The BBC found that an unauthorised car park at New Farm, near Stansted Airport, has expanded despite an enforcement notice. Customers reported damaged cars, chaotic and overcrowded transfers, long delays and extra charges. The operator has appealed the council's closure order, allowing the site to keep trading until a Planning Inspectorate hearing not expected before 2027. Local authorities and some intermediaries say they are monitoring complaints and reviewing bookings.
Unauthorised Stansted-Area Car Park Expands Despite Closure Order — Customers Report Damage, Chaotic Transfers and Extra Fees
New Farm, near the village of Elsenham, Essex, started offering alternative parking to Stansted Airport in early 2025 [John Fairhall/BBC]
An unauthorised car park at New Farm, near Elsenham in Essex, has grown significantly since Uttlesford District Council issued an enforcement notice ordering it to stop operating, a BBC investigation found. The site, converted from agricultural land in early 2025, now occupies about seven acres (three hectares) and can accommodate up to 1,000 vehicles.
Customers Describe Chaos, Damage and Delays
Multiple customers returning from holidays reported damaged or dirty cars, overcrowded transfer vehicles and long waits to be collected. The complaints include vehicles left unlocked, cars parked on rubble, missing or dislodged number plates, broken door handles and scrape marks.
Mark Reardon said his rear number plate was sitting on his windscreen and his vehicle had suffered damage [Gabby Colenso/BBC]
"I just don't know how they can run a place like this. It was absolute mayhem," said Mark Reardon, whose car was found damaged after a trip to Spain.
Other travellers described being left stranded at Stansted for hours and then crammed into undersized minibus transfers with luggage piled on passengers. Several customers say they were charged an extra £20 on arrival to cover transport to the nearby Radisson Blu Hotel, from where they walked to the terminal.
Regulatory Action and Ongoing Appeal
Uttlesford District Council issued an enforcement notice last summer ordering the unauthorised use of the New Farm site to stop. Aurangzaib Cheema, listed at Companies House as an owner of SC Parking Ltd, appealed the notice, arguing the firm had existing bookings that could not be cancelled without harming its income. The appeal allows the operator to continue trading until the Planning Inspectorate hears the case, which is not expected before 2027.
Amelia Palmer said a weekend away had resulted in damage to her car [Gabby Colenso/BBC]
Responses From Authorities and Intermediaries
The BBC contacted the site operators and associated service providers but received no replies. Uttlesford District Council said the case was complex, with "various agencies involved," and that it would continue to monitor the site and assess new reports against the existing enforcement notice.
Essex Trading Standards told the BBC it had not received a sufficient number of complaints to open a formal investigation. Travel Extra Deals Ltd, a comparison site used by some customers, said it had issued a final warning to the operator, would review unresolved cases and provide refunds where appropriate, and would stop forwarding bookings if complaints continued.
The Radisson Blu Hotel at Stansted Airport, named by some customers as part of a transfer route, said it had no commercial affiliation with the car park operator. Stansted Airport's managing director urged travellers to choose authorised parking providers, check reviews and report concerns to Essex Trading Standards via the Citizens Advice consumer helpline.
What To Do If You Used The Site
Customers concerned about damage or poor service should keep booking confirmations and photographic evidence, contact their booking intermediary or payment provider for a refund, and report incidents to Essex Trading Standards or Citizens Advice so regulators can assess whether a formal investigation is warranted.
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