New Dale Farm could be a non-starter - Essex

From the Echo

PLANS for a new Dale Farm in Basildon could be dead in the water if they fail to get the backing of council chiefs.

The Irish Traveller Movement wants to develop 15 pitches on land off Gardiners Way, Basildon, to provide new homes for the most vulnerable people evicted from Dale Farm in Crays Hill nearly a year ago.

However, the Homes and Communities Agency, which owns the land, has confirmed to the Echo it would only make the site available with Basildon Council’s blessing.

A spokeswoman for the Government housing agency said: “We will only consider supporting a planning application on our land where the local authority has made a formal request for us to do so.”

It is unclear whether the council will support the application, which is not on green belt land, at this stage. The plans are due to be determined by the end of October.