Nick Jones, a 57-year-old London lawyer, discovered the encampment on land adjoining his Grade II-listed, 17th-century farmhouse in West Chiltington, West Sussex, on May 23.
The five-bedroom property, which has a heated swimming pool and tennis court, sits close to the world-renowned Nyetimber wine estate, east of Pulborough.
The site next door — previously empty grassland — now contains at least seven static homes and caravans, around five vans and industrial machinery, with up to 100 lorry loads of crushed concrete having been delivered, as reported by the Daily Mail.
Aerial images of the site showed a number of diggers in operation, with a large proportion of the field tarmacked over.
A field that has been tarmacked over (Image: Supplied)
The Argus previously reported that Horsham District Council served temporary stop notices on the site — on land south of Clayes Farm on Broadford Bridge Road — on May 23, following reports that unauthorised works were due to take place.
Clayes Farm was previously listed for sale in 2021 for £1.85 million.
Mr Jones had inadvertently contributed to the situation by selling the four-acre plot — where he had previously kept horses — to a developer for £200,000 on 21 July last year, according to the Daily Mail.
He had believed the buyer intended to build four or five executive homes on the site.
To protect the surrounding area, Mr Jones told the Daily Mail that the sale was made subject to restrictive covenants that specifically prevented the land from being used for caravans or static homes.
A clause was also inserted on the title register at the Land Registry to prevent any onward sale without his written consent.
Caravans have since moved into the tarmac areas (Image: Supplied)
Mr Jones told the Mail: “It is devastating for us, as it is for other villagers.
“We are working closely with our neighbours and the council to rectify the situation.”
A spokesman for Horsham District Council said: “Following reports that unauthorised works at a site on land south of Clayes Farm in Broadford Bridge Road, West Chiltington were likely to take place over the bank holiday weekend, Horsham District Council prepared Temporary Stop Notices which were issued and served on the land early on the morning of May 23.
“Investigations are continuing, which may result in further formal action.”
An image of Mr Jones home from 2021, when it was listed for sale for £1.85m (Image: Jackson-Stops)
Despite the notices, residents say work continued throughout the bank holiday weekend.
One resident told the Daily Mail that heavy machinery had already begun operating on May 22 — the day before the notices were served — with “lots of lorries and other vehicles” in attendance.
A resident told the Daily Mail lorries had begun arriving at 7.15am on the Saturday.
“There were already five loads there before the council’s enforcement order at 8am,” they said.
“Everything after that was in breach of planning, but it went on until at least 6pm with the same lorries going backwards and forwards.”
The land used to belong to Mr Jones (Image: Supplied)
A spokeswoman for Sussex Police told The Argus that officers attended the site on May 23 in case of a breach of the peace when the notices were served, but that this had not occurred.
Some villagers have blamed Mr Jones for the disruption.
“It really is an own goal,” one resident told the Daily Mail. “It has ruined village life, I fear, for ever.”
Mr Jones told the Daily Mail: “I am working hard to get rid of them.”
Source link
[Featured]
[Just In]
