A group of travellers appear to have set up home on a ‘£3m’ greenfield site they apparently purchased for just £3,000.
Angry locals complained to the council after aerial photos showed 20 caravans parked on the plot on the outskirts of the village of Little Hadham, in Hertfordshire.
More than 200 residents in the area, which has 53 homes worth more than £1m each, fear the travellers could be building a permanent home.
They have also complained about mounting rubbish and constant noise.
East Hertfordshire council issued an injunction banning development of the site, which has an estimated worth of up to £3m if homes are built on it, after it found out ‘unauthorised’ work was taking place on April 19.
Its website stated: ‘Our officers went down to the site on the same day and issued a stop notice to prevent any further work from taking place.
‘On Saturday (20/4) we instructed a barrister to obtain a high court mandatory injunction because the unauthorised work had not stopped.
‘The injunction was granted and served on site the same day.
‘Unfortunately, the defendants have not complied with the terms of the injunction.
‘The council is doing everything it can, through the correct legal procedures, to try and stop unauthorised works taking place.
‘We will continue work to get the situation resolved.’
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Drone video footage taken this week over the site showed gravel roads had been laid and fences erected.
Despite the injunction building materials also continued to arrive.
East Hertfordshire council said the police could not deal with the matter but said its officers had worked over the Bank Holiday weekend to try and resolve it.
A council spokesperson added: ‘The police have been working with the council to ensure the safety of everyone affected.’
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