THE owners of land near Swindon face legal action if they don’t remove fences and hardstanding they put down without planning permission.

People living nearby say they not made any attempt to remove them despite being ordered to do so in July.

Michael Powell and Caroline Davies were told by Wiltshire Council they must remove the fencing that have put up in the field on Braydon Road near Purton.

The pair appealed against that ruling but a government-appointed inspector found for the council. But so far, none of that has been removed.

A nearby resident, who did not wish to be named, told the Adver: “They’ve put up more fencing, and have put in more rubble and concrete to make hard-standing.

“They’ve also brought caravans on to the site. It looks like they’re creating a place for people to live.

"They don’t have permission to do this, but they are just carrying on anyway, even though they have been ordered to undo it all.”

Wiltshire Council’s cabinet member for planning Toby Sturgis said: “We issued enforcement notices on the unauthorised formation of enclosures, and in July 2020 an appeal was dismissed against these notices.

“The period for compliance with the notices is three months, and this period has now expired."

He said the council has now issued a further order and would then consider further action if it was not obeyed.

Mr Sturgis added: “The enforcement notices have not been complied with and as a result the council issued temporary stop notices requiring the immediate cessation of certain developments taking place on the wider land, including excavations, the import and laying of hardcore, the formation of hard standings, the formation of enclosures, and the stationing of additional caravans.

“It is an offence to either not comply with an enforcement notice or to contravene a temporary stop notice and we are continuing to monitor the land and will take further action as appropriate.”

The Adver has been unable to contact Mr Powell or Ms Davies.