I called the police this morning (Saturday) having been alerted by people at Thriplow Heath about what was happening to a field there. South Cambs secured a High Court Injunction on the field in February. (Click on words to go to Royston Crow article). The injunction, which was not easily secured, and had to satisfy a high level of proof, was because SCDC believed that travellers were then about to occupy the site unlawfully. It has been quiet from then till now.
I drove over to take a look myself: a JCB was ripping out the hedges and clearing topsoil to make a three metre wide flattened strip around the field perimeter. The police view, initially, was that as the people on site were there with the permission of the landowner there was not a problem. I pointed out the High Court injunction factor and got them to issue an incident number as we were being bounced around a bit between the police control centres. I called south cambs planning enforcement officers and they sent a copy of the High Court injunction to the police, who then visited the site. The enforcement officer also went over went over to the site. I'm told that according to the contractor, the work going on there is to put in a fence around the field to prevent fly tipping. I'm also told that the contractor said he would now cease work and leave the site. I went over at six this evening and the JCB was still on site, and the cleared strip now running down the side of the field from the road, where the hedge used to be, is clearly visible.
South Cambs enforcement will be deciding whether to go back to the High Court on the basis that the injunction has been breached, which is a contempt of court. I've asked the people at Thriplow Heath to call if there is any further activity tomorrow. It is frustrating, but there isn't much more we can do without a court decision. I'll report developments at the Tuesday evening Thriplow Parish Council meeting.
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