The plot adjacent to their house (circled in red) was sold to four traveler families. (Photo: Daily Mail/SWNS)
Jamie and Eda Pierce thought they had found their perfect escape from the chaos of everyday life when they bought the sprawling property in Pootings, a hamlet near Crockham Hill in Kent, for £3.15 million in August 2022. The couple had even negotiated a £245,000 reduction from the asking price, according to a Daily Mail report. It was supposed to be the kind of country retreat most people could only dream of: a five-bedroom manor-style house set across seven acres, complete with a swimming pool, tennis court, paddocks, stables and even a private helipad.
They are taking the previous owners to court, accusing them of concealing a crucial piece of information before the £3.15 million sale. In July 2025, the land was sold to four traveller families. On August 22, 2025, shortly after 5pm and just before the bank holiday weekend, the families arrived. They were seeking to have the sale contract rescinded and want the £3.15 million purchase price returned, along with money spent on the property, damages, interest, stamp duty and legal costs.
The Pierces had specifically asked before buying whether the sellers knew of any plans to alter, develop or change the use of neighbouring land within a quarter of a mile of the property, according to their legal claim. But three years later, their idyllic countryside life had turned into a legal nightmare. And in a twist, the couple are not suing the travellers who moved into a field opposite their home. Then came the development they say they had never been warned about. After moving into their dream home, Delaney reportedly made several unsuccessful attempts to change the use of Seasons Farm from agricultural to residential. The couple now claimed that their home has effectively become worthless to them.