A couple running an environmental charity faces eviction from their tent camp in Gower after a council enforcement notice.
Swansea: A couple living in a tent camp in Gower has been told to pack up and leave. Bob Smith and Jules Wagstaff, who run an environmental charity, have been living in a yurt on the land for four years. They say they’ve been using the space to promote sustainable living.
However, the local council caught wind of their setup and issued an enforcement notice. They want the couple to stop using the land for residential purposes and remove their tents and yurts. The council claims the couple’s living situation is unauthorized.
Bob and Jules appealed the notice, but a planning inspector sided with the council. Jules expressed her disappointment, saying they’re trying to address climate change, and it feels like their efforts are being ignored.
They mentioned that many people supported their work, but the council still deemed their living situation inappropriate. Bob pointed out that living in a yurt significantly reduces their carbon footprint compared to a traditional home.
The charity aims to teach skills like sustainable gardening and hedge-laying. But the council insists that the structures on the land are too large and not in line with local planning rules.
The inspector visited the site and noted that the couple’s activities didn’t seem to justify their living arrangements. She mentioned that while they claimed benefits from living on-site, there was no solid evidence to back it up.
In the end, the couple has three months to clear out their tents and containers and a year to take down the yurts. The landowner also stated that the couple was never meant to live there permanently.
Local councillor Will Thomas added that there’s no residential planning for the land, and it’s not something the community wants to encourage. It’s a tough situation for Bob and Jules, who just want to make a difference.