Travellers Ordered to Remove Green Belt Encampment

A group of travellers who bulldozed approximately an acre of green belt land and established an encampment have been ordered by Wirral Council to dismantle their structures and restore the site. The enforcement notice, served on October 21, mandates the removal of all caravans, vehicles, and associated infrastructure, as well as the restoration of the land.

The encampment, located on Townshend Avenue in Irby, Merseyside, was established shortly after the August Bank Holiday weekend. Locals reported that three traveller families moved onto the plot, erected a ten-foot wooden fence, and began extensive excavation work without prior planning permission. Aerial images from last month showed four caravans, a building with astroturf, and three cars on the site.

Wirral Council launched an investigation into the unauthorized works, issuing a temporary stop notice on August 28. The subsequent enforcement notice requires the cessation of residential use of the land, the removal of all caravans and buildings, and the restoration of the site by re-seeding the soil. "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," stated ward councillor Mark Skillicorn, who noted the council's efforts to address residents' concerns.

Residents expressed outrage and concern over the development, fearing it was part of a trend of unauthorized land grabs occurring during bank holiday weekends when council offices are typically closed. Local Conservative campaigner David Fairbairn welcomed the council's action, calling it "definitely a move in the right direction" and urging continued vigilance in protecting the green belt.

The enforcement notice allows 12 months for the residential use and main structures to cease and be removed, with an additional two months for the remaining materials to be removed and the land restored. A Wirral Council spokesperson confirmed that officers will continue to monitor the site as the process progresses. The plot of land, described as 0.9 acres of protected green belt, had been listed for sale with a guide price of £90,000 to £100,000, but the listing has since been removed. The timeline for compliance takes into account the council's legal obligations under human rights and equality legislation.