Itinerant families currently camped on farmland near Richard's Castle could be told to quit today if an application for a permanent site is refused.

A massive 143 letters of objection have been sent to the South Shropshire District Council opposing a proposal from farmer Thomas Evans for a private caravan site at The Oakery, Wheatcommon Lane.

Objectors include the owners of the Grade 2 listed Ash-ford Hall and the management and parents of children at Moor Park School. Objections have also come from Richards Castle and Ashford Bowdler parish councils.

One objector in Ashford Carbonell says since Ludlow is setting itself up as a cultural tourist area, to have visitors encounter itinerants in their exploration of the town and countryside will not encourage them to return.

"Ashford Carbonell School has a reputation for excellence. The itinerant children will be sent there and this will ensure the evacuation of other children to other schools bringing about the rapid decline and possible closure of the school," says a letter sent to the district council

Other letters from Richard's Castle, Overton, Ludford and further afield object on the grounds of noise, traffic congestion, inadequate sewerage facilities and desecration of the countryside.

There are currently numerous families on the site and an enforcement order for their removal has already been made. If the planning application is refused, then the order comes into force, although three months to allow the families time to find alternative accommodation is recommended.

James Caird, head of planning for South Shropshire District Council, is recommending the application be refused. In his report to the planning committee, Mr Caird says: "The site occupies an unsustainable location in open countryside and does not benefit from a full range of services, facilities and opportunities to use public transport."

He also tells councillors the site would have a detrimental visual impact, that there's not enough information regarding drainage and has failed to show the increased traffic would not be to the detriment of road safety.