6:29pm Monday 9th February 2009
By Emily Roberts
THOUSANDS of gypsy and traveller consultation responses have now been handed in to the district council with residents still worried about plans to create 39 new pitches in the area.
The district council’s consultation period has been extended to Friday, February 20, but resident groups have already co-ordinated a plan to jointly hand in their documents early after spending months preparing for the original deadline on February 6.
MP Eleanor Laing was at the district council offices in Epping to meet local groups.
She said hundreds of people had contacted her about the matter adding: "The Epping Forest District already provides a large number of sites for gypsies and travellers - far more than our fair share compared with the rest of the country.”
Epping Residents Group was among those handing in their response.
A spokeswoman said: "Local residents have responded in such large numbers not because they are unsympathetic to gypsies and travellers, but because of the way they feel."
Epping Forest District Council was initially asked to make provisions for 49 new pitches by 2011, but this figure was recently recommended to be reduced to 39.
Councillors are due to produce a plan by September this year.
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