Help keep the alleyway closed

In 2021 I purchased my home. I was from out of the area. There was an alleyway next to the house . Within 2 weeks of living here , I had strangers in my garden, drug dealers outside my house and drug users waiting for drug dealers to arrive. There were used needles , excrement, flytipping and sexual activities going on in the alleyway.

I wrote to my local councillors to find out what they were going to do about it to be told , it wasn't there problem as they didn't own the land. It was private land and was up to the homeowners to deal with it.

I spoke to planning department, the ex MP Giles Watling , and the 3 or so other councillors, which all confirmed the same.

I contacted land registry , who Informed me it was unadopted land , so me and the neighbours applied to adopt it.

But because we hadn't shut it off, land registry denied the application. The local Police Sergeant supported the closure . The residents supported the closure. Our deeds show that the land is private .

So after following a process and doing the due diligence , we shut off the alleyway.

Since the alleyway has been closed off the crime has reduced significantly. We have the stats. This alleyway was also being used as a getaway and had motorcycles racing down it. This alleyway was just over 3ft wide, was dark, dinghy and dangerous.

Out of the blue - Essex Highways contacted us to say that we need to reopen the alleyway , although they have said they don't own it, and they have said that they won't maintain it. They've issued a section 143 notice which is invalid, beacuse its private land and not a highway. . But they are still trying to enforce it.

This means they will come and reopen the alleyway by removing the gates that have been put up to stop people using it.

Essex legal services have NO jurisdiction over this alleyway. Every solicitor I talk to

( you can get snippets of free advice) has said the same. The section 143 is invalid.

Down the road in Jaywick - the residents closed off half a dozen alleyways for the same reason - crime hotspots. Yet , Essex Highways have not tried to force open these alleyway, and have therefore set a local precedent in law.

I was lucky enough to have a law student look at the case and put together a really good defence case that shows, in a court of law, from previous cases that Essex Highways are acting out of jurisdiction. Basically, they have no rights but are trying to enforce it.

Essex legal services have completely ignored this advise and are still trying to force the reopening of an alleyway that they have not been given authority over, by a court of law and are relying on the fact that as a member of the public , that we don't have money for solicitors to fight the corner. And now is the time that I need the help.

This is a total injustce. I've been fighting this for 3.5 years now and It's affecting my health and wellbeing. But I'm fighting for the safety and security of myself and the residents ....

We don't want an alleyway reopened that puts our safety at risk. It will only be a matter of time that the crime starts up again and we won't be able to use our gardens and we won't feel safe in our homes.

I've already written to MP Nigel Farage and met with him. He took up the case but then backed off , with his office telling me he is not a solicitor so I need to get a solicitor.

I've tried the ombudsman, I've tried every imaginable place and I'm being blocked at every turn...

Plese please can you spare some cash to help me out ... I hate asking for help, but I so desperately need a solicitor now.

I've rung so many , they all agree it's illegal , but noone will do this on a no win no fee. Believe me I've tried. I cannot even begin to tell you how many solicitors I've called.

Please share this plea wide and far. Your friends, your work colleagues, your family. Plese help me raise the funds so I can get justice for me and the residents.

I'm beyond exhausted and I really need help. I've already had 2 breakdowns..

Thank you....