THERE are fears that court action to stop travellers building on a green belt site will be too late, as they continue to have hardcore sent there.

Injunctions are currently in place banning any further development at Silva Lodge Kennels and land west of Hovefields Avenue, Wickford, after lorries transporting hardcore were first spotted at the beginning of March.

During a two-day hearing, five out of six defendants were found guilty of contempt of court after breaching the injunction at land at Silva Lodge Kennels, in Hovefields Avenue.

A separate court case has been adjourned for land west of Hovefields and is due to resume at the end of May.

However, residents are fearful that this court case might be too late.

Jill Walsh, 59, of the Hovefields Residents’ Association said: “They are still bringing hardcore to the site.

“Not the big trucks of 20 tonnes, but a couple of seven and a half tonnes a day in the back of trailers and vans.

“They are coming every day.

“There have been two large caravans as well and they have set up a washroom.

“The court case at the end of May might be too late.”

It is feared that there could be 50 plots, which would dwarf Dale Farm, in Crays Hill, where Basildon Council spent about £10million evicting residents.

Mrs Walsh added: “They are just going to keep on flouting the high court injunction which said that nothing should be done on the site.

“We have been pressing Basildon Council to rearrange the court case.

“Surely they must have emergency powers to move the court case earlier?”

A spokesman from Basildon Council said: “Basildon Council is doing everything it can to ensure the legal process can proceed as quickly and smoothly as possible.

“The council is determined to defend its position in court and is keen for the situation to be resolved at the earliest opportunity.”

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ANOTHER group of travellers is also causing upset for residents.

Travellers have moved on from Southend Road, Shotgate, but have left heaps of building rubble as well as household items.

There was enough rubbish to fill several trucks.

Wickford Crouch councillor Malcolm Buckley said: “This is going to cost the taxpayer several thousand pounds just to clear up. We need to look at further preventative measures such as a borough wide injunction.”

His colleague Tony Ball added: “Travellers exhibiting this type of behaviour and lack of respect to the local community are their own worst enemy. If they left sites tidy and moved on quickly it would inevitably generate more sympathy for the provision of legal pitches around the country.”