Up to 100 caravans and static homes could eventually converge on Hovefields if retrospective planning permission is granted, it is feared.

Concerns of a “new Dale Farm” continue to grow, especially after a landowner submitted an appeal to challenge Basildon Council’s refusal to accept a planning application at a site on Hovefields.

Chris Jackman, Conservative councillor representing Wickford Park, is frustrated by the ongoing battle and has tallied up how the site could be bigger than Dale Farm, which had about 80 plots.

He said: “If there’s uncontrolled planning at the entire Hovefields site, there could be about 100 static caravans. About four people can live in one caravan, so it could be a whole community.

“I feel really bad for the residents who have to live near them. I’ve worked very hard to stop developers disobeying planning laws. It’s a burden on council and taxpayers.”

The latest appeal is in relation to the site known as “land adjacent to Jessomine”, which was formerly a commercial dog kennelling business.

In July, the landowner sought permission to build nine residential caravan pitches with associated parking and hardstanding.

However, the council had already served the applicant an enforcement notice in March. The council exercised its rights under section 70C planning power not to determine the application because of unauthorised development that had already happened.

Mr Jackman added: “The land adjacent to Jessomine can fit nine caravan pitches. Last Thursday when I was at the land west of Hovefields I did a rough count and there were about 14 static caravans and two touring caravans already.”

This came after another landowner of the land west of Hovefields submitted an application to the Court of Appeal. The appeal challenged High Court’s decision not to review the council’s refusal to determine a retrospective application to build six caravan pitches.

David Harrison, Independent councillor for Wickford, added: “The traveller community will use the law as far as they possibly can. I am pretty certain that Basildon Council will win its case. We too are using the law to refuse to determine their retrospective application. The courts should come to the side of Basildon Council.”