MP's warning over development of traveller sites

East Surrey MP Claire Coutinho is among 30 MPs who have written to ministers over "illegal developments"

A "wave of illegal development" is taking place in the countryside, with land being bought and built on without planning permission, according to a Surrey MP.

Claire Coutinho is among 30 MPs who have written to ministers calling for a taskforce to help councils enforce planning rules and consider new powers over the sites - which are often purchased by the traveller community.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) said it expected local authorities to enforce against the issue.

The non-profit organisation, Friends, Families and Travellers, has previously said provision of official spaces for travellers was "virtually non-existent".

The group has called for "increasing access to safe stopping places".

Coutinho, who represents East Surrey, and is also the shadow energy secretary, told BBC Radio Surrey she is working with Tandridge District Council (TDC) and the police on the issue.

The Conservative MP said: "What we are seeing is a wave of illegal development."

She said purchasers, who are "often from the traveller community", buy rural plots over a weekend, or "often a bank holiday".

She said they carry out work "like topsoil removal, laying hardcore, pulling up hedgerows", adding: "Those sites are then quickly covered in caravans and they are being rented out."

"Now this is a problem, because it's illegal development."

'Destruction of countryside'

Coutinho continued: "But it's also a problem because we have evidence that some of the people that they're renting to are illegal migrants, and that means it's all become part of the illegal migrant economy."

The letter from MPs, which has also been signed by Sir Jeremy Hunt in Godalming and Ash, and Rebecca Paul in Reigate, said investigations by local authorities and the police show that many people living on the sites are "not part of the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) community".

"Often these are undocumented migrants, some of whom are working illegally in the gig economy," the letter added.

"This is yet another example of criminal behaviour linked to illegal migration."

A report to TDC said there has been an increase in the number of unauthorised caravan and mobile home sites.

In September, one of these site appeared at Bones Lane, Newchapel. Heavy machinery, construction materials and caravans moved onto the land.

A traveller site was built in Bones Lane, Newchapel, without permission

Meanwhile in August, an attempt was made to set up a site in Alfold, near Cranleigh, with residents reportedly standing in front of construction lorries in an attempt to block them.

TDC leader Catherine Sayer said the sites were "causing a great deal of community unhappiness and friction, as well as destruction of the countryside".

She said planning and enforcement powers needed to be "tightened up nationally to enable councils to tackle these incidents more effectively".

She said: "I would like to assure residents that the council is committed to using every legal and planning power available to address this unacceptable situation.

"With this in mind, the council has recently been granted a number of injunctions to prevent further breaches of planning control."

Groups representing travellers have been approached for further comment by the BBC.