A group of travellers moved on to privately owned land near Greensward Lane in Rochford, Essex, on Friday and began digging up the turf without planning permission.
Rochford District Council said officers visited the site after becoming aware of what it described as an unauthorised development at Lower Road and Greensward Lane.
The authority issued a Temporary Stop Notice on Saturday, requiring all work covered by the notice to stop immediately.
Councillor Adi Malviya, leader of Rochford District Council, said the matter was being treated as a breach of planning legislation rather than an unauthorised incursion on council-owned land.
He said the council was examining what further legal action could be taken and would continue monitoring the site over the weekend.
The council said it could not release full details of the enforcement activity while the legal process was under way. It also thanked council officers and Essex Police for their assistance.
The Temporary Stop Notice does not determine the eventual outcome of the case, with the council still considering what further steps may be available.
