PEOPLE protesting about the proposed sale of a town car park yesterday vowed to fight on following a major setback in their campaign.

Councillors on Richmondshire District Council's resources committee voted to proceed with the sale of York Square car park in Richmond on Wednesday night.

Council officers had also recommended that Station Road car park should be sold to fund the council's planned £4.5m move to Colburn, but that proposal was thrown out.

Councillors agreed that none of the authority's assets should be marketed until a full business and financial case has been put to the committee, but protestors say York Square should be saved now.

Town mayor Stuart Parsons said: "There were no figures or costings mentioned in any of the motions, so effectively, the council has been handed a blank cheque for this consultancy work to be carried out.

"At least we now know on what grounds we need to fight for York Square - let battle commence."

Under the council's proposals, 17 flats with car parking would be built on the York Square site.

Lead protestor Margaret Gruf-fydd, who lives on The Green, near York Square, is planning to meet with town MP William Hague today.

"We need to urge everyone to carry on with the campaign," she said.

"It isn't over. We have just got to carry on fighting and we need people's support."

The campaign to save York Square has also won the backing of the Landmark Trust, which owns the historic Culloden Tower.

It lies about 100m from the car park.

A spokesman for the trust said they were "shocked and surprised" to learn of the possible development on the site.

Council officers believe selling the car park and land at Brompton on Swale and the council's Richmond offices, is the best way to fund the new headquarters in Colburn.