A bid to save Coldblow Woods from the risk of future development by reclassifying it as a village green has been rejected – because of a misunderstanding over the word gypsy.

Campaigners from the Save Coldblow Woods group received the news on Monday, months after they battled the cause at a public inquiry in June.

Campaign spokesman Roger Chatfield said: “I’m very disappointed.”

The crux of their argument was that residents have continued using the woods for more than 20 years. But the inspector ruled against the village green application, saying that residents stopped using the area in 1999 -2000 because gypsies had settled there.

Mr Chatfield said: “She (the inspector) accepted all of our arguments but we had termed all caravan dwellers as travellers.”

Gypsies, travellers and new age travellers have occupied the site, which is on the border of Walmer and Ripple.

Mr Chatfield said the group used the term “travellers” to be politically correct because the word “gypsies” can be inflammatory.

He said they were not questioned on this point of terminology at the inquiry, and the inspector assumed that the presence of the gypsies deterred people from using the land as a village green.

Mr Chatfield said: “The inspector hinted that parts of the land could be turned into a village green. We are waiting to hear from the law clinic to find out what the next step is.”

They have one month to appeal but it is understood they can fight the inspector’s decision on points of law only.

The campaign started after a section of the woods was sealed off with barbed wire in August 2012. The new owners, T.G. Claymore, leased the land to a newly formed organisation, Ringwould Cricket Club, which was fronted by the owner of T.G. Claymore, solicitor Nicholas Fielding.

He told the Mercury his vision for the ground included a sports ground, cricket pitch and running track, with temporary changing rooms.

An application to designate the pathway through the wood as a footpath was abandoned in favour of the village green application. The campaigners faced added timing pressures because the government’s Growth and Infrastructure Bill meant getting village green status would be harder.

The campaigners are waiting to decide their next move.