A PLANNING appeal into Darlington Borough Council’s decision to refuse permission for an extension to a gypsy site will be heard next month.

Billy Cairney is appealing the decision to refuse plans to extend the existing site off Aycliffe Lane, Brafferton.

The plans for three additional pitches, amenities blocks and hard standing were refused last year.

Council chiefs felt the form and scale of the application would be visually intrusive within the open rural countryside location.

The appeal will be heard by the Planning Inspectorate at the Town Hall, at 10am, on Tuesday, April 8.

RAILWAY MEETING: Staff from the Head of Steam railway museum will be at St Mark’s Church, North Road, in Darlington, from 10.30am to 12.30pm, on Wednesday, April 9, to meet residents who want to find out more about their new project ‘North East Railways in World War One’. Funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, the project will focus on the contribution of railway workers in the North East during the First World War.

SEW MUCH FUN: The next meeting of the Darlington Embroiderers’ Guild will be on Saturday, April 5, at Elm Ridge Methodist Church, in Carmel Road South. A talk will be given by Deb Gillanders, entitled Propagansey. The meeting starts at 2pm and visitors are welcome for a small charge.

GET BUZZING: Darlington Bee Keepers Association (DBKA) will host a talk by Tony Jefferson, at Brafferton Village Hall, at 7.30pm, on Thursday, April 3. Mr Jefferson will offer insights into the skills and crafts involved in producing heather honey. DBKA chairman Malcolm Harding said: “We are delighted Tony Jefferson has accepted our invitation. His knowledge of bee keeping is unrivalled and his friendly, down to earth manner makes his talks fun and accessible to expert and novice alike.”