TRAVELLERS currently pitched up on Springfield Green have been asked to move by Chelmsford Council.
 

The group of five caravans are believed to have gone onto the land during the early hours of Wednesday morning without permission from the authority.
 

A deadline of Monday has been set by the council, who say they are trying a “gentle” approach for the time being, for the people to leave the area.


If they have not left the site by then, legal procedures will be started.
 

A council spokesman said: “We have been notified about the caravans which have appeared on Springfield Green.
 

“Since being told, we have been in contact with Essex Police who in turn visited the site and told the group they are not authorised to be there and have been asked to leave politely.
 

“If they stay on the site until Monday, then the council will look into legal procedures such as an injunction to move them on.
 

“We don’t want to be heavy handed and are trying to avoid going through as much red tape as possible, but at the same time we have made it clear they should not be there.”
 

Residents living near the green have said having the travellers there is a “worry”.
 

One man who lives near the site but wished to remain anonymous said: “I haven’t heard of any problems so far, but it is a concern that they are there.
 

“The fact is they are on the green when they shouldn’t be and they need to be moved on.
 

“If they had gone within a couple of days it would not have been so bad, but they are still there and you don’t know how long they’ll stay or when they’ll actually go.”