Bucks Council has approved permanent planning permission for a traveller caravan site on green belt land at West Hyde Lane in Chalfont St Peter, formalizing a development that was previously granted temporary consent. The decision, made on February 4, 2026, applies to a site containing four pitches that were already in place under earlier approval.
Temporary permission for the change of use of the land to a traveller caravan site was granted in May 2024. That approval allowed four pitches and associated development, enabling the site to operate on a short-term basis while planning policy considerations were reviewed. The latest decision converts that consent into a permanent arrangement.
In a planning report, a council officer outlined the location and surroundings of the site. The report stated:
“The application site is located on the northern side of West Hyde Lane, which is located on the eastern side of Chalfont St Peter. It is situated within the Green Belt and within Colne Valley Park. It is also located within the area covered by Chalfont St Peter Neighbourhood Plan. To the north of the site are two dwellings and woodland, to the east is Pipwood Kennels and Cattery (now vacant), and to the west is Robertswood School.”
According to Bucks Free Press, each of the four pitches includes a mobile home, a touring caravan and associated development. Additional day rooms are also planned as part of the approved scheme.
Chalfont St Peter Parish Council objected to the permanent application and requested that it be referred to the Bucks East Area Planning Committee for determination. This request was not granted. A planning officer stated that the referral did not proceed because the parish council had not provided material planning reasons to justify the call-in.
In a statement dated July 8 2025, the parish council raised concerns that the pitches were “being advertised on social media for rent” and argued that there was “no reason” for the site to be made permanent.
In recommending approval, a Bucks Council planning officer pointed to changes in national and local planning policy since the temporary consent was granted.
The officer concluded: “Since the previous, temporary, permission was granted for 4 pitches on this site, there has been two significant changes in planning policy. First, the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) was updated (December 2024) to include a new exception to inappropriate development; and second, the Council has produced a new Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment (GTAA) (July 2025), which identifies a significant need for Gypsy and Travellers pitches across the County from 2025 – 2045.”
The report added: “The revisions to the NPPF mean that the development is no longer inappropriate in the Green Belt and therefore there is no longer a requirement for the applicant to demonstrate very special circumstances.”
”The additional day rooms will be viewed within the context of the existing mobile homes and touring caravans, and given the overwhelming need identified in the GTAA, any moderate harm to the character of the area would be outweighed by this benefit.”
For professionals in the outdoor hospitality, caravan and RV sectors, the decision highlights how policy changes at national and local levels can significantly affect development outcomes, particularly on constrained land such as the green belt.
It also underscores the importance of monitoring housing and accommodation assessments, as demonstrated need can play a decisive role in planning decisions even where local opposition exists.