Council obtains permanent injunction to stop potential unauthorised use of land

Updated: 14 June 2022

An injunction which will permanently prevent events being held on land at Bucks Hill, Sarratt, has been granted by the High Court.

An injunction which will permanently prevent events being held on land at Bucks Hill, Sarratt, has been granted by the High Court.

Three Rivers District Council applied for the permanent injunction following an earlier interim order granted in May. The injunction will remain in place, unless varied or discharged, and prevents the unauthorised use of a parcel of land within Bucks Hill, Sarratt.

The council sought the injunction after it was inundated with complaints from local residents last summer when a religious

traveller festival, known as the Light and Life event, descended on land within the small hamlet. The festival lasted for a week and caused significant distress and unacceptable levels of disturbance to local residents.

The council has always been of the view that the use of the land during the festival was as a caravan site, a use excluded from the 28 day temporary use rule. On receiving information that a similar festival was to take place this summer, the council moved to secure the order.

Cllr Stephen Giles-Medhurst, the council’s Lead Member for Infrastructure and Planning Policy, said: “We will not tolerate the sort of intrusion and disturbance experienced by residents of Bucks Hill and the surrounding area last summer. Rules and procedures for holding such large scale events are there for a reason, and they must be followed. In this example those rules were completely ignored and we have now ensured no such event can happen again on that land.

“I am delighted we have been successful in obtaining the permanent order from the High Court. Let this serve as an example to others who may ever consider such blatant disregard for residents of Three Rivers again.”

The order prohibits bringing any caravans on to the land, mobile homes or any other structures intended for or capable of habitation, the use of the land as a caravan site as well as other restrictions.

For more information see:  https://www.threerivers.gov.uk/news/council-obtains-high-court-injunction-to-stop-potential-unauthorised-use-of-land-in-bucks-hill-sarratt