Kent residents ‘forced’ to spend thousands buying grass verges amid traveller 'land grab' fears

Kent residents have claimed they have been "forced" to buy grass verges amid fears of land grabs from travellers.

Residents of St Augustine's Estate in Chartham, near Canterbury, have said they feel obligated to buy small plots of lands near their home.

Now small roadside verges between homes on the estate are being put to auction ownership by landowener Rubislaw Estates Ltd.

They have been advertised by Future Property Auction as "potentially suitable" for various uses, including "a portable home, Bio-net Gain Carbon capture, Forest school, allotments or maybe for the travelling community".

TRENDING

Stories

Videos

Your Say

This language has been described as "inflammatory" by locals, who suggested it appeared to encourage residents to buy plots of lands to prevent others moving in first.

Locals were shocked to find the plots across the estate had been put up for sale in February, 2025.

A woman living nearby in Little Copse Close has said she was against buying the land outside her property but now feels like she has no choice.

She told the Mail: "Other plots of land have been sold to neighbours. Quite frankly, I'm quite appalled by it all.

"I just think it's really sad - it's open space. We are now in this position where there are a few of us kind of being forced to buy land and make sure that no one else does."

She fears fences being put up and taking away her open space, she added.

Canterbury City Council (CCC) has confirmed the plots are intended to be open space and applications for alternative uses are unlikely to succeed

But this has not eased concerns from residents, who said it was unclear how much the council were willing to enforce.

LATEST IN KENT:

• Man charged after military statue damaged in Ramsgate just days before D-Day anniversary
• Police reveal one-year-old baby among HUNDREDS of children under 10 reported for offences
• Disabled students 'picked on by council' over changes to transport policy

Mike Sole, a CCC councillor who also represents Canterbury South at Kent County Council said the ciyt council had to quickly get to "grips with enforcement".

He also said the local authority needed to contact vendors and order them to stop marketing the land for purposes for which it cannot be used.

The land on the St Agugustine's estate was formerly a hospital and itnitally owned by Growingg Estates LTD, who sold it to Rubislaw Estates.

The Sottish Property Development and Investment firm them almost immediately began to sell the land, with emails previosuly sent by the company revealing the firm intended to not consult any residents in the area.

Mr Sole said it was a "scandal", adding he was confounded as to why the property was not placed into a resident-owned management company.

"The only people making any gain out of this are the vendors of the land," he added.

Rob Davies, a spokesman for CCC, said: 'This site is protected open space and our Local Plan policies seek to protect this space for the enjoyment of the local residents, so any application to change this is unlikely to be granted.

"We are aware of the concerns of residents and will continue to investigate any reports of breaches of planning legislation.'"

Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter