A NURSERY owner has expressed her disappointment for parents after expansion plans were blocked.

Christine Kellett says she will take her time before deciding whether to appeal against the decision to refuse permission for an extension to the Bright Buttons Nursery, in West End, Fishburn.

Mrs Kellett had applied to build a two-storey extension to the building to create an additional 15 nursery places.

But planning officers at Sedgefield Borough Council recommended the application be turned down because of potential road safety problems associated with the extra visits to the nursery.

Councillors held a site visit yesterday, after which Mrs Kellett put her case in the council chamber.

But the application was turned down by the narrow margin of seven votes to six.

Mrs Kellett said she had made the application on behalf of parents, who wanted her to open an after-school club.

She said: "I'm disappointed for the parents because at the end of the day this venture is on their behalf.

"The day I opened the doors, the request from parents was for an after-school club and I went forward with it for them.

"We have started an after-school club, but we can't take many children and it has reduced the number of other children I can take."

Mrs Kellett said the nursery would be continuing the services it currently offered and said she would be soon be making a decision on whether to appeal against the ruling.