A COMMUNITY of travellers who set up camp between Ashill and Ilton have been handed an enforcement notice to leave the site.

South Somerset District Council refused a planning application for the gipsy and traveller site on Cad Road in August, despite planning officers originally recommending approval of the six caravan pitches.

The council received more than 100 letters of objection to the site and neighbouring parish councils also opposed the application.

But despite the refusal of permission, concerns were raised when an encampment appeared on the site near Butts Lane.

Council officers served an enforcement notice on January 19 which requires the cessation of residential use of the land, the removal of all unauthorised mobile homes and all other ancillary structures, removal of the internal access road and the restoration of the whole area of land to its former state as agricultural land.

The notice takes effect on February 26, unless an appeal is made against it beforehand.

If an appeal against the notice is made, the local authority would have a joint planning and enforcement hearing which would be held later this year.