Illegal traveller sites in Guildford & Waverley.
Case reference FOI2026/01783
Received 21 August 2026
Published 22 September 2026
Request
I am writing to you under the Freedom of Information Act to request the following information (ref: Yellowstone Park, ( WBC) Stovvolds Hill, & Unstead ( GBC):
Please can you supply the following, starting at base year 2024:
1. Number of new illegal traveller Sites reported, with approximate number of caravans etc if relevant.
2. Locations of these sites,
3. Whether these sites owned by occupiers or not (- rough %)
4. How many sites have received enforcement notices.
5. What are the results to date of enforcement action i.e. how many sites are now either, compliant, or fined, or returned to original condition.
6. Does the council check the protected status - ethnicity & legal status of those occupying the site?
7. Can you confirm whether Surrey Police are made aware on each occasion a new site is reported?
8. Can you confirm whether welfare checks have been made to investigate whether there are trafficking victims, & are these reported to the police/home office?
9. What is the total cost to the council of monitoring, & enforcement action for the following financial years
2024
2025
2026 – To date.
Response
Thank you for your recent request under the Freedom of Information Act.
Please find the answers to your queries below:
I am writing to you under the Freedom of Information Act to request the following information (ref: Yellowstone Park, ( WBC) Stovvolds Hill, & Unstead ( GBC):
Please can you supply the following, starting at base year 2024:
1. Number of new illegal traveller Sites reported, with approximate number of caravans etc if relevant.
Since 2024 we have had 9 sites which we believe are occupied by members of the Gypsy and Traveller community. However, the complaints we receive are not necessarily about traveller sites initially but may relate to development that occurs before the site is used as a traveller site.
2. Locations of these sites:
Land on the east side of Alms Heath, Ockham – 13 caravans
Land lying to the Southwest of Tilthams Corner Road – 5 caravans
Land on the North side of Clay Lane – 2 caravans
Land on the East Side of Goal Farm – 1 pitch, 2 caravans
Land at Lot A1, Westwood Lane – 1 pitch, 1 caravan
Land known as land lying to the west of Westwood Lane, Wanborough – 1 caravan
Chester Farm, Chester Road, Effingham – 1 pitch, 1 caravan
Stoneleigh, Castle Ranges, Guildford and Land on the East Side of Stoneleigh – 1 pitch, 2 caravans
Land to the southside of, Guildford Road, Normandy – 1 pitch, 1 caravan
3. Whether these sites owned by occupiers or not (- rough %)
In most cases we understand they are owned by the occupiers.
4. How many sites have received enforcement notices.
So far we have served 6 enforcement notices in relation to these sites.
5. What are the results to date of enforcement action i.e. how many sites are now either, compliant, or fined, or returned to original condition.
Appeals are pending on 5 of these. One appeal has been dismissed but compliance is not yet due.
6. Does the council check the protected status - ethnicity & legal status of those occupying the site?
We issue welfare letters to check on the personal circumstances of those understood to be connected to the Land.
7. Can you confirm whether Surrey Police are made aware on each occasion a new site is reported?
We do not notify the police every time we have reports of a new site.
8. Can you confirm whether welfare checks have been made to investigate whether there are trafficking victims, & are these reported to the police/home office?
We issue welfare letters to check on the personal circumstances of those understood to be connected to the Land. We do not specifically ask if the occupiers are trafficking victims. Should we have concerns about information shared with us, we would share with relevant stakeholders.
9. What is the total cost to the council of monitoring, & enforcement action for the following financial years
2024
Information not recorded.
2025
Information not recorded.
2026 – To date.
Information not recorded.
Yours sincerely,
FOI Team
Guildford Borough Council
Documents
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