Work at the site began without planning permission

Herefordshire County Council had rejected S&A Produce's plans for the all-purpose village at Brierley Court Farm, near Leominster, last Wednesday.

The council said on Friday it had secured an injunction to stop all work.

But S&A have accused the council of lying about the injunction and trying to go to court without informing them.

They tried to go behind our back and hijack us in the sense of getting into court without our legal representatives Graham Neal, S&A Produce

S&A Produce had wanted to build a site that would house 1,000 strawberry pickers in caravans and include a swimming pool, shop, cinema and doctors' surgery on site.

Work had already begun on the site in preparation for the first of the workers arriving within the next few days.

However, the company were dealt a major blow last Wednesday when the council's planning committee refused permission.

The council then announced in a statement on Friday that it had secured an injunction to prevent further work on the controversial site.

It claimed the council had given S&A the opportunity to voluntarily give an undertaking to comply with planning law and demolish and remove the utility buildings, demolish and remove the sewage treatment works and remove the caravans from the site.

Safe site

The council said Recorder Walters, sitting at Hereford County Court, had ruled the company must "down tools" and stop work on the site with immediate effect.

It could only carry out work which would make the site safe and complete works on the sewerage system.

Council leader Roger Phillips said: "The company has shown little or no regard for the need for planning permission or the views of the local community.

"It took a commercial gamble that it could steamroll its way over the local community and planning legislation.

"This has not worked."

But S&A said on Saturday they were "furious" with the council's statement, branding it an attempt to "save face".

In an interview with BBC News Online, S&A's Graham Neal accused the council of lying about Friday's court hearing.

"They tried to go behind our back and hijack us in the sense of getting into court without our legal representatives.

"Fortunately we had a tip-off from the press and made it just in time."

'Human rights'

He added: "The council went to court to try and get us to pull down the work that has already started.

"The judge would not make that decision. He said we could put students into the caravans and we will be allowed to connect the sewers and showers.

"The first few hundred workers are due to arrive within the next couple of days and all we are talking about it basic human rights - for them to be able to use a shower and toilet.

"The council did not get what they asked for in the injunction and they are trying to save face. It's very disappointing the way they have acted."

The case has been referred to the High Court next week for a judgement on whether the company will have to remove the caravans and tear down the work it has already started.