Dale Farm could end up as allotments if travellers do not pay up for the costs of their eviction.

Basildon Council intends billing individual plot owners of the illegal site for the cost to taxpayers for the clearance.

Under planning laws, councils can send in bailiffs to clear an illegal development if the owner refuses to comply with enforcement notices, as happened on the land, at Crays Hill.

If people refuse to cough up, their assets can be seized by the council following a court hearing.

Malcolm Buckley, Tory councillor in charge of regeneration, said the total cost of the operation was not yet available, but the council would be looking to recover money.

He said: “If we cannot recover the money directly, we will look to seize assets, the Dale Farm land being the most visible asset there is.”

Mr Buckley said the land was fairly worthless due to its green belt status, and on the open market would only fetch a maximum of about £2,000 an acre.

However, it could be put to good community use.

He said: “Allotment is one thing it could be used for. There is a cost to the council of running them, but we have waiting lists and a duty to provide this service.”

He said the land did not have to be reinstated as a green field – as many have suggested – as several farms in the green belt will have ploughed muddy land much of the year. However, Stuart Hardwicke-Carruthers, 52, a campaigner for the travellers, believes they will hang on to the land. He said: “Ultimately we want to gain planning permission for the site, and that is going to appeal.

“With all the fencing there, the openess of the green belt being lost argument is gone now. In the meantime, travellers may use it as allotments or smallholdings.”