Enforcement notices have been served on 16 people at an illegal Travellers’ site almost two years after the development sprung up near St Cyrus.
The move follows retrospective planning permission for the vast site being refused by Aberdeenshire Council at the end of April.
The council waited for three months to see if an appeal was lodged with the Scottish Government before taking action. After conducting an investigation into land ownership at the site, the enforcement notices were served on Thursday.
There is now a 28-day period in which the notices can be appealed and then a further six months for the site to be completely cleared.
The site at Nether Warburton, known as North Esk Park, is thought to be home to around 120 people. A site of special scientific interest, it borders the St Cyrus Nature Reserve.
A nearby resident said: “I am delighted that the council has finally taken some action and are actually being proactive rather than reactive.
“It’s a positive development, although I’m not holding my breath that the site will be cleared in six months’ time.”
Work on the site started suddenly in September 2013 after several caravans and equipment arrived.
Fences and walls were erected without planning permission, as more and more caravans turned up at the site.
A spokesman for Aberdeenshire Council said: “Officers have now served enforcement notices on the unauthorised Travellers’ site in St Cyrus, following the conclusion of the period of time allowed for an appeal on the refusal of planning permission in late April.
“It was necessary to investigate land ownership at the site to allow enforcement notices to be served on the correct people and this led to a slight delay, but 16 notices have now been served on occupants of the site.
“There is a 28-day period for appeal for the notices and if none is received, they will come into effect on October 3.
“At this stage caravans, buildings and related infrastructure have to be removed, and the site reinstated within six months.
“Eleven months has been given to remove the bunding around the site and reinstate that area, to accommodate specific periods during which Scottish Natural Heritage requires for the re-seeding of the site of special scientific interest to take place.”
Planning permission was refused because of safety concerns since the Scottish Environment Protection Agency labelled the site a flood risk. Sepa warned that only two of the caravan stances would be above water if the site flooded, as it had in 2003.