COUNCILLORS have refused planning permission for a travellers' caravan site for a second time.

At a meeting of Darlington Borough Council's planning committee, the proposal, which was identical to one submitted last July, was rejected.

Council officers had recommended that Jim Mounsey's proposals for Blackwell Moor Farm, in Snipe Lane, Hurworth Moor, should be approved.

Mr Mounsey, who lives on the site, wanted to change the use of the land to house six caravans for members of his family.

He had sought backing from The Gypsy Council, which wrote a letter to the council arguing that the original decision contravened human rights legislation.

But at the latest meeting, planning officers advised councillors that refusal of planning permission would not infringe the Human Right Act.

From 1994, Government grants to help local authorities provide gipsy caravan sites ceased, leaving the national shortfall to be made good by gipsies.

Councillor Gordon Plummer said: "It appears that apart from the letter from The Gypsy Council, nothing has actually changed.

"I would move to reaffirm our decision from the last meeting and use the reasons for refusal that nothing has changed with regards to criteria."

Committee members rejected the proposal because they feared it could damage the countryside and there was unsatisfactory access to the nearby A66 trunk road.

Reference was also made to part of the Tees Valley Structure Plan, which states that new gipsy sites should have reasonable access to essential services and facilities, and be relatively unobtrusive.

The council's highways engineer concluded that the site did not have convenient access to public transport or shops, hospitals and medical services.