Illegal camping on Bernards Heath
Small tents have briefly appeared on the Heath in recent years and have soon disappeared again, although not without leaving rubbish and occasionally a tent.
However, illegal camping reached new levels in May this year when several tents, large and small appeared. Naturally, this was a concern to all users of the Heath, particularly because no toilet facilities exist on the Heath. Two dogs have reportedly fallen ill following exercise in this area. Fires often lit by the campers in the blue tent below are on wooded land present a hazard.
Camping near Heath Farm Lane – click arrow on the right of the image to see more
Camping near Edmund Beaufort Drive
Aerial Photos from Google
FoBH has contacted local agencies to try to get the campers to move on:
In May, nagging for action by FoBH resulted in a police visit. Notes were taken, but no further action was forthcoming.
St Albans District Council (SADC) took legal advice and instructed the tent owners to leave no later than Friday 19th May at 12pm. They did not. The campers in the original tent near the two oaks clearing did eventually move on, leaving a pile of rubbish. This is almost always the case.
In June SADC (which administers the land) contacted the Althorp Estate, asking them to exercise their common law right as the landowner. No action taken, although Althorp Estate bailiffs have been successful in getting Travellers to move on in the past.
A letter to Daisy Cooper MP resulted in an approach to SADC to see where they are at with the investigation. They have also asked the Althorp Estate to act.
The Althorp Estate is not willing to exercise their common law rights as the landowner, because of a lease agreement between Althorp and SADC.
SADC will continue to explore further ways of removing campers.
Photos: PC, MN
