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Travellers' land excavation halted by court order

BBC Hillside at Nantyglo Rugby ClubBBC
People living nearby said they feared a landslip as tonnes of earth was removed from the hillside

A council has gone to the High Court in a bid to halt the removal of tonnes of earth from a hillside.

People living below Nantyglo Rugby Club in Blaenau Gwent said a traveller group began excavating the site last month.

Blaenau Gwent council served a stop notice to the landowners, which was in place for 28 days.

This week, the local authority secured an interim High Court injunction to stop further excavation amid fears from people living nearby that there could be a landslip.

It means the landowners cannot carry out any works on the site without planning permission or bring any caravans or mobile homes on to the site.

Nobody except the landowners are permitted to stay overnight on the site, the order instructs.

The council previously said it believed there had been a “breach of planning control”.

It added independent experts assessed the stability of the land, concluding there was no immediate risk to nearby properties or the road above.

The temporary order will be in place until the case returns to the High Court on 21 June.

The owner of the site previously said the land would be used for grazing horses, but did not deny the possibility of future housing on the land when questioned.