Somerset Traveller site must be vacated by Christmas after High Court ruling
A Traveller site in North Curry must be vacated by December 18 after Somerset Council secured a final injunction from the High Court
A Traveller site in Somerset must be vacated by Christmas after Somerset Council secured a final injunction from the High Court.
The Greenacres site, on Oxen Lane in North Curry near Taunton, has been involved in a long-running planning dispute for around two decades, including a previous High Court injunction issued in 2009.
Somerset Council said unauthorised work began at the site in October 2024.
The authority later secured a temporary injunction in July 2025 to prevent further caravans or structures being brought onto the land.
The council also refused planning permission for 16 pitches for touring caravans and static homes at the site. That decision was upheld by a planning inspector in early June following a public inquiry.
Following a further High Court hearing in mid-July, the council has now been granted a final injunction.
The court ruled that, after considering all the circumstances, including the impact on people living at the site, the council’s enforcement action was justified and proportionate.
Under the injunction, all unauthorised residential use of the land must stop. Associated development, including caravans, day rooms and other infrastructure, must also be removed.
Residents have been given three months to leave the site, meaning they must vacate it by December 18. The court has allowed four months for the remaining development and waste to be removed, and for the land to be reinstated.
Councillor Mike Rigby, Somerset Council’s portfolio holder for economic development, planning and assets, said the case had been "long-running and complex."
He said: “We recognise that residents have been frustrated by the length of time it has taken to reach this point.
“However, throughout this process, we have been required to follow both planning law and the legal processes set by the courts. We could not bypass those procedures, regardless of the strength of local feeling.
“Since the site was reoccupied, we have pursued planning enforcement action, secured an interim injunction, defended the refusal of planning permission through the appeals process and sought a final ruling from the High Court.
“The planning inspector dismissed the appeal against our decision, and the High Court has now granted a final injunction in our favour.
“We welcome the court’s judgment, which recognises the importance of upholding planning controls while carefully considering the circumstances of those living on the site.
“This issue has taken up a considerable amount of council capacity within planning enforcement, and we are grateful for the community’s patience and the hard work of the officers involved with this complex case.
“We will now work with all relevant agencies to implement the court’s order and bring this long-running matter to a lawful conclusion.”