A long-term resident said opening the site up to more caravans could bring in trouble and antisocial behaviour.

Hailsham mayor Ian Haffenden said the four additional places, almost doubling the population, would create overcrowding.

The site has five pitches at present.

Mr Haffenden said, "My concern is the increase of the size. There will be insufficient amenity space around them for that many people to live effectively.

"There will be problems with space between the caravans — room in which children can play and vehicles can park — providing a decent standard of living."

He said nearby Lion House Caravan Park, in Mill Road, had far more space between caravans already than Swan Barn.

East Sussex County Council, which owns the site, is discussing the four extra pitches with Wealden District Council and will apply for government funding for them next month. Any planning application will go before the county council itself.

Penny Doe, 32, who has lived at Swan Barn with her husband James for 16 years, said the site had a small, close-knit community.

She said, "We don't want it to be extended. When you get too big caravan sites you get lots of trouble with people moving in and moving off the site.

"At the moment we are all one family. We have lived here for most of our lives as have our parents and their parents. The council wants to change the way we are living."

Mrs Doe believes residents have been blackmailed into accepting the changes, having been told planned refurbishments would only go ahead if there were more pitches.

She said, "I have six children living here and this is their home. At the moment we all know each other and what we are all like. If you get strangers here, perhaps they will complain about something or disagree about something."

She said a bigger site could create more trouble and jeopardise the site's good relationship with the wider community.

A spokesman for East Sussex County Council said, "This proposal is still at an early stage but it is intended to help us reduce the number of unauthorised encampments, improve the existing traveller sites in East Sussex and enable Wealden District Council to meet the assessed accommodation needs of the local gypsy and traveller community."