Travellers have begun constructing a caravan site on a protected field in Essex, just hours after concerns about illegal development were reported. Residents are dismayed by the council's lack of preventative action, and the destruction of habitats for protected species.
A wildlife haven near Felsted in Essex has been rapidly transformed into a potential caravan site , mere hours after concerns about illegal development were highlighted.
The swift action began Friday evening, coinciding with the closure of Uttlesford District Council for the Bank Holiday weekend. Residents had previously alerted the council to the potential threat to the four-acre field, known to be a habitat for protected great crested newts and a home to rare albino fallow deer. Despite these warnings, the council stated it lacked the authority to intervene proactively.
Reports surfaced on Saturday detailing a nationwide risk of illegal traveller site developments following a surge of unauthorised caravan sites appearing over the Easter weekend. Specifically, the field located in the historic hamlet of Willows Green, just outside Felsted, was identified as vulnerable, based on intelligence suggesting travellers planned to import substantial amounts of hardcore material to establish a site during the bank holiday.
These fears materialized as approximately 30 vehicles – including cars, vans, and heavy machinery like diggers – arrived under the cover of darkness. Workers, utilizing floodlights and generators, immediately began clearing vegetation to prepare a base of hardcore and tarmac. Residents witnessing the activity expressed dismay, noting the continuous noise and illumination throughout the night.
One resident in his 60s lamented the council’s inaction, stating they ‘just sat back and waited for it to happen,’ predicting a fully developed caravan park would be visible from their homes by Tuesday when the council reopens. The destruction of protected habitats for great crested newts was also observed as bulldozers cleared the land. The situation has sparked criticism regarding the council’s lack of preventative measures.
Suggestions included implementing an Article Four Directive, which would prohibit permitted development like fence construction, or obtaining an emergency injunction to criminalize any development activity. The example of Basildon Council in 2006, which secured a High Court injunction on land near Billericay before any development commenced, was cited as a successful precedent.
However, when questioned by MailOnline on Thursday, Uttlesford Council only advised residents to use the standard online reporting system, stating they could not take action until development began. Residents expressed feeling uninformed and unprepared, noting a lack of warnings or requests for vigilance from either the district or parish council. One resident described the sudden arrival of the vehicles, the destruction of an ancient hedgerow to create a new access road, and the subsequent arrival of lorries carrying rubble.
The situation has left residents feeling frightened and seeking immediate action from the council. An insider familiar with traveller planning applications suggested the recent wave of development is partly driven by travellers renting out portions of their sites to migrants and homeless individuals, exacerbating the housing crisis and creating a cycle of new site development. Uttlesford Council maintains that, as of Thursday, no planning regulations had been breached
Travellers Caravan Site Illegal Development Uttlesford District Council Essex Wildlife Great Crested Newts Albino Fallow Deer Planning Permission Article Four Directive Injunction
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