THE arrival of travellers in a quiet village has infuriated its parish council.

A family of nine has moved on to land near White Barns Farm, in Clacton Road, Elmstead Market, with their four caravans and a number of other vehicles.

Residents and parish councillors have reacted angrily to the arrival, with clerk Cathy Burling calling it “devastating”.

“The travellers have submitted a planning application to Tendring Council but it is not yet valid – so they have really jumped the gun by moving in,” she said.

“Despite our strong protests, we have been told that the planning process needs to take its course and that the travellers will stay there until it has been decided.”

She added: “There have already been three attempts to gain planning permission on the land, all of which have been denied due to traffic and access issues.”

The parish council – who recently fought an application for 12 travellers’ pitches at Crockleford Heath – has been backed by district councillor Peter Scott.

Tendring Council has confirmed that an application for a private site with four caravans – two static and two touring – has been submitted.

Communications manager Nigel Brown added: “It involves a change of use from agricultural to residential.

“The application is waiting to be validated and registered before it can go through the normal decision-making process.”

He said it was not possible for the council to move the family on, as parish councillors have requested.

“A temporary stop notice cannot be served as the caravan is already stationed on the site, and because it is the family’s main residence,” he said.

“The only alternative would be an enforcement notice, which could take several months – including time for the family to comply with any order.”

He added: “Even if a notice was served it would not take effect for 28 days.

“Should an appeal be put in before the 28 days were up, the notice would be suspended until the appeal is heard and decided.

“Therefore there is no instant planning remedy to the request for an immediate eviction of the family from the site.”