Illegal traveller site next to Nuclear facility

[DaveCWK]

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/11/20/travel...

Wondering how they were able to get away with this - don't facilities like AWE have lots of police presence & also incredibly strict rules on nearby development for obvious security threats/protestors etc, but also evacuation procedures etc should the worst happen i.e radiation leaks?

It looks like they've had time to essentially completely level and landscape what was a huge area of field/woodland, right across a main road from the facility security fence etc.

[Spare tyre]

It would have been passed to the council then the procrastination starts

We’ve had exactly the same a mile from here, they’ve done exactly what they like, letters sent and ignored

The council now how two options, spend loads on an eviction etc

Or spend the money on council things like school crossings and schools etc


Rules only apply to some it feels

[.:ian:.]

DaveCWK said:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/11/20/travel...

Wondering how they were able to get away with this - don't facilities like AWE have lots of police presence & also incredibly strict rules on nearby development for obvious security threats/protestors etc, but also evacuation procedures etc should the worst happen i.e radiation leaks?

It looks like they've had time to essentially completely level and landscape what was a huge area of field/woodland, right across a main road from the facility security fence etc.

I'm sure if there was a leak of radioactive substances they would be informed. Eventually. Maybe in a month.

[Triumph Man]

DaveCWK said:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/11/20/travel...

Wondering how they were able to get away with this - don't facilities like AWE have lots of police presence & also incredibly strict rules on nearby development for obvious security threats/protestors etc, but also evacuation procedures etc should the worst happen i.e radiation leaks?

It looks like they've had time to essentially completely level and landscape what was a huge area of field/woodland, right across a main road from the facility security fence etc.

Oh great, we are going to end up with nuclear mutuated super s

[Gareth79]

DaveCWK said:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/11/20/travel...

Wondering how they were able to get away with this - don't facilities like AWE have lots of police presence & also incredibly strict rules on nearby development for obvious security threats/protestors etc, but also evacuation procedures etc should the worst happen i.e radiation leaks?

It looks like they've had time to essentially completely level and landscape what was a huge area of field/woodland, right across a main road from the facility security fence etc.

It's presumably private land they bought. The site security/police can't enforce planning law.

[Super Sonic]

Does the facility have a 'radiation leak' alarm? I suspect if they had daily drills, with lots of people stood outside being Geiger countered, the caravan club would probably leave!

[Puggit]

This is very close to me (and we actually used to live on the same road but moved 10 years ago). The travelers bought the field a few years ago, so everyone has been waiting for this. The council actually acted incredibly quickly and served a stop notice - which was ignored. I believe that is a criminal offence.

AWE does have a very large say on local developments. The field next to our house recently had plans for 12-16 largish houses on it. The council said no because the density wasn't high enough, AWE said no because there were too many new abodes. The developer (who is the only person I have ever called a c---) lost in the high court.

The traveler site is well documented here, by a local councillor: https://pennypost.org.uk/burghfield-area-weekly-ne...

[Challo]

Puggit said:

This is very close to me (and we actually used to live on the same road but moved 10 years ago). The travelers bought the field a few years ago, so everyone has been waiting for this. The council actually acted incredibly quickly and served a stop notice - which was ignored. I believe that is a criminal offence.

AWE does have a very large say on local developments. The field next to our house recently had plans for 12-16 largish houses on it. The council said no because the density wasn't high enough, AWE said no because there were too many new abodes. The developer (who is the only person I have ever called a c---) lost in the high court.

The traveler site is well documented here, by a local councillor: https://pennypost.org.uk/burghfield-area-weekly-ne...

I live close to this as well, and lots of local comments on FB groups etc. I dont often travel down that road, so was shocked to see how quickly they had put up fencing, and hardcore to develop plots.

There is a large development similar on the road out towards Aldermarston next to the AWE so unclear how that got the all clear.

I suspect it will just continue to be developed and the council wont be able to stop it.

[Puggit]

Challo said:

I live close to this as well, and lots of local comments on FB groups etc. I dont often travel down that road, so was shocked to see how quickly they had put up fencing, and hardcore to develop plots.

There is a large development similar on the road out towards Aldermarston next to the AWE so unclear how that got the all clear.

I suspect it will just continue to be developed and the council wont be able to stop it.

The article I linked to was very interesting in that usually the council and AWE don't see eye to eye, this gives planning applicants a route in to an appeal. In this case, WB and AWE will be on the very same page. Making it difficult for the rule breakers.

[hairykrishna]

Super Sonic said:

Does the facility have a 'radiation leak' alarm?

It has a terrifying criticality alarm which, when triggered, switches from the constant "bing-bong" to tell you everything is ok to a pre recorded voice shouting at you to drop everything and run away immediately.

The articles presenting this as a security risk are fairly hilarious. AWE security can handle a few tarmac and scrap metal entrepreneurs.

[Hoofy]

Triumph Man said:

Oh great, we are going to end up with nuclear mutuated super s

They're the heroes we don't want but the heroes we deserve?

[Puggit]

hairykrishna said:

It has a terrifying criticality alarm which, when triggered, switches from the constant "bing-bong" to tell you everything is ok to a pre recorded voice shouting at you to drop everything and run away immediately.

We've lived in the immediate area for 15 years. I can recall one incident late in the evening. Our neighbour was the chief inspector on the base, so I messaged him to find out what was going on. The reply was a simple 'there's been a leak of solvents, stay indoors and keep your windows shut' response

[otolith]

hairykrishna said:

The articles presenting this as a security risk are fairly hilarious. AWE security can handle a few tarmac and scrap metal entrepreneurs.

Hopefully their security is good enough that there won't be any Goiânia/Samut Prakan style luminous scrap metal incidents.

[Challo]

Puggit said:

Challo said:

I live close to this as well, and lots of local comments on FB groups etc. I dont often travel down that road, so was shocked to see how quickly they had put up fencing, and hardcore to develop plots.

There is a large development similar on the road out towards Aldermarston next to the AWE so unclear how that got the all clear.

I suspect it will just continue to be developed and the council wont be able to stop it.

The article I linked to was very interesting in that usually the council and AWE don't see eye to eye, this gives planning applicants a route in to an appeal. In this case, WB and AWE will be on the very same page. Making it difficult for the rule breakers.

It will be interesting what the outcome will be, given they have made alot of progress already, and they are travellers and will they listen to the council.