save money could cost you big time
HONOLULU (KHON2) — The City is warning that an effort to save money could end up costing homeowners big time. A hefty fine was recently levied against a business owner for illegal construction activity on Oʻahu. Honolulu's Department of Planning and Permitting reduces permitting backlog The City and County of Honolulu said it is seeing an uptick in illegal construction activity that included a recent case where someone forged a professional engineer's stamp on building plans. They were fined $10,000 and ordered to stop work. 'And it can be anywhere within that project. It could be even during it where things start to go wrong and you start to notice it as a homeowner,' said Building Industry Association of Hawaiʻi CEO Roseann Building Industry Association of Hawaiʻi said contracting a company without a permit may seem appealing, but it almost always costs more in the long run. 'And unfortunately, you hear of those who get the money and then leave the site. But even further down the road, the project's done. It's not permitted appropriately. So, now if you go to sell a home, if you haven't permitted the work, you're going to have problems,' Freitas said. Experts said homeowners often think they are getting a good deal by going through an unlicensed contractor, but once the job is done or even when construction starts and gets underway, problems start building up. Honolulu's DPP to use artificial intelligence software to speed up permit process 'If there is an issue, you can go to RICO, the regulatory agency, for some remedies and see if they can help you,' said Freitas. The Regulated Industries Complaints Office can only help with remedies regarding licensed contractors. Tips for spotting unlicensed companies include not letting anyone pressure you into quick repairs or fast fixes. 'How straightforward are they with you? Or do they say, 'Oh, you really don't need a license.' Because here in the state, you really do need a license to do that type of work, and especially projects over $1,500,' Freitas said. The Department of Planning and Permitting said the recent violation was discovered during a review of building plans, and the business owner who aided and abetted the unlicensed contractor will have to foot the bill for a $10,000 fine. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news 'That doesn't mean the state can't go after them. But for you as a homeowner, there's not a lot of recourse,' Freitas said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Sun
20-05-2025
- The Sun
My neighbour turned their garage into a ‘bizarre' two-storey ‘tiny home' on their driveway – it took YEARS to fight it
A NIGHTMARE neighbour who illegally built a two-storey house on their driveway has been forced to rip it down. Madam Pal Singh had been granted permission to build a single-storey garage at his home in Vaughton Street in Highgate, Birmingham back in 2019. 4 But he ignored the specifics of the planning permission he was given, and erected a two-storey house in his driveway. Mr Singh's neighbours were furious, and planning inspectors quickly became aware of the blatant violation of the agreed limits for the structure. After spotting the new home - the planning bosses ordered Mr Singh to bulldoze the illegal structure immediately. Mr Singh fought his case however, and appealed the decision by arguing there were only 'minor differences' to what was agreed. His family vowed it would stay put because they were using the 8.7m by 4.7m property as a gym, despite this being way above the 5.3m by 4.6m dimensions approved for the house. Mr Singh's fight was in vein however, as images taken on Monday show a much smaller garage where the house was previously visible. Neighbours have expressed their relief that the "bizarre long-running saga" is finally over - following years of noisy building work along their street. One anonymous resident, said: "We're glad it's finally all over now, it has been going on for years. "I dread to think what it has cost the poor bloke. "To build a house, knock it down and then build a garage instead, must have cost tens of thousands of pounds at least. "But he's only got himself to blame, I don't know how he thought he was ever going to get away with it. "The building work has been a bit of a pain, but I'm just happy we don't have to look at that eyesore anymore. 'This is predatory!' fumes driver over $825 bill for parking at his own home – company insisted it 'wasn't a normal tow' However, another local was more sympathetic to Mr Singh and added: "I feel a bit sorry for him to be honest. "Yes it wasn't what was entirely agreed, but it looked smart. And some of the houses around here are much more run down. "You would have thought they could have come to a bit of compromise with him to save a lot of time and money." Planners had originally given approval for a garage to be built at the location, which the new building exceeded by several metres. Planning Inspector Thomas Shields wrote in his report: "The appellant's case is that the building already benefits from planning permission granted by the council in 2019. "He argues that although there are differences between the approved plans for the garage and the appeal building they are minor differences. "The approved plans for the garage show a single storey detached garage with a footprint of 5.3m x 4.6m and a height of 3.6m. "It was also shown having a standard garage door to the front and no windows on any elevation. "In comparison with the approved garage the appeal building has a footprint of approximately 8.7m x 4.7m and a height of 5.3m "Consequently, it is substantially larger than the approved building. It is not a minor difference." A Birmingham City Council said: "Planning consent was granted for a single story detached garage to the side of the property on Vaughton Street, Highgate on 7 March 2019. "The building erected following that permission bore little resemblance to the original scale and design, as a result enforcement action followed and remedial works carried out to reduce its size, returning it to its planned use as storage /garage. "Planning permission was already in place for a very similar building, so no further action was considered necessary. "Planning enforcement is essential for maintaining public confidence in the planning system. "Without it, there is a risk that unauthorised developments could undermine the legitimacy of approved plans and policies." Mr Singh could not be contacted for comment. 4
Daily Mail
06-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Travellers in fleet of caravans take over huge field in the South Downs National Park after the land was illegally torn up by diggers over Bank Holiday weekend
A group of suspected travellers have taken over a massive field in the South Downs National Park after the land was illegally ripped up by developers over the Bank Holiday weekend. At least 10 vehicles, including seven caravans and motorhomes, have pitched up on what has become a building site at Blind Lane, near Petworth in West Sussex. Residents in nearby sleepy villages were stunned to hear and see industrial diggers tearing up a field on Friday morning. The work, which involved several industrial vehicles ploughing through the fields, started without planning permission. Builders arrived at the site on Friday and work continued over the Bank Holiday weekend despite council notices and visits from Sussex Police. Local MP Andrew Griffith said he shared the 'outrage' of residents and accused the developers of 'making a mockery' of planning laws. Furious locals are now demanding answers after the unknown group bulldozed their way onto the land and transformed the green sprawling field into a building site. It since appears to have been taken over by travellers who have parked up caravans and motorhomes in the corner of the site, which is three miles from the home of former footballer and actor Vinnie Jones's farm near Petworth. A female council planning officer posted a second notice on the gate to the site on Monday as three men carried on working. An earlier order to stop work was ignored. Chichester District Council planning officers are understood to have attended on Friday to serve a Stop notice. Sussex Police are believed to have visited the site on Saturday. The area, thought to be the size of ten football pitches, was cleared and levelled over the weekend. By Sunday afternoon, a septic tank was seen being delivered to the site as well as more gravel. Mr Griffith responded after furious locals posted on social media. The MP for Arundel and South Downs said: 'I completely share the outrage and concern of residents about this illegal breach of all respected planning standards and behaviour. 'It makes a mockery of a system where we all jump through lengthy and costly hoops to install a dormer window when such brazen breaches happen unchecked. 'After I initially became aware, early on Friday morning I contacted Chichester District Council and the South Downs National Park insisting that the local council issue an emergency stop notice - which they did. 'Continuing to work on the site is now an offence. 'Chichester District Council have wide enforcement powers including the ability to enter a site and mount prosecutions and there is no excuse for them not having cover over bank holiday weekends when we know this sort of incident is most likely to take place.' A spokesperson for Sussex Police told MailOnline: 'Police are aware of concerns about development of a site in Blind Lane, Petworth. 'This is a civil matter and we are liaising with the relevant local authorities and South Downs National Park Authority as lead agencies.' A spokesperson for Chichester District Council said: 'We were made aware of unauthorised engineering operations at a site near Lurgashall on Friday morning. 'We immediately sent planning enforcement officers out to assess the site and this led to a temporary stop notice being served that day. As the notice has been breached, and caravans have now entered the site, we are taking further legal steps including seeking an injunction through the courts. 'We take these matters incredibly seriously. We have planning rules in place to protect areas of countryside in our district, including the South Downs National Park, and if harmful development is carried out then we will take appropriate enforcement action. 'We want to assure the community that we are doing everything in our power to respond to this. We will also be working with those on the site, local parish councils, and the local community, to offer support.'
