Travellers have joined a protest to stop their own caravan site almost doubling in size to meet central Government targets.

The families said they shared residents’ fears of more antisocial behaviour and traffic if plans for the site in Trewint Street were approved.

An online petition against the plans has so far gathered nearly 400 signatures, while campaigning leaflets have been distributed at Earlsfield station.

Phoebe Ward, 81, who has lived on the site for 40 years, said: “At the moment there’s no trouble with any of the neighbours, but if they’re going to make it bigger there’s going to be more problems in the area. Everyone is against it. I love how quiet it is here.”

Her neighbour Danny Hallissey, 58, said: “The site’s big enough as it is. Everyone here gets on well. The problem with bigger sites is that you get more trouble because there would be more children.”

In a document produced in December, the council proposed to expand the 12-pitch caravan site by up to 10 pitches within the next seven years.

The move followed a Government order to create new traveller spaces in Wandsworth even though the current site currently had two empty plots.

The site, which has existed since 1974, would expand into a space currently used to store scrap metal.

Some residents said fly-tipping and yobbish behavior was already a problem and feared a larger site might attract antisocial families from all over the UK.

One landlord in his 60s said: “I’d be dead against it. We’re all socialists until it’s on your own doorstep. I do fear it could bring the house prices down.”

A council spokesman said no planning application had been submitted and the idea was now subject to public consultation.

They said: “There was a great deal of inaccurate and misleading information being circulated in the area. We wanted to set the record straight and ensure people had the true facts at their fingertips.”

Consultation runs until February 5 and plans can be viewed at wandsworth.gov.uk/garrattmills.

To submit your views visit wandsworth-consult.limehouse. co.uk/portal, email planning policy@wandsworth.gov.uk or write to Planning Policy, Wandsworth Town Hall, London SW18 2PU.