AN EXTENDED family of travellers have been booted off green belt land in Wickford after losing a legal appeal against council enforcement notices.

A group of Irish travellers had settled on land south of Redlands in Hovefields Drive, Wickford – not far from the legal Essex County Council controlled traveller pitches to the north.

The group, which had arrived at the site in November 2020, were served enforcement notices to vacate the premises a month later.

READ MORE

Taking their battle to court, 33 appeals were lodged to the Government as the group bid to be allowed to stay on the land.

But, in a decision issued by a planning inspector last week, they have been ordered to cease using the land as a base for their residential caravans, remove all fencing, fittings and non-organic matter within a month or face further legal action.

The result has been hailed as a long-fought for justice by ward councillor George Jeffrey.

“It’s about fairness, crucially, and making sure everyone living in the borough is respecting our planning laws and respecting our green land.

“That area was absolutely pummelled by illegal encampments over years of inaction but now the Conservatives are restoring the area for residents and fighting back for justice against illegal encampments.”

He added: "The land had previously been full of old oak trees and glorious hedgerows, so hopefully we can restore some of that.”

The appellants are Irish travellers and “are all apparently related,” the inspector noted; the inquiry further heard how the group had used to travel together prior to their arrival at the site.

One of appellants, known as Mr Clearly, “spoke passionately about the needs of his family and desire to live at this site which they consider to be their home and want as their settled base,” the planning inspector said.

However, the inspector ruled against the group stating: “I have found that very special circumstances do not exist to justify the development. I conclude that the appeal development, which was intentional unauthorised development, would cause unacceptable harm to the Green Belt.”