PEOPLE living in a courtyard housing development believe they have found the ideal solution to illegal parkers who have been making their lives a misery.

They have applied to North Yorkshire County Council to block their road to the public - and have won the backing of council officials.

Residents' patience has run out with people who park indiscriminately outside their homes, even blocking their garages. A road serving the housing development was officially adopted by the county council as a highway. Now, Bedern Court Limited has asked the council step into the row at the homes, between Bedern Bank and Skellgarths, near Ripon Cathedral on the fringe of the city centre.

Ripon City Council and Harrogate Borough Council have raised no objections. But the borough council has warned a new gated entrance for residents could need planning permission.

A spokesman for the county council said blocking the road would mean the county council giving up its interest in Bedern Court, adding that the plan would have to be advertised.

If there were no objections an application could be made to the magistrates' court for approval. The proposal would be carried out under Section 116 of the Highways Act 1980.