Colchester's controversial travellers' site is going to cost at least £164,362 per pitch.

The Government is paying nearly £2 million for just 12 travellers' pitches, which thousands of businesses and residents do not want on their doorstep.

Work on the site for north Colchester is set to start within weeks, as soon as an outstanding issue on planning is resolved.

The £1,972,348 funding from the Government's communities and local government department will pay for buying the land and building the units.

Essex County Council now envisages work starting on the site, north of Colchester, in the late spring or early summer once outstanding planning issues are resolved.

A bitter fight was waged to block the plan for the 12-pitch site on land off Severalls Lane, north of the A12.

More than 4,000 people opposed the plan, yet it won planning permission in October last year.

The site will provide 12 three-room blocks with a kitchen, lounge and bathroom for travelling families. It will be surrounded by a high fence. There will be 24-hour management of the site to combat potential bad behaviour.

Planners demanded a public footpath be included across the site. Work on resolving this continues.

Minister Meg Munn said: "It is clear that to deal with unauthorised camping we must have effective enforcement action and sufficient site provision going hand in hand across the country."

She said the schemes announced would help provide more sites for travellers .

Gerard Oxford, Independent councillor for High Woods, said: "It is obviously very expensive without question. It seems extortionately high for what it is. For that sort of money you could have houses without any problem."