Previously scrapped plans to locate gypsy and traveller sites at the rear of Basildon Golf Course are back on the table, according to new council documents.

Five months ago Basildon Council bowed to public pressure and scrapped plans to allow pitches to be allocated to green belt land near to the golf course due to concerns raised by residents at a meeting attended by more than 700 people.

Golf course owner Colin Jenkins told that meeting that if the plans went ahead the golf course would be “seriously jeopardised”.

But papers published ahead of the council's Strategic Planning and Infrastructure Committee have revealed that councillors will again consider placing pitches near the golf course.

In anticipation of significant public interest, the council has booked the Sporting Village for the meeting that will be held next Wednesday.

The allocation of the pitches is part of the borough’s Local Plan, which has faced numerous setbacks since work began in 2014 and has cost the council more than £2million to develop.

Government regulations require the council to allocate 53 pitches and three sites by 2034.

Other options that will be considered at the meeting include what the council calls a ‘hub’ model which would see pitches placed in areas where there is already several gypsy and traveller communities. These would all be in green belt locations apart from one pitch.

Another option would see them placed in Gardiners Way and Hovefields Caravan Site in Basildon and in Haslemere Road in Wickford.

It is noted that the committee is likely to have to pick a combination of the options in order to fulfil the required number of pitches.

There are also fears that placing traveller pitches near to the golf course will jeopardise a proposed 4-star hotel, which is set to be built on land that the council paid more than £1million for.

Mick Toomer, chairman of the Friends of Basildon Golf Course, said: "The issue of a proposed traveller site and large housing estate alongside the golf course was first raised in February this year. Despite having the wherewithal and much evidence the Friends of Basildon Golf Course decided to not to oppose the six hundred and fifty houses, providing that the traveller site was removed from the proposal.

"Following our huge protest, with more than five hundred people turning out to Council meetings the traveller site proposal was removed by councillors, and the decision ratified by full council in March. Now somebody wants to go back on that agreement.

"When we had to get involved in February the Echo suggested that the Friends of Basildon Golf Course had come out of hibernation to fight this latest battle.

"It was a good analogy. Now it looks like we may have to rouse ourselves again.  If you poke a sleeping bear you need to be prepared for the consequences. Basildon Councillors and Council Officers would do well to bear this in mind."