Published: 10:20, 14 August 2026

 | Updated: 09:12, 18 August 2026

North West Essex MP Kemi Badenoch has called for “decisive and swift action” against an unauthorised car park in Elsenham.

A year ago, Uttlesford District Council issued an enforcement notice to close the cut-price facility at New Farm used by Stansted Airport passengers.

However, SC Parking Ltd appealed, and the Planning Inspectorate is yet to adjudicate on the case. There are fears it could be the end of the year, or even 2027, before a decision is made.

The site at New Farm between Elsenham and Stansted can hold up to 1,000 vehicles and has expanded since Uttlesford District Council served the company running it with an enforcement notice to close

The Conservative Party leader has been working closely with the village’s Essex County Cllr Ray Gooding “to pressure Uttlesford District Council to use every available power to prevent further expansion”.

Mrs Badenoch has also written to the Planning Inspectorate, urging it to prioritise the appeal, and told the Minister of State for Housing and Planning, Matthew Pennycook, that the planning system is working against those who follow the rules, while “rogue developers are allowed to run rampant and disrupt communities”.

She said: “It is completely unacceptable that the Planning Inspectorate has had this case for months yet failed to reach a decision. Meanwhile, residents are being forced to endure increased traffic and endless disruption.

Kemi Badenoch

“This case demonstrates exactly why the planning system needs reform. I have proposed stronger enforcement powers, tougher restrictions on retrospective applications and meaningful penalties for deliberate breaches.

“I will continue standing with Elsenham until this matter is resolved. The principle is simple: people who follow the rules should not be treated like fools, and those who ignore them should not be rewarded.”

Over the past year, the unauthorised car park off Stansted Road is believed to have expanded by almost two-thirds, with up to 1,000 cars parked on former agricultural land alongside the M11.

Residents living nearby describe the operation as “chaos”, and customers have made a litany of complaints, alleging poor levels of service from both the car park and the associated meet and greet assistance.

Owners claim their cars are returned dirty, damaged and even slept in, while transfers to the airport have involved customers being bundled into the back of vans. On the review website Trustpilot, SC Parking Ltd has a rating of 2.2 out of 5.

Mrs Badenoch said her party advocated for stronger enforcement powers, tougher restrictions on retrospective applications and meaningful penalties for deliberate breaches.

She said that by repealing the Human Rights Act and leaving the European Convention on Human Rights, a future Conservative government would speed up planning decisions, curb repeated legal challenges and ensure that domestic planning priorities cannot be overridden by international legal frameworks.

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