CAMPAIGNERS fighting to preserve pasture dating back to the Middle Ages from developers may form a charitable trust, even though another is already backing their aims.

Richmond residents have backed a trust formed to save the town's former train station as a community resource.

Negotiations with owners Richmondshire District Council are at an advanced stage, and the search is already under way for tenants interested in running businesses in the building.

Yesterday, the trust confirmed it would be happy to acquire meadows at Westfield, Sleegill and South Bank, and Jack King's Wood, on the outskirts of the town.

"We are not empire-building, but it could be argued a single preservation trust caring for a community's heritage would enjoy a degree of credibility which smaller organisations may not have, which would make it easier to acquire grants," said trust chairman Jim Jack.

But residents who have battled to protect the land feel they may have a better chance of securing funds if they remain independent.

Richmondshire District Council agreed in principle to release the land at a meeting on Tuesday night, and the newly-formed Richmond Landscape Partnership hopes to launch an appeal to acquire the plots in the next couple of weeks.

"It is understood there are grants available from the Heritage Lottery Fund for landscape management trusts, and the new group would hope to qualify," said Richmond mayor councillor Stuart Parsons, who has supported the bid to save Westfield.

He said: "At the moment, some people who have fought the Westfield campaign are concerned that operating under the umbrella of the station building trust could dilute both initiatives.

"If we were one organisation, we could be asking people for money for one thing one week and then going back to them again for another later.

"It may be better if we remain separate for now, as at least there would be no doubt about the aims of each project.

"However, in the meantime, we would still want to work closely together to make Richmond a better, safer, more fun place to visit."