A DECISION to refuse permission for a children's play area in Newton Aycliffe has been overturned on appeal.

In February, Sedgefield Borough Council rejected an application to convert a unit on the town's industrial estate into a soft play area.

Darren and Andrea Peckett said their proposal would create jobs for 25 people in an area where there were few play facilities.

But council planning officers argued that the site would not be suitable for such non-industrial use and would hinder possible expansion prospects of other businesses.

But Government planning inspector Davit Metcalfe said the concerns were unsubstatiated, and pointed to the fact that the unit had been vacant for some time.

In his report, Mr Metcalfe said: "The council's concerns about such a proposal fettering the ability of other businesses to operate or expand seem to me to be totally unsubstantiated.

"No evidence is produced to support this allegation and, indeed, the adjoining occupier fully supports the proposal, hardly suggesting that this development would hinder the ability of that concern to prosper."

Mr Metcalfe said he knew of similar proposals that had been allowed on other industrial estates with little impact on businesses.

He said: "All these reasons suggest to me that the loss of this particular unit to a leisure use would not have any impact on the overall industrial and business objectives being pursued by the council.

"Accordingly, I conclude that the policy objection to this proposal cannot be sustained."

Planning officers also argued that the number of vehicles visiting the site would lead to congestion and road safety problems.

But the inspector rejected those fears, saying the proposal includes adequate car parking provision.

He said: "I am satisfied the likely difficulties are overstated and that the proposal would not cause congestion detrimental to other road users or any material harm to road safety."

The report is a second blow to the council's planning department, after an inspector's decision last week to overturn its refusal to allow a childcare nursery to be built on the industrial estate.

Both appeal decisions will be reported to a meeting of the council's development control committee on Friday.