Plans for short-stop places for gipsies in Maldon district have provoked a huge response from residents.

The district council was analysing more than 200 comments from the public this week, including a 410-signature petition against a scheme at Heybridge and 60 letters of reaction from Woodham Walter.

"People feel very strongly about the issue of gipsies," said Maldon District Council director of planning Andrew White.

The district's plans suffered a setback last week when Essex County Council's Gipsy Issues Group resolved that a permanent county council gipsy site should at no time be considered for the establishment of short-term stopping places.

Maldon District Council has identified six sites for short-term stopping and, although the county welcomed the district council's planning guidance on gipsy sites, it did not consider that county council sites at Woodham Walter and Brickhouse Road, Tolleshunt Major, should be considered for short-term stopping, and did not support a site at Lodge Lane/A414.

It did, however, suggest that the gipsy services manager consult with the district council as to the suitability of sites at Purleigh Wash and Braxted Park Wall.

Mr White said that elements of the county's response were disappointing and may mean that the district is forced to consider returning to a criteria-based policy.

"Members felt that it wasn't the right approach and, unless we have something positive, we are going to continue with uncertainty, lose sites on appeal and have them where we don't want them," he said.

A report and analysis of residents' responses will go before a meeting of the planning, highways and environment services committee next month.

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