Torridge District Council have received an offer and draft contract from the Homes and Communities Agency of £840,000 to develop a site at Derriton, on the outskirts of Holsworthy, for a Gypsy and Traveller site.

The working group at the council, which includes local representatives, met last Friday morning having received this offer at midday on Thursday.

The next stage for the working group will be to look at the offer in detail, including the 90 page contract, to establish whether or not it would be appropriate to move on to the next stage of the grant offer.

The council have now had communication with many of the local residents in and around the Derriton area, explaining this process.

This offer, of £840,000, is a substantial offer and Torridge District Council will now be scrutinising the process further to ensure that there are no hidden costs over and above this grant that will burden Torridge Tax Payers in the future.

Gaye Tabor, Chair of Community Development, said: "We are very aware of the views of local people surrounding the proposed site. However, we do have an obligation to provide a number of suitable pitches throughout the district for the travelling community and we are continuing to consult with local residents to ensure that we keep everyone fully informed throughout every aspect of the process."