Unauthorised encampment and works - land off Sheering Mill Lane, Sawbridgeworth

In summary, an interim injunction prohibits:

• Further development on the land
• Bringing caravans onto the site
• Installing or connecting to services
• Occupying the land.

Unauthorised work is development carried out without the required planning permission.

Breaches of Temporary Stop Notices and injunctions require strong, reliable evidence to support a successful prosecution.

Both the Temporary Stop Notices and the emergency injunction require specific activities on the site to stop. They do not give us power to clear the site. A prosecution would not, on its own, result in the site being cleared.

The police can only make an arrest when they have reasonable grounds to suspect that a person is:

• about to commit a criminal offence
• in the act of committing a criminal offence
• guilty of, or suspected of being guilty of, an offence that has already been committed

Carrying out works or development without planning permission is a breach of planning control, but it is not a criminal offence. The police therefore have no powers to intervene.

Breaching an enforcement notice is a criminal offence. This gives us the option to prosecute in the Magistrates’ Court. If convicted, the offender may be fined.

Injunctions issued under section 187B of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 do not include a power of arrest.

People often see police supporting evictions in cases of trespass. However, this situation is different. Trespass action can only be taken by, or on behalf of, the landowner. As we are not the landowner, we cannot ask the police to act on that basis.

This is not a trespass matter. It is primarily a planning enforcement issue and a breach of planning controls. These breaches do not give the police the powers to make arrests or stop works on site.

No, there is no history of a planning application being submitted for the site. 

The land is designated Green Belt and lies within Flood Zone 3, where operational development requires planning permission and is subject to strict policy control.

Yes. It is an offence to breach a Stop Notice but it does not come with a power of arrest. Under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, failing to comply with a Stop Notice or a Temporary Stop Notice can lead to a Local Authority led prosecution in the Magistrates’ Court and may result in unlimited fines.

We are sharing information through councillors, the Town Council, our website and social media. 

Their role is to support community safety, public order and safeguarding, and to work alongside us and other agencies to help maintain community cohesion.

The police are not responsible for planning enforcement. This is our responsibility. However, they will support us where needed by:

• monitoring risks to public safety
• preventing crime or disorder
• assisting with multi‑agency work where issues escalate
• responding to welfare or safeguarding concerns

If you are concerned about criminal activity or there is an immediate risk to safety, please report it directly to the police. Use 999 in an emergency, or 101 / the online reporting service for non-emergency matters.

If you want to report further activity on the site, please email Planning.Enforcement@eastherts.gov.uk

We are receiving a high volume of enquiries, so we may not be able to respond to each one individually. However, all information provided will be logged and considered.

We will continue to share updates on our website and through our social media channels.