A controversial traveller site has been legalised after 19 years of wrangles.

Braintree Council approved a retrospective application for the 21 pitches at Twin Oaks in Coggeshall Road, Stisted, despite 63 letters of objection.

Several planning applications have been refused and thrown out on appeal, and one went as far as the European Court of Human Rights.

But the council has since changed its policy as it has to find at least 67 pitches by 2021.

Stisted Parish Council said: "The site is too large and our community fear it will become another Dale Farm as the travellers have access to more land to the rear, enabling additional unlawful sites to be established."

Adele Stevens, who made the retrospective application with Michael McCarthey, has lived at Twin Oaks for 22 years and occupies the original six pitches with her family.

“If they had given planning permission to us then I believe there would have still been only six,” she said.

* Full story in today's Braintree Times.