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Residents' worry as gypsies pitch up

4:02pm Thursday 8th May 2008

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AN UNAUTHORISED travellers' camp has moved into an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in South Bucks.

More than ten caravans have taken over a field in Hughenden Valley, accompanied by 4X4 vehicles, quadbikes and ponies.

The travellers arrived on the Green Belt land, off Valley Road, on Tuesday night at around 7.30pm and are already causing a stir with residents.

The newcomers have said they will only be staying for a few more days but locals are still worried about the consequences of their stay.

Denise Ridley, who lives in Valley Road, does not think this has happened in the area before.

The housewife said: "It is such a lovely valley and they have come along and spoilt it. The views are spectacular along that road.

"Also we have a lot of wildlife there and they will be disrupting it.

"I think it will spoil the area. Absolutely."

She also feared the group may stay in the area for some time.

However one of the travellers said their stop should be a short one.

Jane Alwood, 37, said: "We are just staying here for a few days before moving on.

"We are just camping."

Another resident, who wanted to remain anonymous, said his new neighbours are constantly riding their quadbikes in the field.

The 42-year-old gardener said: "If you were trying to sell a house around here now, it would be unsellable.

"If any of our neighbours were riding a quadbike on the field then they would be kicked off but if you have a caravan, you are okay to do it."

Today, Buckinghamshire County Council will set about trying to remove the travellers as there is a condition on the land, which means they cannot stay there.

The site used to be a farm, but it was sold to a company which sold off the land in small pieces.

So Wycombe District Council applied to the Secretary of State to have a condition put in place to make sure nothing was built on the land.

This was granted in May 2003. And BCC are now going to use this legislation to try and remove the travellers from the land.

Gary Brewer, manager for Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Gypsy and Traveller services, said: "Hopefully we will be able to use the Town and Planning Act because it doesn't let anything happen on it. No markets or even clay pigeon shooting."

If the condition hadn't have been in place, the travellers could have stayed on the land for up to 28 days with the owner's permission before having to apply to the council for consent.

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Your Say YourBucks Free Press

Tardis, Princes Risborough, Bucks says...
4:32pm Thu 8 May 08

Please, when we report the word 'gypsy' can we ensure that they are the traditional clothes peg variety and not the Irish itinerants who cause no end of problems with their very anti-social behaviour? They give real gypsies a bad name- the Irish were smart, I understand they passed laws which discouraged these people, that's why there are so many of them over here.

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Juggleybear, Hughenden Valley says...
5:57pm Thu 8 May 08

So if I read this right, because the Council sold the land they made sure no one could build on it ? why didnt they keep it and register it as being green belt land? The mess they are making is already apparent, the field is littered with debris! We have heard there is little the Council can do as its privately owned land (although I can not verify this) IF the land has so many constraints, why was the company selling the land allowed to stick up a huge board advertising the land and in doing so became a huge advert to the travellers as land that was easy pickings ! I am very dubious about them staying a few more days. The Villagers are on edge and where as the kids usually go walking in the woods I wouldnt let them out of my site now !

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wanne, high wycombe says...
6:36pm Thu 8 May 08

get them out!!! And make sure they take their rubbish with them!

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Mario, Bucks says...
7:12pm Thu 8 May 08

Why don't the two sides decide the issue in a bare-knuckle fist fight?

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Reads2much, London says...
7:13pm Thu 8 May 08

Wycombe council are already in a cash crisis.....kiss goodbye to some more on money spent policing and clearing up the mess........ Also arent the traditional ones Romany Gypsys that have wooden caravans pulled by horses.... I am not even sure if there are any of them about anymore probably too embarrassed by the pikeys !

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Juggleybear, Hughenden Valley says...
7:31pm Thu 8 May 08

I dont understand all the laws governing greenbelt land, but my thinking is if its Greenbelt land the travellers are allowed to go onto it and then the local council have to argue their corner to get them off. However because the Council sold the land its not their problem. Apparently (and again dont quote me) they dont know who legally owns the individual plots! AND I should have said sight not site on my last comment :)

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Caroline, Tampa, Florida says...
7:36pm Thu 8 May 08

Oh, love thy neighbour, people.
Travelers/gypsies, whatever.

You have a real home to go to (unlike them).

Just drive by in your Range Rover with a peg over your nose.

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Reads2much, London says...
7:55pm Thu 8 May 08

Well the policing will still come out of tax payers pockets whoevers land it is.... as for my home and range rover ( fortunately I dont have a gas guzzler like that ) to be honest I worked really hard for what I do have so love thy neighbout who begs steals and borrows and thinks its ok to rock up on someone elses property....sorry no can do !!

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Juggleybear, Hughenden Valley says...
8:07pm Thu 8 May 08

Caroline wrote:
Oh, love thy neighbour, people. Travelers/gypsies, whatever. You have a real home to go to (unlike them). Just drive by in your Range Rover with a peg over your nose.
Believe it or not this is a choice they make. They are not poor people who are homeless they choose to travel the country side in their caravans. The issue lies in the mess and destruction they cause to the areas they visit. So its not about loving they neighbour its about being respectful to the land and your surroundings. AS for driving a Range Rover - honestly it doesnt even warrant a reply.

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Reads2much, London says...
8:09pm Thu 8 May 08

Juggleybear finally someone who has written something balanced...well said I wish I had put it that well myself... :)

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smokey, high wycombe says...
9:15pm Thu 8 May 08

Juggleybear wrote:
Caroline wrote: Oh, love thy neighbour, people. Travelers/gypsies, whatever. You have a real home to go to (unlike them). Just drive by in your Range Rover with a peg over your nose.
Believe it or not this is a choice they make. They are not poor people who are homeless they choose to travel the country side in their caravans. The issue lies in the mess and destruction they cause to the areas they visit. So its not about loving they neighbour its about being respectful to the land and your surroundings. AS for driving a Range Rover - honestly it doesnt even warrant a reply.
absolutley . I think that if they made an effort and tidied their mess after them, no one would mind half so much BUT it has to be said that they do nothing to enhance the environment and as a member of the public sector who has had many dealings with them, I can tell you that they will steal anything that isn'r nailed down. The solution lies with the travellers themselves I'm afraid. Oh and BTW - it will be a cold day in hell before I drive a landrover and I think you will find that most of these 'poor' travellers drive large gas gussling 4x4.

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Merge in Turn, says...
10:11pm Thu 8 May 08

I saw this lot rapidly driving up Hughenden Road on Tuesday. They were all in a procession, vans towing caravans mainly. They looked menacing and I certainly wouldn't mess with them. Hope they don't ask me to buy some pegs.

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FH, Amersham says...
11:32pm Thu 8 May 08

I think you will find that most of these 'poor' travellers drive large gas gussling 4x4
I doubt you can pull one of those huge caravans with anythign less.

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Tharus Bond, Wycombe says...
8:41am Fri 9 May 08

Caroline wrote:
Oh, love thy neighbour, people. Travelers/gypsies, whatever. You have a real home to go to (unlike them). Just drive by in your Range Rover with a peg over your nose.
I agree with TARDIS and some of them have proper brick homes in Ireland and they are breaking the law, by tresspassing.
The article doesn't say that the council sold the land. The land used to be privately owned by a farmer, but was then sold to a company who were just looking to make an easy million, so the council stepped in and made sure that no one can develop the site in future, thus making it an "illegal caravan park" illegal

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gypsysally, taunton says...
9:30am Fri 9 May 08

Tharus Bond wrote:
Caroline wrote: Oh, love thy neighbour, people. Travelers/gypsies, whatever. You have a real home to go to (unlike them). Just drive by in your Range Rover with a peg over your nose.
I agree with TARDIS and some of them have proper brick homes in Ireland and they are breaking the law, by tresspassing. The article doesn't say that the council sold the land. The land used to be privately owned by a farmer, but was then sold to a company who were just looking to make an easy million, so the council stepped in and made sure that no one can develop the site in future, thus making it an "illegal caravan park" illegal
VERY GOOD READING,
MY NAME IS SALLY A ROMANI GYPSY SO YES WE ARE STILL ABOUT, JUST TO EDUCATE YOU ROMANIS HAVE EVOLVED OVER THE YEARS WE DO NOT LIVE IN WAGONS ANYYMOOR SOME OF US KEEP THEM FOR MEMORYS,
SOME OF US LIVE IN CARAVANS MUCH LIKE THE ONES YOU SEE ON THE INCAMENT WERE YOU LIVE, BUT AS IN ALL RACES THERE ARE GOOD AND BAD BUT ONLY THE NEGATIFE EVER GETS SHOWN ABOUT GYPSYS, THESE FAMILYS SOUND FROM WHAT YOU HAVE WROTE ARE IRISH TRAVELLERS SO I CAN NOT COMMENT ON WHAT THAY DO AS THAY ARE DIRENT THAN US APART FROM THE FACT THY TRAVEL, BUT STILL YOU HAVE ALL WROTE VERY AFENCIVE REMARKS ONLY ONE PERSON WROTE ABOUT THE ROMANI,
THERE ARE BAD ELAMENTS IN MY COMMUNITY AS THERE ALL RACES I CAN TAKE YOU TO LOVLEY COUNTRY LANE WERE I LIVE THAT PEOPLE FROM HOUSES FLY TIP IT IS A DISCRACE, I CAN TAKE YOU TO HOUSING ESATES NEARE BY THAY ARE QUITE SHOCKING, BUT I DO NO THAT ALL PEOPLE IN HOUSES ARE NOT THE SAME, I NO PEOPLE NEED TO AERE THE VEWS BUT PLEASE THINK BEFOR YOU RIGHT, AS YO NEVER SAY ANYTHINK LIKE (SOME)OR (MINORITY)IT IS ALLWAYS (THESE PEOPLE) (THAY GETAWAY WITH ANYTHINK) WELL TAKE IT FROM ME WE DONT,I PAY TAX I PAY COUNCIL TAX, I CONTRIBUTE TO MY VILLAGE HELP OUT WHEN NEEDED, BUT TWO WEEKS AGO MY HOME WAS ATACT BUY TWO 17 YEAR OLD PRIVATE SCHOOL BOYS, I HAD A 2 AND 3 YEAR OLD CHILDREN THERE NOT A VERY NICE THING TO SEE, THE BOYS FATHER BROUHT HIM TO APOLIGISE THE NEXT DAY,BUT IT MENT NOTHING, I HAD A GRUNT FROM HIM, I LOOKED AT THE DAD AND WONERED WERE THE BOY GOT HIS VEWS FROM,
THATS ANOUTH FROM ME AS MY SPELLING IS TERABLE I DID NOT GO TO SCHOOL MUCH,
FROM SALLY TUCKER A GYPSY MOTHER

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Kania, South Bucks says...
10:15am Fri 9 May 08

I believe the land is covered by a permanent article 4 restriction which prevents the owners from errecting fences or any means of enclosure along with preventing just about any other use of their land! Whilst the article 4 is there to protect the open nature of this piece of land it also prevents owners from protecting their property!! While the permanent article 4 is in place how can anyone prevent this from happening again?

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gypsysally, taunton says...
10:21am Fri 9 May 08

BUILD A LEGAL GYPSY SIT IN TOWN,BUT I SERPOSE THAT TO WILL NOT BE WANTED,IF YOU ARE WORRIED ABOUT TAX PAYERS MONEYS IF THE COUNCIL WANTS TO BUILD A LEGAL TRANSIT SITE I AM SHOR THE TRAVELLER FAMILYS WILL CONRIBUT, WHY NOT DO WHAT OUR COUNCIL DOSE DOWN HERE GO TO THE FAMILYS TELL THEM THAY HAVE TO GO THAY GOVE THEM ABOUT 10 DAYS PROVIDE PORTER LOOS AND A SCIP THE FAMILYS (PAY) FOT THIS,
tHEN THING TURN OUT MUCH BETTER

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mariamar mcglinchey, high wycombe says...
11:40am Fri 9 May 08

I have a good idea, one of you affected
neighbours should go and inform these travellers that there is a very lovely field alongside North Road, Widmer End, especially the spot close the cross roads.
I bet you anything they would be moved pretty quickly from there!!

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LillyMoe, High Wycombe says...
1:11pm Fri 9 May 08

influxuk wrote:
i guarentee these "travellers" will still be there next week and the week after the area they are on, reduced to shambles and filthy...much like them themselves.... remember the holmer green showmen never left - and everyone gave in - now they are a permananet fixture - what is the council really gonna do about it? unlucky people that live there - i feel for ya
I live in HG and these travellers are fine and yes I can see them from my house they are practically next door, They are clean cause no problems and there is no mess anywhere. These people are showmen and not Gypsies, there is a big difference. I think you will find the people of HG are just happy for them to stay, there was a petition set up in the local newsagent and it was full of signatures to let them stay.

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fluff, high wycombe says...
7:59pm Fri 9 May 08

Sadly the travellers don't help peoples attitudes towards them by their actions. I was sat outside cryers hill post office yesterday when a car steamed into the carpark and two adult ladies (one pregnant)and one young girl got out and went inide. Minutes later the door opened and the pregnant one chucked an ice cream wrapper out of the door to drop on the floor and went back inside. When they all returned to their car they all opened ice creams and threw the wrappers again out of the windows and drove off. It is such disgusting and unnecessary behaviour considering they passed two bins on the way. Why should we accept them into the community when the act so needlessly and destroy the nice area we have. I appreciate there are many members of the community that aren't litter conscious...but they really aren't encouraging me to want to help them.

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Pierre, HW says...
12:52pm Sat 10 May 08

I suggest it is because WDC and Bucks CC have little or no sites for travellers to stay that these issues arise regularly.
Poor foresight. Poor planning. Poor strategies.

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Benalty, HW says...
1:40pm Sat 10 May 08

They have yet to do anything spectacularly bad. I know the site will be a mess when they leave. Thats the way it goes. They always usually are. If they leave soon, as they said, it will have caused a week of gossip. If they don't then it will be dealt with over the next few weeks and will give the locals something to talk about. Maybe the Council shouldn't have tried to make quick money selling land you can't build on or protect. The finger should be pointed at the Wycombe Council and BCC for being greedy and not wanting to conserve the local area.

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Benalty, HW says...
11:32am Sun 11 May 08

The travellers appear to have all left. As they said they would, after a few days. They have left a bit of a mess, but the majority of it is in black bags. Which has surprised me. As i said before they usually leave a mess but this doesn't seem as bad. At least there has been some consideration by them.

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betsy, Hughenden Valley says...
5:10pm Mon 12 May 08

Hooray they have gone - but their mess hasn't!!!!

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Comments are closed on this article.

Three of the gypsy children at the site

Three of the gypsy children at the site



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