Squatters occupying a nursery school facing demolition are set to be evicted.

Valley Pre-School, in Rossiter Fields on the Dollis Valley Estate, was forced to close at the end of March, when its lease ran out.

The nursery was due to remain open until the end of the summer term, but was forced to close early to make way for estate regeneration plans - despite a new nursery not being due to open until September.

Activists from the Barnet Bohemians have been occupying the building the past few weeks, in protest at the closure and regeneration.

However, they now face eviction after Barnet Borough Council was granted a possession order today from Barnet County Court.

The court heard from regeneration property officer Peter Bays that the reason the nursery was forced to close early was the need to get new houses built, in order to move families in from overcrowded accommodation elsewhere.

Mr Bays also said the nursery trustees and owner had “disassociated themselves entirely” from the occupation.

No defendants attended the hearing, and the order was granted by Deputy District Judge McCormack.

In a statement, a spokesman for Barnet Council said: “We hope the squatters accept the court’s verdict and behave appropriately. The squatters are from outside the estate and have no connection with local residents. Indeed the trustees of the nursery have made it clear they do not support the squatters actions in any way.

“As soon as the squatters depart the development partners Countryside and L&Q will be able to continue with the next phase of building work, which will include providing much needed four bedroom social rented homes for existing residents on the Dollis Valley estate.”

Last month, Daniel Gardner, a member of the activists group, told the Times Series: “We just want to see some kind of dialogue with developers, the council and members of the community.

“The discussion has been poor and the consultation process inadequate.

“If this place goes there will be no education resources left on this estate, this place is loved by nearly everybody around here and is special to people.”