Council officials have stopped travellers illegally developing green belt land without permission.

Travellers were understood to be building caravan pitches on a plot of land known as Hillview, just off the A127 near Honiley Avenue, Wickford.

The land is adjacent to but not within the Hovefields neighbourhood, which encompasses a large travellers site.

The council issued a notice to stop development as soon as they were alerted to the activity.

A council spokesman has said that investigations into the development are still underway so they are unable to confirm how many caravan pitches were being developed.

He said: “An investigation into an unauthorised development on a plot of land known as Hillview off the A127 near Honiley Avenue, Wickford, is ongoing.

“Basildon Council will provide updates where appropriate.”

Conservative councillor Kevin Blake, representing Burstead, said: “Illegal developments will continue to happen unless the government changes the law. Our MPs are very supportive of introducing more robust laws against illegal developments.

“We’ve got Hovefields, we’ve had Dale Farm, our borough is just inundated with these developments. But come January the council will have more enforcement officers in place to look into illegal encampment issues.

“Everyone should be subjected to the same law, it doesn’t matter who you are.”

Conservative councillor Peter Holliman, representing Wickford North, said: “Because the current laws allow retrospective planning applications to be submitted, I have a feeling the applicant will go down this route to appeal for his or her application.

“So there’s a chance the council could get involved in a lengthy legal battle for this incident. It drains a lot of council’s time and money.

“Wickford is suffering badly in terms of illegal developments and encampments. There’s Hovefields and Barn Hall.

“The problem is some of these lands in Wickford had been used by travellers as temporary stops. They would use it as a temporarily resting place and then leave.

“But now we have travellers who are putting tarmac and laying down foundations.”