Travellers who have breached planning regulations at a site in Aldenham may have to move after an enforcement notice was upheld by the Secretary of State.

In April 2013, Hertsmere Borough Council served an enforcement notice at One Acre, Hilfield Lane, after a number of changes were made to the site without consultation.

The travellers have extended the land by pulling down fences and hedges and putting up a new boundary fence without planning permission.

They have also carried out work at the site, including installing utility connections and sewerage adaptions, again without permission from the council.

This meant that the site, which is on green belt land, saw a change of use from agricultural and equestrian usage to a caravan site.

The travellers lodged an appeal against the first enforcement notice in May 2013, which was initially allowed by the planning inspector.

The appeal has now been dismissed by the Secretary of State and the enforcement notice upheld.

John Chapman, owner of the One Acre site said: "I did apply for planning permission, first about ten years ago but they turned me down and I knew they'd do the same again.

"I do want to get permission for a site, so travellers can have somewhere to come and park their caravans and not be a obstructing the highways or other places.

"I'm a gipsy born and bred here, and this is about preserving our way of life and our culture."

The travellers will either have to lodge another appeal in six weeks or comply with the enforcement notice to move out from the site and restore it to its orginal condition within the next three months.

Councillor Jane West said: "The issue here was the fact that they were not complying with the planning rules and that is something that the council will not tolerate."

Councillor Harvey Cohen, who is responsible for planning and localism, said: "We play our part in developing plans for accommodation needs - for the settled and for the travelling communities - but equally need to protect our green belt in the borough and ensure that planning controls are maintained.

"This is why we have taken this robust action and I'm pleased that the secretary of state has come to this conclusion."