A CONTROVERSIAL traveller site could be sold under county council plans to save millions.

Essex County Council is looking to sell the land at Hovefields, off Courtauld Road, Pitsea, which is home to 25 traveller pitches, to a housing association.

The traveller site could be part of a county council move to sell all 11 of its traveller sites to cut maintenance costs.

But senior figures at Basildon Council have said they are willing to take control of the land, and have been given first refusal on the plans for the site.

Basildon Council will take over the Hovefields site, “if the deal is right”, while Kerry Smith, the deputy leader of Basildon Council, told the Echo Basildon’s bosses are also considering expanding the traveller site.

He said: “We need to have control of it to make sure it is properly managed.

“I’m concerned if a private company takes it over, profits would be put first.

“I’ve not had one complaint about travellers there. They’re as good as gold.

“It needs to be left alone as it is and kept in good hands. There’s no nonsense down there at all.”

Essex County Council’s property consultants, Lambert Smith Hampton, investigated each of the 11 site in 2018.

The firm recommended that work costing an estimated £2.9 million would be needed to maintain each site, not including emergency repairs.

Essex County Council’s plans are set to be presented next month.

A statement to the place services and economic growth policy and scrutiny committee at Essex County Council, said: “ECC is not able to guarantee that sites disposed of will remain in use as traveller sites indefinitely post sale.

“But we will make all reasonable efforts, working in conjunction with districts, on any future site-specific sale agreements and appropriate title restrictions to ensure as far as possible that existing occupants’ rights on the sites are protected.

“Regardless of who owns the sites going forward, good site management is critical.”

The statement also said no consultation with site residents has been undertaken.