Travellers Leave Hertfordshire Site After High Court Injunction
The local borough council pursued legal action against more than 20 named respondents and “persons unknown” after villagers spotted families moving onto the site over the Easter bank holiday weekend to live on the land and develop it.
Arguments Over ‘Grey Belt’ Status
During the legal proceedings, lawyers representing the defendants argued that the disputed land should be classified as “grey belt” rather than green belt, asserting that the travellers’ planning application held good prospects of success.
Defence counsel also maintained that the travellers regarded their caravans as their homes, emphasizing that the cultural context required understanding. Families on the site had previously applied for retrospective planning permission to establish a designated “gypsy site.”
High Court Judgment and Flagrant Breaches
However, presiding judge Kennedy concluded that there had been “flagrant” breaches of interim orders previously put in place. According to the judgment, granting a final injunction was deemed both “just and proportionate.”
Relief and Astonishment Among Residents
Massive Cleanup Operation Ahead
Pither added that the property remains “a mess,” noting that an estimated 6,000 tonnes of hardcore had been brought onto the location during the occupation.
Clearing the material will require sustained work involving diggers and lorries, though the value of the hardcore may attract groundworks contractors willing to handle the removal process.