WEELEY residents are voicing their opposition to plans to triple the size of a controversial caravan site in the village.

Tom Doran created uproar several years ago with his battle to have 20 static caravans at Starena Lodge, Clacton Road, near to his three-pitch travellers’ site in Gutteridge Hall Lane.

After Tendring Council refused the scheme, the traveller took the decision to appeal, winning conditional approval after a three day public inquiry.

Now, feathers are to be further ruffled, with his application to Tendring Council to accommodate 40 “holiday lodges” on the western edge of the current site.

The move follows Mr Doran recently extending the holiday season at the existing site from 11 months to all-year-round.

The extension site is just to the south of Weeley village and immediately south of Weeley Railway Station.

It covers 3.3 acres and “is in the scrubland to the west and is currently unused and overgrown and therefore offers little to the appearance of the countryside,” said the application.

The holiday park would help cater for a growing demand for all-year-round short breaks and strengthen the existing business at Starena Lodge. The local economy would benefit from higher visitor spend and fewer seasonal jobs.

The development was close to the village and its facilities so it was sustainable. It would also have minimal landscape impact, there would be minimal flooding risk and transport impacts would also be minimal, it added.

However, residents and councillors repeated their earlier objections.

Carol Bannister of the Weeley Residents Association said the group “will definitely be submitting letters of objection.”

Mrs Bannister said the scheme has yet to come before Weeley Parish Council but villagers had concerns over possible flooding at the site, noting Mr Doran is “still trying to find a way of dealing with potential flooding issues concerning the 20 static vans they have already got.”

District Councillor Mike Brown hoped the scheme would be refused.

“It’s urbanising Weeley. There’s not much protection from the Local Plan yet. You can’t blame anyone for trying.”