Doran traveller family ordered to vacate Stickney site after planning ruling

A planning-inspectorate decision in Lincolnshire has ordered the Doran family to vacate a Stickney traveller site and restore the land to its original state, after the development was deemed to pose an unacceptable risk to life because of flood danger.

The three-acre site near Stickney sits behind black metal gates and was developed by Patrick Doran, who uses the alias Alan Gray, and his wife, Barbara. The family moved into the rural village about five years ago and had begun constructing what authorities described as a gated, gravelled site without planning permission. In February 2025, East Lindsey District Council refused permission for the site to accommodate up to 30 static and touring caravans, with related facilities such as a toilet and wash block and a dayroom building. An enforcement notice followed, ordering demolition of brick structures built without consent and restoration of the land to open fields. The planning inspectorate later backed the council, ruling that the camp’s proximity to a flood-risk waterway created an unacceptable residual risk to life for residents and any future occupants.

The Doran family, along with the Collins family who had joined them on the site, now have 12 months to leave and 15 months to return the land to its original state. The decision cited the flood-risk location as a key factor in rejecting the appeal against the enforcement notice, even as it acknowledged the broader national shortage of traveller sites and the needs of the Doran children. Planning Inspector Thomas Shields noted the competing considerations but concluded that safety had to take precedence in this case.

Background and context surrounding the Dorans is long and well documented. The family rose to global notoriety after being deported from New Zealand in early 2019, where footage circulated of members allegedly stealing from a garage and threatening a woman who asked them to clean up rubbish left on Takapuna Beach. In Britain, Patrick Doran had previously triggered outrage in Worcestershire, where locals said he demanded a six-figure payment to leave or faced threats and pressure on house prices. The Stickney matter adds another chapter to a saga that has drawn persistent local scrutiny and heated debate over planning rules, traveller-site policy, and flood-risk management.

Locals have described the site as a potential hazard and questioned the impact of the development on drainage and nearby farmland. Residents reported concerns about water runoff, a leaking septic tank, and other environmental issues tied to the makeshift infrastructure. They also recounted a range of alleged anti-social behaviours associated with the site, including reports of loud bonfires and guard dogs roaming the area. Critics have argued that the Dorans moved onto land that was not sanctioned for caravans and that the situation underscored the need for clear planning pathways for traveller communities.

Advocates for the family, including Jessi Bruce of Friends, Families and Travellers, defended their position, describing the Stickney site as a stabilizing residence for a family with young children and arguing that the land offered a lawful home until alternatives could be found. Bruce emphasized that the site represented a qualified solution amid a national shortage of traveller accommodation and urged consideration of the children’s education and access to local services. The council, however, maintained that the location posed unacceptable risk and that the enforcement measures were necessary to ensure safety and compliance with planning laws.

As the statutory process concludes, East Lindsey District Council, which was approached for comment, will monitor compliance with the enforcement orders and the site’s restoration. Local observers say the ruling could set an important precedent in similar disputes across rural parts of the country, underscoring the tension between housing pressures for traveller families and land-use planning protections. For now, the Dorans have a defined period to relocate, and the broader community awaits the restoration of the land to its previous state. The decision marks another turning point in a protracted saga that has lingered over Stickney and drawn comparisons to earlier disputes in Worcestershire and beyond.