Residents in Irby, Merseyside, are concerned after fencing and excavation began on a green-belt plot shortly before the Bank Holiday weekend, with no planning application shown on the council portal. Local campaigners suspect the land may be being prepared for an unauthorised traveller encampment, though the article does not establish who owns the land or is carrying out the works. The case matters because residents fear development could progress while council offices are closed, potentially complicating enforcement.

The 0.9-acre site is near homes and has reportedly seen a ten-foot fence, three caravans, two diggers, two cars and a van arrive. The land had recently been advertised for £90,000–£100,000, with the listing noting its green-belt status and the need for planning permission. Wirral Council says it is monitoring the situation and plans to engage with the landowners alongside partner agencies; councillors say planning enforcement and other teams intend to visit.