A PETITION signed by more than 3,000 residents with a message not to develop the last green site in Guisborough, is on its way to Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council.

The council wants to move its headquarters to the market town but if it moves to Chapel Beck, it plans to develop a greenfield site for a car park.

Residents formed a protest group and gathered a petition in a few days with the support of the town council, and yesterday, more than 200 turned up at the site to see Stuart Burns, spokesman for the protestors, hand the petition to borough councillor Anne Franklin. He asked residents to attend a meeting at Sunnyfield House at 7pm on Monday to hear Dr Joan Rees, the council's director of the economy and the environment, speak.

Coun Franklin said: "I think this is wonderful. I hope it is just as well supported on Monday night.

"This will show the borough council the people of Guisborough are determined to keep the only bit of green we have left in the centre of town."

Coun Frankin said she was disappointed Councillor David Walsh, leader of the council, was not at the demonstration, and challenged him to attend on Monday.

Coun Walsh said no one asked him to be at either meeting, but he would be at Monday's meeting.

"I will be facing the people who appear to be opposed to bringing the council to Guisborough," he said.

"Instead of venting their anger on the council, they should really be putting their views to the people who own the brownfield derelict foundry site where we want to put our offices.

"They are chasing the wrong targets. We have got to develop in the interests of the town."