The classic land grab saw construction vehicles move in just as council staff were finishing for the weekend
An illegal traveller camp erected on protected green belt land has been forced to pack up and leave, giving families four months to vacate and restore the site.
The 29-pitch compound at Noak Hill near Romford, London, must be wiped clean, following a decision this month dismissing appeals against Havering Council's enforcement action.
Planning inspector Grahame Kean described the project as a "disciplined rapid unauthorised development", that had been "long in the planning".
He said: "The scale of the unauthorised development is considerable and in stark contrast to the pre-existing condition of the site. The development causes substantial harm to the openness of the green belt."
The grassland had previously served as open countryside for grazing, with public footpaths crossing the area.
However, the land grab transformation began on November 28 last year, just as council staff were finishing for the weekend.
Within two and a half hours, the tranquil pasture had become a major construction zone, with eight mechanical diggers working under floodlight while crews undertook extensive groundwork.
By the following morning, eight-wheel lorries were causing gridlock on nearby roads, as they waited to offload hardcore and construction supplies.
The landscape was quickly divided into residential plots and covered with hard surfaces, as workers installed fencing, concrete posts, electrical connections and lighting, preparing links for gas, drainage and water supplies.
The entire coordinated effort aimed to establish the caravan site before Havering Council could obtain stop notices or court orders - a common occurrence in classic land grabs.
Mr Kean said: "The development was clearly intended to be ready for occupation by the end of the weekend in question and presented a fait accompli for the council."
The land was purchased in May 2025 by High Top Roofs and Gutters Limited, before being divided among several Irish Traveller families, with one family from Galway acquiring a portion containing 14 pitches.
Four days after construction began, Havering Council issued enforcement and stop notices to cease all work.
Council leader Ray Morgon expressed that the council was "disappointed and shocked" by the unauthorised development on protected green belt.
Despite the notices being served under the eye of Metropolitan Police officers, the construction continued.
When Mr Kean inspected the former paddock in May, he found it had been "unlawfully and deliberately" altered beyond recognition, with 29 pitches featuring static caravans, tourers and decorative metal entrance gates.
The inspector ruled that the development inflicted substantial damage on the green belt's openness, transforming what had been grazing land into a sprawling compound.
Council officials raised concerns that the site may have also provided habitat for protected wildlife including great crested newts, but the rapid excavation of the field prevented any ecological assessment.
Mr Kean said: "The evidence before me suggests that it is possible that the unauthorised development could have had a significant impact on protected species or their supporting habitat."
Trees, hedgerows and the wider landscape had also suffered harm from the removal of grassland and installation of hard surfaces.
The inspector concluded that the Noak Hill case demonstrated "precisely the behaviour Government policy was designed to deter".
