DOZENS of residents descended on a council meeting to lobby the authority not to sell off an ancient tract of pasture on the edge of Richmond.

More than 70 people packed the public gallery and chamber of Richmondshire District Council to call for the retention of Westfields.

The land, one of three great medieval fields on the outskirts of the town, is under review as part of the authority's asset management plan. Officials have recommended the council considers selling it, along with other land and property.

Several members of the public used question time at Tuesday's resources committee meeting to urge members to think again about the future of Westfields.

Bev Joicey, chairman of Richmond and District Civic Society, called for a decision to be postponed until a full public debate could be held.

The committee was told the land was a valuable asset to the town, well used by local people and walkers, including those on the Coast to Coast route, and provided one of the best views of the town.

Tony Clark, executive officer for the council, said all local authorities in the country were required by the Government to produce asset management plans, which were examined by the regional government office.

The council's current plan was rated satisfactory and an updated version was with the office for assessment.

The plan must demonstrate that the council managed its assets, including open land, "robustly" and members agreed in April to a method of reviewing those assets.

Coun Richard Dunn assured residents: "This is something we are being forced to look at by Government and every district council throughout the country will have to do exactly the same. There is nothing going on here that will not be going on everywhere else in the country."

Members agreed no decisions should be taken until each property was valued and the public had more time to comment on the proposals. The matter will go before the committee - or a special meeting - in November.

Coun Clive World hoped a full public meeting, with displays and images of the land in question, would be held before a decision was taken.

Coun Dunn said Westfields, which it was proposed would be sold as agricultural land, was primarily grazing land and was unsuitable for arable use.

"It is very steep and, even if it is sold, whoever buys it will have to keep it in very much the state it is," he said. "I would like to see the thistles and weeds removed, but it is not going to be bought by someone who will plant 40 acres of cereal."

Members hoped the possibility of a trust taking over the land would be explored.

Other parcels of land affected include Jack King's Wood, in the Round Howe area, farmland at Reeth Road and Sleegill, two shops at Cutpurse, Richmond, and two at Colburn. All of these properties could be sold, with part of the Reeth Road plot being retained for a future extension of the cemetery.

If land regarded as open space was proposed for sale, it would be advertised as such as part of a consultation exercise and the public would have the chance to comment before a decision was taken.

Coun Sheila Clarke hoped the Richmond shops would be retained to ensure they remained retail units for local people. Coun Lynn Miller, from Colburn, backed the sale of the two units there and said the town council had no objections.

The authority proposes to keep land at south-west Gallowfields, which could be needed for future expansion of the trading estate should the access road be improved.