The number of traveller sites has skyrocketed as locals continue fear their village could be next in line to fall victim to a "land grab".
Led by caravans, bulldozers and a lack of council action, towns across Kent, Surrey, Hertfordshire, Essex, Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire have been targeted.
The unauthorised developments, in turn, have triggered frenzied legal battles as well as wider local furore, while residents have been left feeling helpless at the lack of support from officials.
In January, the number of traveller caravans lacking planning permission across England was 4,950, marking a staggering 73 per cent jump on 2020's figure of 2,860.
Travellers have increasingly become aware of the lack - or delay - of intervention during these periods due to the extended hours the councillors are out of office.
A villager impacted by the new developments compared the sheer speed of construction to a military operation.
One councillor in an area taken over by such groups said there was a "loss of control" over current planning laws.
Now, GB News can reveal the top five hotspots where unauthorised caravans have staged "military" takeovers in the UK, many of which take place over Bank Holiday weekends.
1. Maidstone
Maidstone in Kent has taken the top spot for the highest number of unauthorised caravans.
As of January 2026, 603 caravans in the area were recorded as unauthorised vehicles, while there were 1,579 total caravans.
Beyond Maidstone, swathes of the Garden of England were also found to be covered in unauthorised camps, prompting local fury over the green belt.
But the new developments are also threatening the value of local property, causing residents to seethe over their ability to sell.
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2. Basildon
Basildon has taken the second spot, with 214 unauthorised caravans in the region, with a grand total of 590 caravans.
Last year, officials in the Essex town found there were more unauthorised caravans than anywhere else in England.
And, just between July 2019 and July 2025, the number of unauthorised caravans in Basildon jumped by a whopping 164 per cent.
George Jeffery, a Conservative member of the local council's cabinet, said the authority could be construed as a "soft touch" due to a "lack of enforcement".
3. Tandridge
Tucked away in Surrey, officials counted 214 unauthorised caravans in the leafy district of Tandridge, where former Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer grew up.
In total, there were 302 caravans across the area.
Back in 2025, then-council leader Catherine Sayer said the persistent issue was triggering "unhappiness and friction in the community".
At the same time, an unauthorised site appeared in Bones Lane, Newchapel, as travellers bulldozed prized green belt land with heavy machinery, construction materials and caravans.
4. Havering
In the London borough of Havering, there are 153 unapproved caravans, and a total of 265 caravans.
However, earlier this year, an illegal traveller camp erected on protected green belt land was ordered to pack up and leave, giving families four months to vacate and restore the site.
The 29-pitch compound at Noak Hill near Romford, London, must be wiped clean, following a decision this month dismissing appeals against Havering Council's enforcement action.
Planning inspector Grahame Kean described the project as a "disciplined rapid unauthorised development", that had been "long in the planning".
He said: "The scale of the unauthorised development is considerable and in stark contrast to the pre-existing condition of the site. The development causes substantial harm to the openness of the green belt."
5. Bromley
The London borough of Bromley takes fifth place with 150 unauthorised caravans. There were 340 caravans counted in total.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan outlined plans to open up London's green belt to travellers as almost 900 "transit pitches" are needed across the capital.
He said another 900 would be needed by 2037 to accommodate the needs of "London’s Gypsy and Traveller and travelling showpeople communities", City Hall's London Plan said.
The London Plan is City Hall's blueprint for guiding planning decisions across the capital's 32 boroughs, covering issues ranging from fire safety standards to the location of new tall buildings.
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