A PUBLIC inquiry will be held into an application by a Swaythling resident to register land earmarked for a gypsy and traveller transit site as a village green.

Southampton City Council's planning panel, which must decide the application, agreed to the move to avoid any "perceived conflict of interest".

It will now appoint an independent inspector to test the evidence during a week-long inquiry next year in the "interest of openness and transparency".

Hampshire County Council, which owns about two thirds of the land that would be protected from any development, agreed to let Southampton City Council handle the hearing.

The inspector must decide whether a significant number of residents has used the land at Monks Brook for recreation for at least 20 years.

He will then report back to the planning and environment committees of the city and county council.

The village green application will be advertised for six weeks for objections.

It was made by nature enthusiast Janet Ticehurst to save wildlife and recreation land from being harmed by a proposed 12-caravan transit site off Stoneham Way.

It follows a fierce campaign by local residents against the location of the campsite, backed by Tory councillors, which failed to prevent the council granting planning permission. The site was selected from a list of 46 sites.

City council chiefs say the village green application could delay the £1.7m project by at least 12 months and force costs up by more than £100,000.

The cost of a five-day hearing into the village green appellation is estimated to be in the region of £20,000, which will be split between the two authorities.

The Government Office for the South East, which awarded the council £1m towards the site, said the grant was not at risk if there were delays, but warned that if the village green bid was successful a fresh funding application would have to be made for an alternative site.