GYPSY and traveller numbers will double in Essex over the next two decades to meet stringent government targets.
Council bosses across the county must identify new sites to ensure traveller pitches increase from 798 to 1,584 by 2033, as they come to tackle their local development plans over the next few years.
The "daunting" prospect has left politicians, gypsies themselves, and one entire village debating where to accommodate a centuries-old community, still tarnished with the "Dale Farm brush", in the years to come.
"The subject certainly stirs up emotions and wherever it occurs, opposition occurs, so finding a site is very difficult," said Chelmsford City Council leader Roy Whitehead.
The Essex Gypsy, Traveller and Travelling Showpeople Accommodation Assessment, published by an independent research group in July this year, reports there are nearly 3,000 travellers from 918 households in Essex.
Yet before even anticipating a future influx, there are already 440 households on the waiting list for Essex sites.
Pitches in the Chelmsford district must increase by 55 from 79, by 40 on top of 58 pitches in Braintree, and by 41 on top of 58 in Maldon.
A pitch usually comprises enough space for one, sometimes two, caravans, an outhouse and water supply.
"The targets are daunting, I think that's the right word," said Mr Whitehead, who lives close to Chelmsford borough's biggest traveller plot of 37 pitches in Meadow Lane, Runwell.
"But if we have to provide it for travellers who are always on the move, travelling from authorised site to authorised site, that makes it a lot easier for us."
The same study found that 71 per cent of travellers had lived at their home for more than five years.
Housing minister Brandon Lewis meanwhile launched a ten-week consultation last week proposing that only travellers who still lead a traveller lifestyle can be defined as such.
Mr Whitehead added: "The majority of the traveller sites, such as in Writtle and Runwell, are all manageable and well behaved and we don't have terrible problems but there are ones who come and go and cause problems," said Mr Whitehead.
"But the problems usually lie between themselves rather than with the local residents."
For East Hanningfield village, where its 350 households have submitted nearly 500 letters of objection against a plan for just five traveller pitches, the "emotive" subject is already igniting tempers.
Farmer Carol Hilliard sold her five-acre field off Old Church Road for about £80,000 to Levi Breaker, who had previously failed to convert land into traveller plots in Waltham Abbey earlier this year
David Rackham and his neighbour unsuccessfully bid £70,000 for the field which their gardens back on to, unaware what it would be used for.
"The village is 99.9 per cent against this," said Mr Rackham, 74, who said only the church reverend and one resident backed the plan at a parish council meeting.
"My position is frank. I am objecting to the plan because I can't sell my house if it goes ahead and its value has reduced already.
"I will write to the chief executive of Chelmsford City Council to seek compensation if it gets approval.
"If the gypsies are nice, they're quiet and live like the rest of us then I won't make a song and dance about it, but I will still lose value on the house."
Mr Rackham's wife Janet said: "It will be a blight on our lives and if we and the neighbour had known it would be sold to gypsies we would have upped our price."
The Chronicle called Mrs Hilliard, who has moved to Suffolk, and Mr Breaker for comment, but received no answer.
City councillor for East Hanningfield and planning committee member Richard Poulter said villagers were concerned crime would go up if the plan was given the green light.
"I don't want to cast depression on gypsies as a whole but where there is a gypsy site near existing properties there is a fear that crime will increase," said Mr Poulter.
"My opinion is that it's a total disaster of a plan. It doesn't relate at all to the village, the facilities don't exist for it and the properties that are close to it, I am told, would be rendered virtually unsaleable.
"The pitches should be further away where they don't share borders."
The planning application to convert four acres of the field into the five pitches will be decided upon at a committee meeting either in the next few months.
Council leader Mr Whitehead added: "It is my understanding that our planning officers will recommend it for refusal."
Number of travellers (according to 2011 UK census):
Essex: 2,631
Chelmsford: 212
Braintree: 132
Maldon: 201
Number of pitches (according to June 2013 research)
Essex: 798
Chelmsford: 79
Braintree: 58
Maldon: 58
Top four biggest Essex traveller plots:
Oak Lane, Crays Hill: 43 pitches
Meadow Lane, Runwell: 37 pitches
Pilgrims Field, Thurrock: 22 pitches
Twin Oaks, Braintree: 21 pitches
