AUCTION mart bosses were considering their options yesterday after their controversial plans to move to a greenfield site were thrown out by local councillors.

To the jubilation of people living near the intended site on the edge of Northallerton, Hambleton councillors were unanimous in their rejection of the scheme.

About 50 protestors attended the meeting of the authority's development control committee - and they burst into spontaneous applause when the decision was reached.

Action group leader Bob Beaver said afterwards: "This was a good decision, taken for sound planning reasons. The auction mart must have been given bad advice to try and relocate so close to a residential area.

"The company must re-evaluate and we hope they can find a more suitable site to move to."

The proposal had involved moving the auction mart from its present site at the Applegarth to land south of the town, just off Thirsk Road and close to the St James estate.

But it met with a barrage of objections from local people and hundreds of letters of objection were received by the district council, raising concerns about flooding, traffic, smell, noise and impact on residential amenity.

Now Northallerton Auctions, one of the oldest businesses in the area, is considering its next move - which may even mean leaving the town.

Director Alan Harrison said the company made an important contribution to the prosperity of the town and their only other option would be to stay at the Applegarth.

"Democracy and the planning system in particular can be seen as a frustrating business for all parties," he said.

"Regrettably, the process is sometimes inclined to take the line of least resistance."

He said the company had wanted to have its application deferred in order to address the concerns that had been raised by revising the scale, siting and landscaping of the scheme.

He said: "The company has adopted a philosophical approach and is therefore quietly confident that these can be resolved and must now consider its various options.