THE foot-and-mouth crisis has forced an ambitious farmer to put on hold his plans to build a holiday centre and golf course on the site of a Second World War Army camp.

Dairy farmer John Richardson was severely affected by the epidemic, losing thousands of pounds in revenue last year as the disease swept across the region.

His biggest income comes from the milk produced by his herd of 100 cattle at his farm at Whorlton, near Barnard Castle, but he says the crisis caused prices to plummet.

Now his dreams of building 73 holiday chalets on the site of Humbleton Army Camp, just off the A67 between Barnard Castle and Darlington, could be delayed by years as he tries to recover lost earnings and rebuild his business.

The proposal for the holiday complex first hit the headlines in 1991, when Mr Richardson and his brother Gordon, who farms at Winston, Teesdale, put forward an application to Teesdale District Council.

The brothers also applied to build a golf course and 28-bedroom hotel as part of the holiday complex, which councillors approved in 1991.

The proposed chalet development was approved in 1992, but an ongoing debate over planning conditions delayed the start of work on the holiday centre.

Despite the latest setback, the brothers are still determined to build the holiday complex after planning permission was renewed by Teesdale council in 2000.

John Richardson said last night: "Last year was an incredibly tough year for farmers, and although I didn't lose any cattle, Gordon lost some stock, and everyone seemed to lose thousands of pounds.

"Sadly, it means we will have to put the planned holiday complex on the back burner, but we still have planning permission to build the chalets and 18-hole golf course, and that is exactly what we plan to do.

"It would be great for Teesdale and its economy, which took a real knock last year, because it would draw in hundreds of visitors every year and help local shops and businesses."

Yesterday, at a meeting of Durham County Council's cabinet, members agreed to sell off an 11-acre site at the camp, next to Mr Richardson's land.

Councillors agreed that the land was surplus to requirements.