Key facts
- Unauthorised Gypsy and traveller caravans in England increased by 73% between January 2020 and January 2025, reaching 4,950.
- Travellers claim a lack of legal pitches and a difficult planning system force them to occupy land without permission.
- Councils are struggling with enforcement, with Basildon, Essex, having the highest number of unauthorised caravans.
- A site in Wickford, Essex, has been subject to enforcement notices but remains largely occupied.
- There is a documented shortfall in suitable and deliverable Gypsy and traveller sites in areas like Basildon.
The number of unauthorised Gypsy and traveller sites across England is increasing, with official figures showing a 73% rise in unauthorised caravans between January 2020 and January 2025. This trend, often occurring over bank holidays, has led to legal battles and dismay among local communities.
Travellers argue that a restrictive planning system and a lack of adequate legal pitches force them into unlawful occupation. Cliff Codona, chair of the National Travellers' Action Group, described the planning system as a "big dagger in their back," compelling some to "break the law." Codona himself admitted to occupying land without permission, recalling covert methods used to acquire land and stating that planning applications are often stopped once a traveller's identity is known.
Councils are facing significant challenges in enforcing planning laws. In Basildon, Essex, the number of unauthorised caravans saw a 164% increase between July 2019 and July 2025. Local councillor George Jeffery fears a "lack of enforcement" has made the authority appear a "soft touch." A specific site in Wickford, Newlands Road, has been a long-standing issue, with enforcement notices being challenged and a planning inspector allowing some caravans to remain while others were ordered for removal. Despite deadlines passing, a significant number of caravans and infrastructure persist.
Planning consultant Matthew Green highlighted that while councils can seek injunctions to remove people, the question remains: "if they go somewhere, where do they go?" He stressed that councils have a duty to ensure sufficient pitches with planning permission are available to meet community needs. Basildon, for instance, has a documented "shortfall" in suitable sites and has not updated its local plan since 1999, with projections indicating a need for hundreds of new pitches by 2042. The government is reportedly looking to strengthen national planning policy regarding "intentional unauthorised development."