MINETY residents campaigning for the removal of an unauthorised gypsy site say they have not got their hopes up following a decision by a planning inspector to dismiss an appeal by gypsies living on land at Startley.

A Government planning inspector upheld a decision by North Wiltshire District Council to refuse planning permission for two mobile homes, two touring caravans and a toilet block on a permanent base at Heath Road following a public inquiry on November 11.

Minety residents are awaiting a decision from a planning inspector following an inquiry in February due in the summer.

Verina Hyland, chairman of the Minety Action Group, said they were not letting the Startley decision raise their hopes too high. "We are going to wait and see," she said. "There are some differences between the two cases. But I would like to think this decision would have some impact and give us a little hope."

The Startley inquiry dealt with two appeals one relating to the refusal to grant planning permission and the second against an enforcement notice requiring the use to cease and the site to be restored for grazing land.

The inspector considered the main issues were the effect on the rural character of the area, and whether there were other considerations in support of the proposal, which outweighed conflicts with the local plan.

He concluded the gypsy site had changed the character of the area and that its remote location meant there would be more traffic.

He modified the enforcement notice so residents have 18 months to comply . The site must now be cleared by August 17 2006.

Romani gypsy spokesman Maggie Smith-Bendell said they did not wish to make any comment about the future of the Minety site until the result of the appeal was announced.