Action to close illegal traveller site (Leicester Mercury 15/4/09)

A council is expected to serve an order in the next couple of days to close down an illegal traveller site.

Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council has already served a stop notice on the site, between Bagworth and Barlestone.

Tonnes of hardcore have been laid since Thursday at the site, where there are now about 15 caravans.

It is believed the travellers, who own the 11-acre field, plan to use about one acre to accommodate 10 families and to use the rest for horse grazing.

The council has taken action as the development does not have planning permission.
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It has been carrying out surveillance along with the police and is now considering whether it has enough evidence to show that the stop notice has been breached.

If so, it will serve an enforcement notice requiring the land to be returned to the state it was in before last Thursday within a "reasonable" amount of time.

A council spokesman said: "Both the council and police view the development quite seriously and are doing what they can to ensure that the rules are enforced."

Alfie Kefford, of Leicestershire Gypsy and Traveller Liaison Group, said: "Despite all the talk over years about providing sites in Leicestershire, it has never happened, so people have got to provide their own."

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