A FORMER travellers’ site has been bought by a parish council, and now residents are being asked how it should be used.

Meldreth Parish Council completed the purchase of the Mettle Hill site, on Kneesworth Road, from Cambridgeshire County Council two weeks ago. The council is now considering how it will be used in future, and will be getting the views of village residents during a consultation period, starting tonight, (Thursday), at the annual parish meeting.

Parish councillor Rob Searles said: “Now we have bought it we need to decide what we are going to do with it, because it would be a bit of a waste just to leave it standing.

“Various ideas have been raised already and it’s now a case of looking at which of those have the most support and which are practical to do.

“Village residents have funded this purchase through their council tax, so we have a duty to consult fully with them.”

Some of the schemes suggested for the five acre site include allotments and sports pitches.

Cllr Searle said the size of the land means it’s possible it will be used for more than one project.

The scheme to purchase Mettle Hill for the parish came about after South Cambs District Council announced it was seeking to buy the land and re-open it as a gipsy and traveller site.

But the district council soon shelved their plans after a vociferous campaign by village residents.