More than 200 individual protests have been lodged by residents to secure victory in what has been dubbed the modern day battle of Marston Moor.

Local people have bombarded North Yorkshire County Council with letters of objection over a planning application for a waste recycling centre alongside the village of Tockwith, between Wetherby and York.

The development area is at Marston Moor, famous for its Civil War battle of 1644.

Development plans, due to be decided at Northallerton, on Tuesday, have already sparked a standing-room-only meeting of the parish council.

Harrogate Borough Council's area planning committee has also put forward protests about the scheme to county planners, who will make the final decision.

Borough councillor for Marston Moor, Julian Sturdy, and local county councillor John Savage, met a group of concerned residents to hear their views.

RS Howard Engineering Ltd has lodged a planning application to set up a waste recycling centre specifically for materials associated with civil engineering on the site of the former Marston Moor airfield.

Residents of Prince Rupert Drive who oppose the development will be represented by Caroline Allott. A member of the Marston Moor Business Park, which would adjoin the proposed centre, will also speak against the scheme.

Plans are being made to hire a bus to take objectors to Northallerton, so they can see democracy in action.

Agent for the applicants, Ernest Godfrey, says recent legislation on reycling has brought a drive towards greener policies, with tipping taxation initiating a major recycling programme.