A temporary injunction has been served to prevent the development of Green Belt land near Redbourn.

Residents living near to Luton Lane alerted parish, district and county councils last week following widescale tree clearing on a 1.4ha site at the junction of the A5183 near Redbourn Golf Club.

Although a licence for thinning approximately 500 trees was issued by the Forestry Commission, the work carried out was on a massive scale, with more than 1,000 trees chopped down.

Neighbours feared the land had been cleared in anticipation of it being used for an unauthorised travellers camp, and immediately called for legal action to be taken by the district council - who would be responsible for any incursions - to prevent anyone from moving onto the site.

Finally, after a tense week of legal wrangling, a temporary injunction was served by the district council this evening to stop any work or development taking place on the site for as long as it is in place. A court date has been set to establish a longer period next Friday.