A Growing Concern: Illegal Caravan Sites and Criminal Ties
A recent incident involving an illegal caravan site in Willows Green, near Felsted, Essex, has raised serious concerns about the growing trend of unauthorized developments on private land. The site, which was transformed into a makeshift camp over the May bank holiday weekend, is now under scrutiny due to its connection with a county lines drug dealer.
The land, which is a four-acre wildlife haven, was taken over by a group of travelers who set up their temporary homes without any official planning permission. This event highlights a troubling pattern where individuals take advantage of council office closures during holidays to establish illegal structures, hoping to gain approval retroactively.
- The local district council closed its doors on Friday, allowing a large number of workers to descend upon the area.
- Travellers often use these weekends to build unauthorised developments, knowing that authorities may not be able to act immediately.
- A similar situation occurred at Three Acres near Canterbury, where lorries delivered static homes and building materials.
The landowner has been issued with a stop notice, making any further development a criminal offense. However, no such action has been taken against the site near Felsted, which is registered as being owned by UK Real Estate and Land 2 Limited.
This company paid £125,000 cash for the land on April 29, 2025, with an overage deed arrangement to pay more if its value increases. One of its directors, Chad Brady, has a history of criminal activity. Brady was previously named at Hull Crown Court as the manager of a cocaine dealing operation in Bridlington. He admitted to possessing cocaine with intent to supply and received a two-year suspended prison sentence.
Brady resigned from his position as a director of UK Real Estate and Land 2 Limited last January. He is also associated with 17 other dissolved companies and three active ones, including a yoga school.
Other directors listed include David Malcolm Kaye, who has been involved in over 500 companies, most of which have been dissolved, and Lauren Anne Connell, who has directed 33 dissolved firms and four active ones.
About 30 vehicles, including cars, vans, and several diggers, were brought onto the field under the cover of darkness. Vegetation was ripped up to prepare the ground for a hardcore and tarmac base. Aerial photos showed fences already installed as diggers continued to lay rubble.
Conservative MP James Cleverly, whose constituency includes the site, was seen walking in the field and posted a video on Facebook demanding action. He emphasized the need for decisive and quick measures to prevent such activities.
Cleverly highlighted the issue of ‘two-tier justice’ when it comes to applying rules and laws to travellers. He pointed out that while others would face consequences for similar actions, travellers often escape scrutiny. He argued that the system designed to protect people is being weaponized to allow them to do the wrong thing.
The field being unlawfully developed was sold by a farmer to a real estate company for £125,000 a year ago. Since then, it is believed to have been marketed as ten smaller plots, with fears some had been purchased by members of the travelling community.
Using floodlights and generators, several men worked through the night at the weekend to build over the pristine countryside. Residents, whose homes in the picturesque hamlet will overlook one side of the site, saw work begin and awoke to see it continuing.
One man in his 60s said, “The field was swamped with vehicles, noise and lights all through the night. No doubt by the time the council reopens on Tuesday there will be a fully-fledged caravan park opposite our homes.”
Criticism has been leveled at Uttlesford District Council for not taking pre-emptive measures, such as using an Article Four Directive to ban any usually permitted development. Others suggested it could have tried to obtain an emergency injunction so that if work started, it would be a criminal offence.
The owner of the land at Three Acres near Canterbury had previously applied for planning permission to lay hardstanding for three caravans. This was refused on April 2, but work began anyway over the May bank holiday weekend.
A spokesman for Canterbury City Council stated, “We always take reports of unauthorised activity seriously and act as quickly as we can. In this case, we issued a stop notice on Friday and will carry out further checks to ensure they have been complied with later this week.”
Three councils across the south east were left taking legal action following the Easter bank holiday weekend after different traveller groups set up new unauthorised sites in Surrey, Kent and Hertfordshire. Uttlesford District Council has been contacted for comment.
