Thurrock Council has come down hard on local landowners who they suspect of preparing land for an influx of travelling show people.

The authority was anonymously tipped off earlier this year about large-scale earth and hard-core moving operations on land to the north of Buckles Lane in South Ockendon.

The council also said it spotted advertisements in a newspaper read by show people inviting them to 'meetings' on the land which is set in the Green Belt amid a protected Landscape Improvement Area and the Thames Chase Community Forest Area.

The council says the earth moving and other operations carried out on the land already amount to unauthorised development which has sparked concerns that the land is being prepared for large numbers of show people to arrive.

After the tip off, the council rushed swiftly to the High Court where, on October 29, top judge, Mr Justice Keith, issued a temporary injunction against the land's owners -- David, Glenn and Dean Remblance.

The order bans them from any unauthorised development of the land and from allowing travelling show people onto any part of it without planning consent which, the council says, there is 'no real likelihood' will be granted.

Earlier this week, at a brief hearing at London's High Court, David Remblance agreed that the order should be extended until the full hearing of the council's bid for a permanent injunction. That hearing is now due to take place on December 8, or as soon as possible thereafter.

Mr Justice Royce congratulated the council and the Remblances for reaching a 'sensible agreement' that did away with the need for a contested hearing.