text: Controversial plans to spend £3.2million pulling down a 19th century country mansion and building a 'Butlins-style' gipsy camp have been approved despite angry protests by neighbours. Villagers in the small country hamlet of Cledford, near Middlewich in Cheshire, had vehemently opposed the plans saying that travellers could 'intimidate' nearby pensioners and may ruin the idyllic surroundings. But yesterday, Cheshire East Council gave the proposal the go ahead at a planning meeting, which will create a 'transit site' with room for nine gipsy families. The 200-year-old Cledford Hall in the small hamlet of Cledford in Cheshire which is being knocked down to make way for a 'Butlins-style' gipsy camp costing £3.2million . People living in the village have reacted with fury about the plans saying travellers could intimidate nearby pensioners . The mansion's Grade-II listed adjoining barn will be converted into 'washing and toilet' facilities and office accommodation for a resident warden will also be provided at the expense of taxpayers. The cost of the project, revealed through a Freedom of Information request, has left locals stunned, and they now fear their picturesque cottages will be left worthless as they contemplate selling up and leaving the area. Formerly Grade II-listed Cledford Hall, which dates back to 1822, was severely damaged by fire three years ago and its listing was cancelled. It will be fully demolished to make way for the site which will house gypsy families for a maximum of 28 days before they must move on. Around 100 letters of opposition were handed to the council alongside a petition comprising 500 signatures but they will continue with the plans - which also include a play area - in efforts to put a stop to ‘unauthorised encampments’. The £3.2million cost of the project was only revealed through a Freedom of Information request and got the go ahead yesterday by Cheshire East Council . Cledford Hall, which dates back to 1822, was severely damaged by fire three years ago and its Grade-II listing was cancelled . Builder Bob Moody, 66, bought a ‘dream’ retirement cottage with his wife Trisha, 61, and has spent £130,000 renovating it with original Victorian fittings. It now lies, almost finished, at the site’s entrance but he is refusing to move into it and fears he could lose £100,000 if it is put on the market. He said: 'We’re totally gutted. We’re not going to live there now. Can we sell it? It’s going to be so hard to sell. We honestly don’t know what to do. 'Most of my life savings have gone into this cottage. Do we chop the price to half of what it was worth or do we sit on it? Would anybody want to rent it from opposite a gypsy site? 'We were so confident we were going to get somewhere in that meeting because we had strong arguments especially in regards to fire safety, as the plans put the caravans too close together which flouts regulations. Builder Bob Moody at the gates to the site with local residents Ken Roden and George Beevers. He says he was only given three minutes to voice his concerns on behalf of residents at the planning meeting . Mr Moody beside the house he bought in Cledford as a retirement home. He is refusing to move into the property and fears he could lose £100,000 if it is put on the market . 'If they have to be three metres apart they may have to reduce the number of caravans. That means they could be spending up to £5million to accommodate six to eight families. It’s ludicrous. 'These types of transit families in Cheshire can be obstructive, they may fight with police, defecate in hedges, leave rubbish everywhere. These are not the sort of neighbours that OAPs want opposite them.' At the planning meeting, the strategic planning board of Cheshire East Council had eight votes in favour of the site, with one against. Three members abstained from voting. Residents also raised concerns that the new site would destroy local wildlife which had settled on the site of Cledford Hall, including grass snakes, hedgehogs and toads. A planning permission sign next to Cledford Hall. Cheshire East Council say the development is needed to house travellers in the area . Mr Moody added: 'None of us can understand why the council should think it necessary to spend such a large amount of money providing a luxury Butlin’s-style holiday camp for travellers in such lovely countryside. 'There could be a minimum of between 80 and 100 gypsies and travellers at any time. Some may be very pleasant and law abiding, but you will always get the few who aren’t. 'They are only allowed to stay for 28 days so you can’t form a relationship with these people. If we get the odd ones that fight and get drunk and cause trouble it will be very intimidating.' Mr Moody explained he was only given three minutes to voice his concerns on behalf of residents at the planning meeting. He added: 'I’m going to talk to a lawyer to see if there is any way we can get compensation. 'It is the direct action of Cheshire East Council that has lost me nearly £100,000 and I can’t recover that cost. 'This has totally ruined my retirement and retirement plans. I haven’t set a date for my retirement now because our dream was to go to our little idyllic comfortable country cottage in the fields of Cheshire and that’s been shattered now.' Building work on the site is due to go ahead in the near future since the passing of the final stage of the application. Councillor Don Stockton, head of housing and jobs for Cheshire East Council who lives in the nearby town of Alderley Edge and was part of the applying team, said: 'We need a site somewhere in Cheshire East as we have a lot of travellers in the area and have had a lot of unapproved sites where travellers have been and we have not been able to move them. 'This is an approved site which we have investigated and compared with many others across the borough. It is very difficult to get these things sited and there has been plenty of public opposition. 'I know there has been a lot of public angst and people haven’t liked it but I’m afraid that is going to be the case wherever you would wish to put a transit site. 'I do feel sorry for the nearby residents. I think if the site was on my doorstep it’s just a case if wherever these things are sited it is bound to have opposition. 'It wouldn’t matter whether it was next to my house or anyone’s house. With the best will in the world we have to try and pick the best site possible. 'It’s just inevitable there is opposition and I’m very sorry for those who have a problem with that. We are under a legal obligation to have site for travellers.” Middlewich, which borders Cledford, was named the UK’s fourth most desirable place to live in a Royal Mail study last year.
target: Plans for site for travellers has been approved by East Cheshire Council .
  This is despite angry neighbours in village of Cledford angry about plans .
  Grade II listed barn next to hall to be converted into toilets and showers .
  Full cost of the development was only revealed through Freedom of Information request .