Villagers' fury over travellers' late night 'land grab': Residents accuse group who paved over field of 'riding roughshod' over planning laws and warn police 'this could get ugly'

By MATT STRUDWICK, SENIOR NEWS REPORTER and JAYA NARAIN, REPORTER Published: 12:18, 7 April 2026 | Updated: 12:19, 7 April 2026 Furious locals say travellers are 'running roughshod' over Britain's planning laws and have warned 'this could get ugly' after a field in their village was paved over.  Around 30 lorries arrived in Sundridge, in Kent's stockbroker belt, over the Easter weekend and dumped piles of rubble on a grassed area.  Diggers and machinery rolled in under the cover of darkness before workers flattened the jumbled masonry into hardstanding while council offices remained closed.  One livid resident tried to stop the encroachment but was arrested and led away by police. He was released later the same day.  Now residents of the tranquil village, where properties regularly command prices in excess of £2million, have urged police to take a tougher stance on the group's 'age old trick'.  One resident told the Daily Mail: 'This is absolutely shocking. They are riding roughshod over the laws everyone else has to follow. I think the police need to be aware as this could get ugly.'     Another villager said: 'I'm absolutely furious. How is it that everyone pussyfoots around this issue when the police should move in and stop the work immediately. 'Where's the sanitation and bins? The council should have a quick response team backed up by police force if necessary. Small groups should not be allowed to rip up the countryside like this.' Up to 30 lorries arrived at the site in Sundridge, Kent, and dumped rubble on the field before workers flattened it to make hard standing Plans by travellers to move into a desirable Kent village were stalled when a large three-bedroom static home loaded onto a lorry became wedged in the narrow lane causing an obstruction On Sunday, traveller families, including one with young children, started to move onto the site. However, their plans to occupy the site stalled when a large three-bedroom static home loaded onto a lorry became wedged in the narrow lane causing an obstruction. The travellers began ripping up hedges and undergrowth on the side of the road in a bid to make a passage for the lorry. A villager has warned police 'it could be a flashpoint' as they fumed: 'It's an abomination they are allowed to get away with this. It's an eyesore, a total eyesore.' Shaun Goldsmith said: 'I don't have a problem with travellers building a site but just follow the rules and apply for planning before moving on. 'They want to be treated the same as everyone else or you're called racist but don't want to follow the rules like everyone else has to.' Angry villagers called the police and went out onto the road in an attempt to block the vehicles getting access to the field - leading to one arrest on Sunday morning. A villager, who lives close to the field, said: 'They've torn down trees and lots of hedging which doesn't belong to them to try and get their vehicles onto this site which just illustrates how totally unsuitable it is for them. 'One man who tried to stop them was arrested but we're all absolutely livid. This is green belt land. You can't do anything without planning approval but this group of people have just put two fingers up and carried on regardless.' Councillor Nigel Williams, of Sevenoaks District Council and Kent County Council, said: 'I'm absolutely furious about this because the law is totally hopeless when it comes to situations like this. 'It was a military-style operation. They swept in on Friday morning pulled down trees and ripped up hedge and then lorry after lorry arrived with hardcore and they created hard standing for vehicles and homes. 'Then they came with a static home which blocked the road and used cars to prevent villagers getting out. It's been horrendous.' Fears over a further confrontation over the illegal development has led parish council bosses to warn residents against approaching the site. Laura Trott, MP for Sevenoaks and shadow education secretary, has called for a change in the law to stop traveller community carrying out such actions. Posting on Facebook she said: 'I'm very sorry to report that, once again over a Bank Holiday weekend, an unauthorised development has been deliberately started. 'As soon as I was notified I contacted the district council to report the incident and ask for all possible action to be taken. The police have also been made aware. 'This situation underlines again why we must see a change in the law. Flagrant breaches such as this should never be able to apply for retrospective planning consent. She also condemned the Sevenoaks District Council for failing to take immediate action. Are current laws failing to deal with unauthorised developments? What's your view? Diggers and machinery rolled in under the cover of darkness before workers flattened the jumbled masonry into hardstanding while council offices remained closed One local man was arrested on Sunday morning for obstructing a police officer, but was later released Ms Trott said: 'I am incredibly disappointed and deeply frustrated to learn from the council that no action will be taken until Tuesday. Illegal developments must be shut down immediately, whether they occur over a bank holiday weekend or not. To help do this the law must catch up.'  It is understood the field at the junction of Penn Lane and Church Road was recently sold at auction. Karl Brooks said: 'Any one can buy the land, use the Easter holiday, get the digger in, clear the ground, put in the hardcore, bring the caravans in by Monday. 'The enforcement team finished Thursday night so do what you want for four days.' A spokesperson for Sundridge with Ide Hill Parish Council, one of the oldest in Britain, said: 'Members of the Parish Council are extremely disappointed that no further action will be taken before Tuesday April 7 due to the Easter bank holiday period, and we fully recognise and share the concerns being expressed by residents.' A spokesperson for Kent Police said officers were called to Sundridge shortly after 8am on Sunday after reports that the road was blocked by vehicles and a disturbance had broken out. She said: 'Officers attended to assist. Two traffic offence reports were issued and a man in his 40s was arrested for obstructing a police officer. He was later released while enquiries to establish the full circumstances are ongoing. The road was cleared at around 4.30pm.' No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. 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