RURAL campaigners have claimed a significant victory after forcing the Government to back down on changes to planning law.

Ministers had issued a consultation paper earlier this year proposing to introduce a requirement for planning permission even when land was only being used temporarily.

Campaigners in the region said such a move would hit events such as village galas and country markets.

The proposals have now been shelved by Lord Rooker, Minister of State for Housing and Planning, following opposition from a number of quarters.

Michael Trend, clerk for Bowes Parish Council, near Barnard Castle, County Durham, said: "It was going to be completely ridiculous.

"If you wanted to hold a small fete or something like that you would have had to apply for planning permission, meaning more paperwork.

"The Government seems to want to regulate everything and everyone, but they have obviously come to their senses in this case."

The Yorkshire branch of the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) said the decision was good news for the rural economy.

Director Dorothy Fairburn said: "We campaigned hard about the potential consequence of these proposals which could have put an end to small events in the countryside."

She said ministers may not have appreciated the implications of a rule change intended to make it easier to control nuisance events.

"But events like village fetes and clay pigeon shoots are some of the mainstays of life in the countryside and it would have been crazy to make them subject to planning permission."