Local villagers fume at police for 'aiding and abetting after arresting residents who tried to stop traveller caravans moving in'

Fintan Starkey
Thu, 09 Apr 2026 20:37:04 +0000

Residents of a Kent village have levelled accusations against police of "aiding and abetting" travellers who descended on the town of Sundridge during the Easter bank holiday weekend.

The family arrived under darkness on Friday, deploying diggers and heavy machinery to transform a green field into a hardstand caravan site without obtaining planning permission.

Sundridge, saw its Easter weekend thrown into chaos as locals confronted what they describe as an illegal development on land at the junction of Penn Lane and Church Road.

The plot was reportedly purchased at auction last October by Miles Martin Connors, with Sevenoaks District Council confirming the family legally owns the land despite lacking authorisation for the construction work.

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Operations ground to a halt on Sunday when a three-bedroom static caravan being transported by lorry became wedged in a narrow country lane, leaving furious villagers unable to pass.

Angry locals telephoned police and positioned themselves on the road to prevent further vehicles reaching the site, resulting in one resident being taken into custody.

A man in his 40s was arrested for obstructing a police officer after refusing to comply with instructions, Kent Police confirmed. He was subsequently released pending further enquiries.

Rather than compelling the stuck HGV to reverse, residents claim officers assisted the travellers in completing their move, with the road remaining blocked until approximately 4am on Monday morning.

Police closed the route to manage the standoff between locals and the convoy.

John Evans, chairman of Sundridge with Ide Hill Parish Council, told the Mail: "The entire village has had their Easter weekend ruined. We had better things to do than this."

He accused officers of facilitating what he termed a completely unlawful operation, adding: "The police aided and facilitated a totally illegal operation, and then they threatened us with obstruction."

Mr Evans expressed frustration at what he perceives as unequal treatment under the law, stating: "There is one law for them and another law for us."

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When he contacted the 101 non-emergency line as the first lorry arrived, he was informed nothing could be done as it did not constitute an emergency.

The travellers subsequently "proceeded to bulldoze up that road, cutting people's trees," Mr Evans said.

One homeowner of 24 years whose property directly overlooks the new caravan site said his countryside view has been "totally" ruined, expressing fears his home's value will plummet.

"I feel horrible. I think it is absolutely disgraceful what's happened," he said, adding that wildlife, including deer and pheasants he once photographed, will no longer visit the cleared field.

The resident noted that achieving privacy would require erecting a fence between 10 and 15 feet high, which would itself be unlawful.

Villagers expressed particular frustration at the contrast with their own planning struggles, with one noting a neighbour's application for a simple sun house was rejected.

"We can't do any developing, it's impossible basically," he said. "But they can come and destroy an area."

Sevenoaks District Council served a Temporary Stop Notice on Tuesday evening, a planning enforcement measure designed to halt unauthorised development work.

The family will now need to seek retrospective planning permission for the site, which has been cleared of trees and foliage and equipped with a water standpipe and electrical supply.

A council spokesman said officers visited the location multiple times over the bank holiday and confirmed: "We are considering the other legal and enforcement options open to us, and we are waiting on external legal advice, which will influence our next steps."

Kent Police stated they were called to New Road shortly after 8am on Sunday regarding the stuck HGV.

Officers issued traffic offence reports to the lorry driver for lacking a tachograph and to another motorist for careless driving.