Travellers who bulldozed greenbelt land and moved in caravans in 'Bank Holiday land grab' are ordered to rip up their work

A group of travellers who bulldozed an acre of green belt land before moving in their caravans in a Bank Holiday land grab have been ordered to rip up their work.

Locals were outraged after the rural site on Townshend Avenue in Irby, Merseyside, was dramatically transformed by the travellers a week after the August Bank Holiday.

Three traveller families are said to have moved on to the plot and erected a ten-foot wooden fence before carrying out extensive excavation work.

Aerial images taken last month showed four caravans, a building with astroturf and three cars on the green belt site.

Wirral Council launched an investigation into the works which took place without prior planning permission and a temporary stop notice was issued on August 28.

Council chiefs announced on October 21 that they successfully served an enforcement notice ordering all caravans, vehicles and work be removed.

The notice calls for the travellers to restore the land by ripping up the groundwork and re-seeding the soil underneath.

Greasby, Frankby and Irby ward councillor Mark Skillicorn said the local authority had worked hard to address the concerns of worried residents.

A ten-foot wooden fence was erected and excavation work began on the site without prior planning permission

The latest aerial view of the 0.9 acre green belt site at Townshend Avenue in Irby, Merseyside

'The council has now served a formal planning enforcement notice regarding the unauthorised encampment at Townshend Avenue,' he said.

'The notice requires the residential use of the land to cease, the caravans and associated infrastructure to be removed, and the land to be restored.'

Mr Skillicorn could not share the timescale for the removal due to the council's obligations under human rights and equality legislation.

Local Conservative campaigner David Fairbairn, 67, welcomed the council's actions and said it was 'definitely a move in the right direction.'

'I said all along the council needs to be robust in their action. I hope they now remain vigilant in maintaining the integrity of the planning process and protecting green belt land.'

Locals were 'furious' when the travellers, who they said were 'intimidating' first moved on to the encampment.

But protests against the occupied site hit its peak when police escorted a large caravan on to the site on September 13.

Merseyside Police previously said they are 'duty-bound to escort vehicles that could pose a safety risk to other motorists due to their size or weight'.

An aerial view of the plot of land, which residents feared was going to be turned into a traveller site

Local Conservative campaigner David Fairbairn, 67, pictured outside the green belt site 

Residents feared that the excavation work was part of a 'land grab' a trend where travellers swoop in to lay pitches during Bank Holiday weekends - conveniently when council offices are closed. 

One homeowner said he believed police appeared more interested in the welfare of the travellers than those who lived on Townshend Avenue.

As part of the notice, there are eight requirements that must be fulfilled by the travellers including, ceasing to use the land and removing all caravans and buildings from it.

They are also required to remove all other machinery, building materials and any other items on the land.

The 0.9 acre plot of green belt land is protected according to the government, but can be built on with the correct planning permission. 

The freehold for the plot was up for sale on the Home Estate Agents Wirral website with a guide price of £90,000 to £100,000.

But the listing has since been removed, according to the website, and is thought to have been legally bought by the travellers.

A Wirral Council spokesperson said: 'The council has served a formal Planning Enforcement Notice in relation to the unauthorised residential caravan site at Townshend Avenue.

'The notice requires the residential use of the land to cease, the caravans and associated infrastructure to be removed, and the land to be restored.

'Once it takes effect, the notice allows 12 months for the residential use to cease and for the main structures and infrastructure to be removed. 

'A further two months is allowed for the remaining materials to be removed and the land restored.

'The compliance period takes account of the particular circumstances of this site and the council’s legal responsibilities.  

'Officers will continue to monitor the site as the formal process progresses.'