ALLOTMENTS set to be sold by the church to make way for a new housing development could be saved after a compromise deal emerged.

Thousands of people signed a petition to save the allotments in the centre of Bedale, one of the oldest registered allotment sites in the country dating back to the 1830s.

Local people were furious after the Ripon Diocesan Board, which later became part of the Super Diocese of West Yorkshire and the Dales, moved to evict the society offering them a site on the edge of the town which they did not believe was suitable.

A campaign to save the allotments was launched with the backing of Bedale Town Council and Hambleton District Council who registered the site as a community asset.

This meant the 1.5 acre allotment area - believed to be worth more than £1m as a site for housing development - could not be sold without being offered to the allotment holders and the community to buy first.

But there were still huge concerns the site would be lost because they would not be able to raise the money needed to buy it.

The land, which was gifted to the church in the 19th century, is well used with a long waiting list of people wanting to take up allotments.

Now Bedale Town Council has been told there is a potential new deal which would preserve the gardens and protect them for the future.

A spokesman for the Allotment Society said:” Members of Bedale Allotment Association met recently to learn of new proposals put forward by the West Yorkshire and the Dales Diocese that might settle the long running allotment issue.

“The association has been campaigning to keep the allotments in the community on its Masham Road site. They have been supported by 2,500 people who signed a petition calling for retention of the historic allotment gardens.

“The new proposals would mean giving up a substantial area of the present allotments in return for long term security on the area that remained.

“While welcoming the new offer, and voting to progress negotiations, members were concerned about the reduction in site area, plot size and overshadowing by new houses.

A spokesman for the Diocese said: "Representatives have met with the Allotment Association and are working with them regarding a possible compromise solution.’