A controversial planning application for a gipsy caravan site on Bovingdon Green Belt land has been withdrawn.

The plans were first put to Dacorum Borough Council in July last year but were thrown out by the planning committee in September.

The application proposed a change of use of the Green Belt site, adjacent to the Bobsleigh Hotel, in Hempstead Road, to be used as a residential caravan site for eight gipsy families, each with up to two caravans.

It was resubmitted but has since been withdrawn.

A spokeswoman for Dacorum Borough Council said: "The previous application was withdrawn by the applicant. The current application is invalid due to an issue with the red line plan and the ownership of the site."

The red line plan refers to a location map of the proposed site with a red line marking the boundary of the proposed site.

When the proposals first surfaced they came under attack from villagers and local councillors.

Hundreds of Bovingdon residents, as well as representatives from Bovingdon Action Group and Bovingdon Parish Council, packed out the council chamber for the planning meeting in which the decision was made. It was also revealed that Dacorum has received more than 1,000 emails and letters of objection to the proposals.

Glenn Povey, chairman of Bovingdon Parish Council, urged the committee to refuse the application.

The development control committee also voiced their objections to the application before unanimously voting against it.