CONTROVERSIAL plans for a showpeople’s site near a York village have been dropped after a land offer was withdrawn.

The site at Knapton was earmarked as accommodation for travelling fairground workers in City of York Council’s draft Local Plan, but local residents claimed it would be too big and a petition opposing it gained more than 1,000 signatures, meaning it would have had to be debated at a full council meeting.

However, the authority said the owner of the land had now withdrawn the site. Westfield councillor Dafydd Williams said he was “pleased” this had happened, saying: “Many of the objections raised in relation to national planning policy were valid and would have been taken into account by the planning inspector once the Local Plan is scrutinised.”

Coun Tracey Simpson-Laing, who represents Acomb, said a showpeople’s site would still have to be found elsewhere for the council to fulfil obligations over showpeople’s accommodation, saying: “I’m confident a better site can be found than the Knapton one.

“The landowner removing the site for consideration has removed the need for the council to consider taking this decision, but any site submitted must be consulted on.”

Conservative Rural West York councillor Chris Steward said: "I am pleased that this site is not going ahead, and that they have seen sense and realised it was a totally inappropriate location.

"However, I cannot believe the audacity of Labour councillors to say they are pleased when they have not represented the opposition of local residents and have maintained throughout that they are neutral on this issue."

Plans for travellers' sites around York under the draft Local Plan have also been met with opposition. A consultation on the planning blueprint runs until July 31.