RESIDENTS in a Selby village have stepped up their battle against new travellers’ sites near their homes as council chiefs admit public reaction has left them “surprised”.

Selby District Council is looking at where new pitches for the travelling community should be placed to prevent illegal camping.

About 60 potential locations originally came under the microscope, but the move sparked fierce local opposition and led to calls from Selby and Ainsty MP Nigel Adams for it to be abandoned until Government changes to the way the need for travellers’ space were approved.

Three possible sites are in Burn, which already has one camp, and residents gathered at a public meeting this week to discuss the issue.

Parish council vice-chairman Chris Phillipson said: “The existing site has, over the past two decades, become integrated into the Burn community.

“There have been no problems with that, but we don’t feel we should have any more sites here and they should be spread around the district instead, which is why we are urging residents to make their views known to the council.

“We appreciate and understand the council’s efforts and the need for more sites, but we believe Burn is already playing its part.”

The council is looking to provide ten new travellers’ pitches and has extended its consultation period to April 18.

Council leader Mark Crane said: “It’s fair to say we’ve been surprised by the level of response, which is why we’ve taken the decision to extend the deadline so as many people as possible can have their say.

“The whole point of the consultation is to seek people’s views, and the more they have their say, the better the Site Allocations Development Plan Document is at reflecting their needs and aspirations.”

Comments can be submitted online or in writing and copies of the consultation documents are available at the council’s Access Selby office, local libraries and selby.gov.uk/SADPD

The council has said not having a framework for permanent travellers’ sites could make unauthorised pitches difficult to remove and the consultation is designed to put it in a “strong position to deal with illegal encampments”.