TRENCHES dug around the perimeter of open space will be filled in next week after a council intervention.

Residents spotted machinery churning up the land in Tollgate Road, Stanway on Wednesday morning.

The area, which is part of the Lakelands development, has been earmarked for 28 affordable homes and a planning application was approved by Colchester Council last month.

However, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government put a holding notice on the plan, until he decides whether he should have the final say.

Initially, onlookers thought work had begun on the development prematurely, but it emerged landowners O&H Properties had done the work to try and stop potential trespassers accessing the area.

After the council’s enforcement team visited the site yesterday, the landowners have agreed to fill the holes back in.

A Colchester Council spokesman said: “One of our enforcement team visited the site on Thursday morning.

“He concluded planning permission is required for the work.

“They now have two options – to change it back to its original state or to apply for retrospective planning permission to retain the earthworks.

“We have been informed they are going to fill in the trenches and remove the banks of earth.

“We have been told work will take place sometime next week.”

Kevin Bentley (Con), county and borough councillor for the area, said he was concerned about safety and and the lack of communication ahead of the trenches being dug.

He said: “It has taken us all by surprise and residents have contacted me with their concerns.

“It seems there is no protection in what is a very well-used area and I plan to contact the Health and Safety Executive to see if anything should be done to protect the site.

“Late at night somebody might not even see it.

“My second concern is the way it has been done – nobody has been consulted.

“There have been several controversial issues in Stanway and you need to talk to people when something like this is going to happen.

“As the county and borough councillor for the area I would have expected someone to come and talk to me.

“I am really disappointed nobody thought to talk to the elected members.”

Residents have campaigned against the housing plans for the site, saying Colchester Council had switched the designation of the land from green space to housing without consultation.

The council has always maintained it acted properly.

Lakelands resident Katy Adams said she was pleased the trenches would be filled in.

She said: “Before the digging started, we saw a couple of men who looked like they were surveying the area and then the digging started on Wednesday.

“It is an area for recreation and it was devastating when we saw it get churned up - it is a place for dog walks and children to play and it has been like that for so long.

“Everyone was so disappointed to see it because it has been such a long fight and so much back and forth.

“A lot of people have given up hour and hours of their time to look at the application.

“To hear it is going to be filled in is really good news - it is a step in the right direction.”