Overview

• Travellers bought a six-acre green belt field near Burtonwood on May 23 and used heavy machinery to lay hardcore, gravel and erect a 10-ft fence within 72 hours.
• By May 26 more than a dozen caravans, vans and other vehicles had moved onto the site, prompting local residents to decry a “concrete jungle” on social media.
• Warrington Borough Council confirmed it has received a retrospective planning application and opened a priority enforcement case to address the unauthorised development.
• Cheshire Police and Scottish Power have been alerted to potential planning breaches and possible attempts to tap into the mains electricity supply.
• Councillor Stuart Mann has met with the council’s chief executive and the local MP, warning that the enforcement process may take several weeks to conclude.