EVICTED Dale Farm residents could be in for a million pound windfall with plans for 500 homes being considered on the site.

Basildon Council has confirmed that it has been approached by a developer in a bid to build a large estate.

About £7million of taxpayers’ money was spent in 2011 removing occupants off the roughly 90 pitches and the subsequent clear up operation.

Those living on the site are reported to have paid between £5,000 and £40,000, but now councillors claim the landowners they could make more than £1million by selling their plots.

Councillor Malcolm Buckley, who led the council in the run up to the eviction, stated an acre-sized plot in the borough usually fetches between £1 and £2million when sold for development.

The Tory insisted he was “morally against” the landowners making profit but added if it goes ahead, those making profit should be forced to pay part of the council’s £4million clear up costs.

He said: “If you think of terms of an acre, they were getting maybe 15 pitches within an acre, then you could be looking at £100,000 per pitch.

“These figures are entirely conjecture at this stage, but the land value is there and if we give that site planning permission then they could be in for a substantial pay out.

“The people that own the land broke planning law in developing and occupying that land.

“Law breakers should not be making money on their crimes. I think, at a very core level it is morally wrong.”

It was the occupation not the buying or selling which was considered illegal.

Basildon Council leader Gavin Callaghan said: “The council’s long term housing aims include future development in and around Crays Hill and Hovefields areas. There is no guarantee which parcels of land will be developed, but should the land ever be sold, the legal charges the council placed on the land could mean the council can recover some, or all of the taxpayers’ money spent clearing the site.”