THE strength of feeling against a proposed travellers' site forced Yate Town Council to hold its bi-monthly meeting outside for the first time.

The Tuesday evening meeting was held in the freezing open air, as around 400 residents turned out to protest at plans for a gypsy camp on the Road to Nowhere.

A petition signed by more than 1,200 people was handed to the town council, with both councillors and residents categorically stating objections to Local Plan inspector David Fenton's recommendation that travellers take over part of Yate Common.

Mr Fenton was slated by councillors and residents for his comments and his recommendation was labelled nothing short of ridiculous.

The town council has now approved a written resolution, which it will send to South Gloucestershire Council, clearly stating its opposition to the common being used as anything other than public space.

Cllr Chris Willmore, a professional barrister who has been instrumental in fighting the travellers' site, said: "We are completely against anything that threatens the common, yet travellers are particularly difficult for people to deal with.

"This is the most crazy inspector's decision I have seen in 25 years of planning law."

She also pointed out that the recommendation had a number of legal pitfalls.

As South Gloucestershire Council owns the land it is legally required to provide a certain amount of public open space to its residents.

Yate Common is the only public space in south Yate and residents are concerned that travellers using the Road to Nowhere would soon spill over onto the rest of the common. They also said they did not want to feel intimidated when walking their dogs or feel too worried to let their children play there.

Councillors, standing on a bench outside Poole Court so the crowds could hear, stressed the importance of fighting the proposal now.

Cllr Tony Davis said: "The thing we have to do is stop it happening now."

The unprecedented number of residents who turned up to the meeting told of their concerns over the value of their properties should travellers set up a camp on their doorsteps.

Larger houses in the area would be rendered unsellable, a local estate agent claimed.

Simon Bracey, of Wellstead Avenue, collected 300 signatures for the petition with his brother Tony.

He said: "Every single person was more than happy to sign the petition.

"Our main argument is that, although we are not against travellers having their own site, we think this site is in the wrong place. There are more appropriate brown field sites and industrial land.

"We are completely and wholly against this proposal."

Mr Bracey added that two years ago when travellers moved on to the common, the mess they left behind cost Yate taxpayers thousands of pounds to clear up.

Clive Long, of Chedworth, which is adjacent to the site entrance, said pensioners, young couples and families had all supported the protest.

He told the Gazette: "It has been a lot different this time. I was involved in getting the travellers off last time and not that many people were interested but as soon as people found out this site could be permanent, there was a lot of interest."

The Avon Travellers' Support Group has said it did not push for the Road to Nowhere to become a dedicated travellers' site, but it has promised to push for another site in South Gloucestershire if the common is left untouched.

South Gloucestershire Council has a duty to provide a number of permanent travellers' sites and has so far failed to do so.

Residents and town councillors agreed that Yate Common was not the place for that travellers' site.