AN off-road driving school looks likely to be allowed to operate permanently despite concerns from environmental groups.

In 1999, Deepdale Off-Road, based in Startforth, near Barnard Castle, was given temporary approval to operate for five years, and this expires in February.

Graeme Gill, who runs the farm diversification business, has now applied to Teesdale District Council to make the licence permanent.

Teesdale planning officer Andrew Bishop has recommended that permission be given, but a number of bodies feel permission should remain on a temporary basis.

The majority of the site is within the Deepdale Wood County Wildlife Site and an officer from the Durham Wildlife Trust said: "I am inclined to object to permanent planning permission being granted, and feel that short-term permissions encourage the applicant to be more careful with the site.

"If permission is granted, it should only be for a short term with an agreement to monitor the effects of the driving on the woodland habitat."

However, in his report to councillors, Mr Bishop says that the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group acknowledged levels of damage at the site have been restricted to the tracks. Other areas had, in fact, benefited from the fact that fertilisers were no longer used on the pasture land.

He adds: "No evidence has been put forward to show that the 'strong reservations' of the county council and wildlife trust have any material justification.

"After five years' use, there is no evidence to show that the ecological value of the site has been damaged."

Mr Gill said he did not want to comment on the application until it had been decided by the council. Teesdale council's planning committee will discuss the proposal on Wednesday, at 5.30pm.