COUNCILLORS in Pilning this week won assurances of imminent action over an unofficial traveller site on Green Belt land in the village.

The Gazette reported last week how exasperated parish leaders had sent "a see you in court" ultimatum to planning chiefs after months of delay in dealing with the illicit site in Bank Road.

They warned they were prepared to take take legal action against South Gloucestershire Council if it failed to come up with a plan of action in time for Monday evening's parish council meeting.

"A reply was hand-delivered to the parish clerk at around 5pm - two and half hours inside the deadline," said parish council chairman Ivor Humphries.

"It said that action on the site was imminent and that they intended to serve enforcement notices some time this week.

"It's now a matter of waiting to see if they do what they say. We are hoping that at last we shall see some action - although it's pity we've had to take these measures to force them to take notice of us."

It is now two years since government development watchdogs scuppered plans by a travelling family to set up permanent camp on the land.

Two years ago a planning inspector dismissed an appeal by the site owners against the council's refusal to allow the siting of caravans along with two amenity blocks, cesspits, boundary fencing and gravel surfacing.

The land should have been cleared of caravan hard standings and the grass reinstated - but it has remained in the same condition ever since and has regularly been used by travelling families.

"We don't know whether it's just a coincidence but two of the caravans that were on the site last week have now been removed," said Mr Humphries.

"But the hard standing and rubble are still there and we shan't let this drop until the siter has been returned to a greefield site.

"We are not easing up on this. If nothing gets done this week then we shall follow through and take the council to court as we threatened to do in the first place.

"Villagers have been congratulating us for getting tough and saying it was high time something was done."