A group of travellers has applied for retrospective planning permission to establish 12 mobile homes on a wildlife spot in Willows Green, Essex, more than three months after allegedly bulldozing the area. The application follows an incident on May 1, a Bank Holiday, when residents claim the travellers began concreting over the field using diggers and lights.
Residents watched as approximately 30 vehicles and workers were present, preparing the ground for hardcore and asphalt. Despite an earlier warning in the Daily Mail about potential traveller land grabs, local authorities did not respond for over four days. A High Court injunction was eventually issued by Uttlesford District Council to halt further work.
The new application seeks permission for mobile homes, touring caravans, day rooms, access roads, utility infrastructure, and landscaping. Local residents, some of whom report feeling threatened, have accused the travellers of exploiting bank holidays to avoid immediate intervention from council members. One resident, who wished to remain anonymous, questioned the process, stating, "Why should we have to deal with all this upset and then find out they do know they need planning because they put a retrospective application through?"
James Cleverly, the Conservative MP for nearby Braintree, commented on the application, asserting, "The cynical, 'build now, apply later' attitude should never work." He added that the Uttlesford District Council indicated the application would not affect the enforcement of the existing injunction.
The Conservative party has stated its commitment to preventing retrospective planning permission for unauthorized traveller sites. The situation in Willows Green is presented as an example of a broader trend where land is allegedly taken without permission, followed by retrospective applications to legitimize the developments. Lawyers representing travellers often cite a high refusal rate for initial planning applications, contrasting it with a higher approval rate for retrospective submissions.
Tracy Williams, another local resident, described the situation as distressing, noting the area's natural beauty and its use for dog walking and horse riding. She expressed a feeling of being let down by local authorities and highlighted concerns about loopholes in the law that allow such actions, while emphasizing that the travelling community deserves respect and appropriate spaces, but through established legal channels.
Land Registry records indicate that the 1.5-acre plot was purchased for £150,000 on June 17, 2025, by Edward Myles Anthony Connors. The registered address was a pitch at the Kents Field traveller site in Banstead, Surrey, which reportedly developed without planning permission from 1995 before eventually receiving permission for three mobile homes and touring caravans after legal appeals.
Uttlesford District Council and Essex Police have been approached for comment.