Meriden Gypsy campaigners told to leave protest camp

Eight caravan pitches were put up in Eaves Lane in 2010

Campaigners opposed to an illegal Gypsy site in the West Midlands have lost a bid to keep their demonstration camp for another year.

Residents Against Inappropriate Development (Raid) were ordered to move their temporary shelter in Meriden by Sunday.

Solihull Borough Council has refused a request for Raid to stay on the site and will be asking them to move.

The Gypsies have agreed with the council to leave by 31 March 2013.

Raid have said they will not to leave the site before the Gypsies do.

Rejected appeal

Members of the group have been taking it in turns to hold a 24-hour vigil at the camp since 30 April 2010 when the Gypsies put up eight permanent caravan pitches on a green-belt site in the village on Eaves Lane.

In July 2010, the council refused to give the Gypsies retrospective planning permission, a decision upheld by Secretary of State Eric Pickles last October.

In March 2012 a High Court judge rejected their appeal against a decision, which ruled their development could not remain on the Meriden site.

The Gypsies had claimed the council did not provide viable alternative accommodation.

The council's planning committee considered the application from Raid at a private planning meeting on Wednesday.