A MOVE aimed at allowing a travellers’ site to remain close to a North Yorkshire village looks set to be blocked by councillors next week.

A report is due to go before Selby District Council’s planning committee about the situation on land near to New Road in Drax.

Nigel Adams, MP for Selby and Ainsty, recently met residents who were concerned about the site, which was created without planning permission and is occupied by one family.

A retrospective planning application has now been submitted for the use, which councillors will consider on Tuesday.

A report to the meeting said: “The creation of a residential caravan site, for occupation by one gipsy family, is acceptable in terms of its impact upon the character and appearance of the countryside, residential amenity and highway safety.”

However, planning officers called the site “a highly vulnerable development”, as it was located on a flood zone and faced “an unacceptable risk of flooding”.

Six residents filed objections to the site, which consists of three caravans and has been in the area for more than 18 months.

The parish council also objected, calling it “a blatant attempt to get round or ignore planning regulations and local opinion”, and “the thin end of the wedge, encouraging others to flout the regulations”.

The parish council said: “Selby District Council needs to carry out a full survey of the district and determine properly where travellers’ sites need to be.”

The planning report recommends that permission for the change of use from undeveloped land should be refused.