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A caravan plot located on a four-acre field near Felsted in Essex, which was reportedly concreted over without permission by travellers, has been put up for sale on Facebook. The land, situated close to Braintree and London Stansted Airport, has attracted local controversy, particularly among residents of the nearby rural community of Willows Green, where tensions have been ongoing since early May. One of the twelve plots within this site was publicly advertised online, though the asking price was not disclosed.
The individual selling the plot, who is based in Milton Keynes, has not responded to requests for comment. Earlier Facebook posts from March, accessed by the BBC, indicated that the seller had sought assistance from truck drivers to transport significant materials from Dagenham in east London, stating, “About 20 trucks – we’ve got 120/150 loads we need collected from Dagenham (east London). If you can supply the amount of trucks and able to do the job, give me a private message.” Conservative Braintree MP Sir James Cleverly criticized those behind the development, accusing them of “gaming the system” by carrying out work on a bank holiday weekend when the local council offices were closed.
This site has raised environmental concerns among locals, who say the area previously supported wildlife including rare albino deer, great crested newts, and badgers. In February, Uttlesford District Council denied planning permission for a three-bedroom log cabin on this land, with a planning officer concluding that the proposed construction “would significantly harm the intrinsic character and beauty of the countryside.” The council’s planning records show no current applications related to the site. Publicly available documents also reveal that UK Real Estate and Land 2 Limited purchased the agricultural field for £125,000 on 30 April 2025; however, the company was dissolved two days before this transaction, and attempts by the BBC to reach them have been unsuccessful.
Traveller rights campaigner Sherrie Smith, founder of Gypsy and Travellers Essex, said the travellers involved had paused construction and intended to comply with the council’s enforcement order. She described their approach as “trying to be as accommodating and friendly as they could.” Smith also highlighted that planning regulations often discriminate against the traveller community, making retrospective planning applications a common, if imperfect, solution. When questioned about the possibility of restoring the land if permission was refused, Smith affirmed that they would. According to Uttlesford council documents from December 2021, there remained a need for 35 traveller pitches across the district
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