Locals in Rochford, Essex, are expressing anger after a group of travellers reportedly defied council orders and continued unauthorized work on a privately-owned greenbelt site over the Bank Holiday weekend. The group arrived on Friday and began excavating turf without the necessary planning permission, just hours before the local council closed for the long weekend, allowing work to proceed with minimal immediate intervention.
Rochford District Council issued a temporary Stop Notice on Saturday, ordering all work to cease. However, residents reported that operations were still underway less than two days later. Video footage shared on social media depicted approximately a dozen caravans and trucks at the site, alongside diggers and disturbed earth.
This incident is being described as an example of a broader trend where travellers initiate land development without planning approval and then seek retrospective permission. Residents near Greensward Lane voiced concerns about the persistent work, with one stating, "It's been a horrendous weekend. We heard them working on it all night. Our concern is about them doing this illegally. You shouldn't carry on if there is a stop order."
Another resident, who wished to remain anonymous, criticized the lack of planning permission, noting, "If they had planning permission it wouldn't be a problem, but they have zero planning permission. Everyone else has to abide by the planning rules." They added that the work continued through Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, causing distress to the local community.
The site's landlord is believed to have granted permission for the travellers to carry out the works, but planning approval from the council would still have been required to commence. Council officers confirmed they visited the site, issued the Stop Notice, and collected evidence with police present. The notice mandates an immediate halt to all site activity.
Adi Malviya, Leader of Rochford District Council, acknowledged the unauthorized development, categorizing it as a planning enforcement issue. He noted that the procedures for private land differ from those for unauthorized incursions on council property. Essex Police are monitoring the site daily but have classified the matter as civil.
Further action under planning law is being considered, and council officers will continue to monitor the situation. The events in Rochford coincide with a separate incident in Willows Green, approximately 20 miles away, where travellers who allegedly bulldozed a wildlife habitat during a previous Bank Holiday are now seeking retrospective planning permission for 12 mobile homes. Residents there expressed frustration over the retrospective application process, questioning why such applications are considered after work has already been done.
