Basildon Council will start the clearance of Dale Farm as soon as Saturday if it succeeds in overturning the injunction imposed yesterday.

A spokesman said: "No decision has been taken but this is a seven-day operation and we could move in on the Saturday."

Earlier, supporters and residents on Dale Farm, near Basildon, said a planning official would be allowed to enter.

Despite the concession, campaigners insist that the heavily barricaded main gate will remain in place.

The Dale Farm Solidarity campaign said that, following a meeting this morning, the gate would be opened to allow residents to return and for the school bus to collect children.

Campaigner Sam Walters said: "Basildon Council must take this time to fulfil its responsibility to find and approve a legal and culturally suitable site for the Dale Farm community.

"It is imperative that the council engages in a meaningful and appropriate way with residents in fulfilling the injunction.

"A leaked source has revealed that the council intends to communicate with the residents via email. The council is aware of the fact that, due to limited opportunities for schooling for most travellers, a large proportion of the Dale Farm residents are illiterate, and have virtually no access to email."

A spokesman for Basildon Council said it would serve a schedule of how it will enforce the clearance of each plot by midday today, setting out the precise action the authority intends to take.

He added that, should the council overturn the injunction, travellers will be liable for all costs incurred by the delay. The estimated cost of the total operation is £18 million.

He said: "The terms of the injunction state that the travellers and supporters should take all reasonable steps to remove the barricades."

Council leader Tony Ball said he was frustrated by the delay but added that he was confident the ruling would be overturned once the authority presents the facts to the court.

It comes after travellers at Dale Farm won an injunction preventing the clearance of 51 unauthorised plots until Friday.

Senior campaigner Grattan Puxon said: "The gate stays, although we will look at building a side gate to allow a council officer access. That could happen today.

"The remaining issue is what is a touring caravan, which they can remove, and what is a static home, which they can't.

"There is also an ongoing argument over hard standings laid by the council when it was a scrapyard which we say should remain."

Residents will spend the day looking at ways in which touring caravans can be turned into permanent dwellings in an attempt to thwart planners.

Resident Kathleen McCarthy said: "We met last night and we are more determined than ever to stay."