RURAL residents are being urged to contribute £2,000 towards a scheme to prevent Gypsies from moving on to a smallholding.

A group of villagers have written to every household in the Bullamoor area, near Northallerton, after buying a plot approaching one acre with planning permission for use as a Gypsy site, for £115,000 at auction.

The move follows a lengthy battle over the site, which saw a concerted campaign mounted against enforcement officer Peter Lovell’s bid to create a site for one homeless Gypsy family, due to the shortage of available sites in the area.

Mr Lovell urged objectors not to "tar everyone with the same brush", adding “there are some nut cases who live on traveller sites, but there are nut cases who live in million pound homes as well”.

The scheme attracted fierce criticism, including from Allertonshire Civic Society, Osmotherley Parish and Northallerton Town councils, amid claims that a Gypsy family living there could spoil the attractiveness of the area.

Dozens of residents wrote objecting to the proposal, stating they feared it could lead to an increase in fly-tipping in the area, while older, vulnerable residents would be left in a state of anxiety.

After Hambleton District Council rejected Mr Lovell's proposal, a government planning inspector approved it last year on appeal, stating it was clear there was a need for Gypsy sites in the area and that the scheme would not harm residents' living conditions.

Residents Andrew Atkinson, Paul Adamson, Russell Grief and Stuart Crowe said after learning the land would be auctioned last week, and that the land was "being viewed by separate groups of individuals", they became "increasingly concerned the site would be purchased by people from outside the area and who would use the site in a manner detrimental to the amenity of local residents".

Their letter to residents states: "We would like this site to be owned by the local community and its future use determined by the community.

"If we can raise sufficient funds it would be our intention to instruct solicitors to create a community trust, the land would be held in perpetuity with trustees, nominated by the community to manage its affairs."

"We count approximately 70 properties that we believe would have been affected by this site and if 90 per cent can pledge £2,000 then our target [£120,000] would be met."

Mr Lovell was unavailable for comment.