A PLAN to keep stretch limousines in a disused farm building at Marske summed up "our cheap and chintzy world", Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council leader David Walsh claimed.

After hearing Councillor Garth Houchen support the application from Simmons Nurseries, Councillor Walsh said he would ban the vehicles if he could. Failing that, he wanted a raft of conditions attached to the plan to prevent expansion of the site's use.

Members of the council's planning committee were considering the application to store six vehicles in a former agricultural shed.

Planning officer Doreen Mealing said the vehicles were used for hire as part of a business run by the brother of market garden site owner Paul Simmons.

She said Government guidelines encouraged use of redundant farm buildings for other purposes provided they contributed to the local economy and did not have an adverse impact on the area.

Coun Houchen said: "Stretch limos are very popular and because of this unique service he is providing he needs to park them overnight. I would have been worried if he had been talking about parking them in the industrial estate. They wouldn't last five minutes there."

Coun Walsh said: "This summarises the cheap and chintzy world we live in. These are ugly things and if I had a Private Members' Bill I would ban them.

"But can we be sure that if we approve this we have not taken an irrevocable step towards this building becoming a depot and subject to more schemes?"

The application was approved.