A TRAVELLER “chased” a councillor from a meeting after his planning application was turned down, it has been claimed.

Tendring Council’s planning committee voted against plans for two caravans to be permanently homed on a site in Crockleford Heath, near Ardleigh, on Tuesday night.

Will Banks, the applicant, is said to have shouted at Sarah Candy, Tendring councillor for Lawford, as she was trying to leave the meeting.

Mrs Candy had put forward the motion to turn down the recent plans at the meeting held in the Thorpe Road council offices in Weeley.

“Mr Banks was standing at the end of the drive where we leave the council offices,” she told the Standard.

“I decided to drive out the opposite way where we usually enter the car park because he clearly was unhappy and I just wanted to leave.

“But that seemed to upset him and he ran out to the road and chased me down the street.

“I immediately rang 999 because you just don’t know what’s going to happen.

“You don’t normally have an applicant running after you.”

Mr Banks, who currently lives on the Green Lane site, also “intimidated” another Tendring councillor.

Tony Fawcett, of Clacton, said Mr Banks took a photo of him before telling him “I know where you live”.

He said: “When Sarah and I came outside at the end of the meeting Mr Banks was standing in the middle of the road.

“He came right up to us, took a photograph of me and also noted down my car number plate in his mobile phone.

“I did feel intimidated and threatened.”

Officers at Tendring Council had recommended the application be approved because of “exceptional circumstances”.

But councillors voted against it stating it is out of keeping with the area and has a lack of drainage.

Previous plans for both 12 and four permanent residential pitches at the site were also refused.

Tendring Council has said it is cooperating fully with the police investigation.

Roger Grimwade, of Essex Police, said: “Police have been contacted by a Tendring councillor over the conduct of man who had submitted a planning application.

“This follows an incident about 8.45pm on Tuesday, June 22, at a council meeting.

“Officers are interviewing witnesses to the incident to establish whether any offences have been committed.”

Jo Banks, Mr Banks’s wife, did not wish to comment.