CLAIMS that building waste, soil and wood are being illegally dumped near a nature reserve and a river are being investigated by the Environment Agency.
Residents who live near Straits Mill, off Convent Lane in Bocking, say they've seen trucks carrying bricks and other waste, dumping their loads by the riverbank and then burying it under soil.
A group of 15 residents, including councillors and members of the Convent Lane and Broad Road Action Group (CLABRAG), visited the site on Thursday morning to survey the situation.
They claim to have discovered mounds of soil and wood piled up on the land at Straits Mill, and that the area is in a worse state than when they last visited earlier this month, as soil has pushed water further along the riverbank and caused flooding of the cycleway on the Bocking and Blackwater Nature Reserve.
The area, which is popular with dog-walkers, also contains a disused quarry, two ponds and several large fields.
Cllr Gordon Helm, Ukip Essex County Councillor for Bocking, said: "On the fields and the river bank, waste has been spread to a depth of several feet, thus raising the height of the ground considerably.
"This has been lightly covered with a thin layer of topsoil and it is this that is running off into the river that concerns the local residents.
"Straits Mill is an historic landfill site but it is an area of outstanding natural beauty, bounded on the North East by a truly beautiful Essex green lane. It appears that somebody is trying to make this delightful area as unattractive as possible, so that it is not used by the public and therefore never becomes a recognised amenity. But it is not being used for farming.
"It appears that it is being used as a waste tip again.
"Residents are worried about just what is being dumped and what is leaching out into our River Blackwater."
A spokesman for the Environment Agency said: "We are aware of it and we are investigating claims of illegal dumping next to the River Blackwater."
Ownership of the land is under dispute, both representatives from G & B Finch based in Great Leighs and JS Wright and Sons Ltd in Boreham have a claim to the land.
But no representative from either firm wanted to comment on the investigation.
If anyone suspects dumping the Environmental Agency has a hotline of 0800 80 70 60 for people to call.
