After hearing that e-on have been approached about putting a mains electricity supply into a recently sold piece of agricultural land, various concerned residents contact the Planning Office at the Forest of Dean District Council by phone and email. The Council respond saying that there is no evidence to suspect a breach of planning regulations is likely to happen. They also say that these things almost always turn out to be false alarms or rumours.
Two men, who introduce themselves as the new land owners, approach residents to ask about using existing electrical infrastructure to get a power supply into the field. They say it's to provide heat lamps for mares in foal as they intend to put horses in the field at some point in the future, though probably not even this year. They also want to let locals know that they'e going to be mowing the field later on in the day and that they shouldn't worry if they see vehicles and men working in the field.
Residents consult the Land Registry and it's found that as of 29th December 2008 the field has 4 new owners. A majority of the new proprietors have suppied local authority gypsy or traveller site addresses and consequently there is some concern that taken alongside the e-on/septic tank request, there may be a future planning issue. The council are notified.
2 ponies are moved into the field.
2 large loads of half round timber delivered and residents are told they’re for constructing a field shelter.
Two planning officers carry out a site visit. They conclude that “No wooden structure had been constructed and no breach of planning had occurred at the time of the visit”
2 more ponies are moved into the field.
e-on warns the residents at the end of the lane closest to the field of an interruption to their electricity supply for ‘essential maintenance’ on 5th May 2009. When contacted they explain that the interruption of service is necessary for them to fit a transformer which will facilitate a mains electricity supply to the field.
e-on work in the field alongside 2 JCBs, 2 vans and a truck for most of the day. They put up a substantial new telegraph pole and a colossal trench is dug along one of the hedge rows into which a set of cables/ducting/pipes are buried.
The power to the houses is switched off to allow e-on to move the supply over to the new telegraph pole and pole mounted transformer. The supply now terminates in a small wooden shed with a concrete base. The Council’s Legal Department are notified and they simply refer the matter back to the Planning Department saying:
“At the present moment in time we do not have sufficient evidence to be able to seek an injunction and there is no clear suggestion that any occupation of the site is imminent”.
And also that the planning officer
“has managed to speak with e-on who have advised that they are only installing a single phase supply for a stable with a single meter.”
It is noted that the response is written in the future tense and thus their attention is drawn to the fact that the work is complete and that a single phase supply can very easily be converted to be used for caravans or even to supply a house.
The FODDC legal department still hasn’t grasped the fact that e-on have completed the work and further clarify their position thus:
“The problem is that the only evidence we have to suggest that this site is to be used for a purpose other than a field for the grazing of a horse is speculation. Whilst there appears to be a proposed installation of an electricity supply we have spoken with e-on who have assured us that they are only installing a single phase supply for a stable with a single meter. To support this the owners have told the residents that they only intend to graze horses on the land.”
A Senior Planning Officer meets District Cllr Lawton and a resident in Southend Lane. The officer inspects the filled in ditch which runs from the “electricity hut” right up to the hedge bordering the lane, looks up the new telegraph pole and generally insepects the field. It is again concluded that none of this constitutes a breach of planning laws.
2 ponies leave the field.
Senior Planning Officer is alerted to the fact that drums of 14/15% Sodium Hypochlorite (bleach) have appeared in the gateway to the field. Residents are concerned that corrosive chemicals have been left in such an obvious position and that they’re black plastic canisters in full sunlight.
Senior Planning Officer’s response:
“I have written to the four registered owners of the land again inviting them to contact me and to discuss any proposed development they may want to undertake, but I have not received a response to date. These containers are not sufficient to suggest that a breach of planning permission may be possible. I have referred this matter to the Environmental Health Team but they do not consider that it is necessary for them to investigate.”
Later that day the drums have vanished but there's a strong smell of bleach clearly emanating from the field and a large patch of vegetation is wilting just beyond the hedgerow. The Planning Officer is again notified.
Sometime arout 5pm, residents try to alert the Senior Planning Officer, his boss and the Legal Department at the FODDC that a large section of hedge has been removed and that a vast number of vehicles and men are on site carrying out exceptionally well orchestrated building works, including the installation of septic tanks. Sadly its the Friday evening of a bank holiday weekend so there's no-one to receive the calls or emails.
Cllr Lawton contacts residents asking them to submit a statement. He hopes to use these to convince a judge to issue an “interim order” to try to halt the works in the field. Statements are made but it's later discovered that the judge has refused to grant the order.
National and local papers widely report that an Enforcement Order has been actioned against the Illegal development.