A pivotal three-day High Court hearing is set to take place regarding the future of the Greenacres travellers' site on Oxen Lane, North Curry, near Taunton, Somerset. This site has been at the center of legal disputes for more than two decades, including a notable injunction issued in 2009.
Following unauthorised work on the site in October 2024, Somerset Council obtained a temporary injunction in July 2025 to halt any further occupancies. Among those named in this injunction is Peter Richards, who in late May 2025 applied for retrospective planning permission for 16 pitches designed for touring caravans and static homes, along with infrastructure improvements such as a package treatment plant and enhanced access.
This application was rejected by the council in November 2025, a decision later upheld by the Planning Inspectorate after a public inquiry held earlier in June 2026. Now, Somerset Council is pursuing a permanent injunction that would require the removal of all remaining occupants and the restoration of the land to its original state.
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North Curry Parish Council confirmed that the High Court hearing is scheduled to start on July 21, 2026, lasting approximately three days. If granted, the permanent injunction could be enforced before the summer ends.
In an official statement, the parish council emphasized that no new planning applications for the site would be accepted, stating, “Following dismissal of the appeal, the council is working toward the injunction date… The decision will include a compliance date, and failure to comply will prompt appropriate action.”
According to Somerset Council’s gypsy and traveller accommodation assessment published in February, the county faces a significant shortfall, needing 261 additional pitches by 2045 to meet demand.
Currently, only three of the 16 pitches at Greenacres are occupied, partly due to the existing injunction restrictions and inadequate water supply to some parts of the site. The parish council noted the presence of a toilet facility on pitch one, which breaches the interim injunction but reiterated that the final injunction remains the fastest path to compliance.