Hundreds of people, who turned out for a meeting to discuss plans for a gypsy site in Bromham, voted unanimously to object to the proposal.

There was standing room only in St Nicholas Church on Tuesday evening as villagers who oppose the plans for a field in New Road gathered.

They are against a proposal for a static home with a day room and space for a touring caravan, septic tank and parking.

But Wiltshire Council’s planning chief Alistair Cunningham explained to more than 200 people that as the council has not yet met its quota for gypsy pitches the planning application would be more difficult to oppose.

Bromham Parish Council plans to instruct its own planning consultant to fight the plan.

Parish councillor Pam Thomas said: “We have money to pay for this sort of thing but at the meeting a number of people made it clear they would be willing to contribute.”

She said the meeting, chaired by Wiltshire councillor Jonathon Seed, was calm and arguments put forward were rational.

She said: “People are worried that if this plan is allowed then there could be a danger of it expanding in the future.”

Andy Fawthrop, of New Road, said: “It is concerning that as Wiltshire Council has not got enough gypsy sites this plan could get approval even if it is not deemed to be in the right place.”

Thurdleigh Planning Consultancy said that the application was on behalf of a gypsy family living in Semington.

A second public meeting will be held on January 6 in Bromham Social Centre at 7.30pm.