Travellers have pitched up on a site, built fences, and tarmacked the area, leaving residents fearing that more caravans could turn up.

Travellers arrived in the site, in Church Road, Bowers Gifford, near Pitsea Cemetery, on Saturday morning.

Three caravans are believed to be on the land, but residents began to grow very concerned when fences were built and a hardstanding surface was laid.

The site is owned by the travellers, but any work building on the land should not have gone ahead until planning permission was granted by Basildon Council.

Basildon Council confirmed that when the travellers turned up, a planning application was also submitted to provide accommodation for a “gypsy traveller family”.

Concerned resident Karen Dopson, of Pound Lane, said: “They appear to be setting themselves up for a long stay, which is worrying.

“Everyone around here is very concerned, and rightly so I think.

“Quite simply, we do not want them there, and I don’t think they should be there.

“They are adjacent to a huge field that use to have football pitches, what will stop them taking that over?

“I am sure they will move very quickly once they get settled, so we could be seeing another Dale Farm.

“We have enough problems in Basildon already with travellers, so why are they being allowed to stay?

“It is more than just a little bit concerning, and I don’t understand why the council, or the police, can’t do more about the issue.”

Basildon Council confirmed that officers attended reports of an unauthorised development taking place on the site over the weekend.

A Basildon Council spokesperson said: “Basildon Council officers responded over the last weekend to reports of unauthorised development taking place on a parcel of land in Church Road, Bowers Gifford.

“Coinciding with this activity, a planning application was submitted to the council seeking permission to change the use of land to provide accommodation for a Gypsy traveller family.”

To view planning applications, visit www.basildon.gov.uk