Residents fighting plans to put a temporary gipsy site in their village were celebrating today after the City of York Council announced it had found an alternative site.

Villagers were up in arms when they found out about plans to put a site for 12 families in the middle of Osbaldwick, while improvements took place at the permanent site at Outgang Lane.

Now the council has found an alternative field next door to the permanent site after parish councillor Malcolm Kettlestring persuaded a landowner to offer his land. The council said negotiations had been going on for several months but Coun Kettlestring stepped in last week, when residents found out about the plans and mounted a huge campaign against them.

He said: "I'm acquainted with the local landowner adjacent to the permanent site who at first was reluctant to be involved but after some persuasion has now entered into an agreement with the city council.

"The people of Osbaldwick would wish me to thank the landowner for his generous offer."

He said the landowner did not wish to be named. Liz Wilson, who lives opposite the site originally proposed, was one of the residents who mobilised the village when it became clear what the council was planning.

She said: "The whole village is absolutely delighted about this outcome and I think the fact that we did all get together so promptly did help matters.

"But we are still annoyed that the City of York Council did not mention the address of the original site on any of the correspondence to us.

"We feel that if we hadn't taken action it would have got through."

She thanked all those who had helped print and distribute letters and all those who had written to the council and supported the campaign.

Ryedale MP John Greenway, who branded the original plans as "totally unacceptable", said: "I'm very grateful to the council and delighted that they listened and responded so positively."

At the Outgang Lane site, traveller Sarah Jane Smith said: "We just hope that this new site will not affect the amount of money to be spent on improvement to our permanent site.

"At the end of the day we all have to live together. We don't want to cause any hassle." Sarah Jane Smith said her family had lived in York for five generations. "I'm not bothered where we go as long as we have toilet facilities, electricity and water."

Coun Viv Kind, chairwoman of the Housing Services Committee, said: "We are pleased that we are able to offer a different solution to this problem. The new proposed site meets the needs of both travellers and villagers."

The planning application for the original site at the corner of Osbaldwick Village and Metcalfe Lane has now been withdrawn and replaced with one for the new site. The application is set to be decided on July 3.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.