COUNCILLORS who refused planning permission for a gipsy caravan site less than a year ago will be advised to allow the scheme to go ahead tomorrow.

Darlington Borough Council has received an identical proposal to that turned down last July, backed by a letter stating the original decision contravenes human rights legislation. Council officers have recommended that Jim Mounsey's proposals for Blackwell Moor Farm, in Snipe Lane, Hurworth Moor, should be approved.

However, the same recommendation was made at the last time of asking, and the plans were rejected by councillors, who said the development could damage the countryside and argued there was unsatisfactory access to the nearby A66 trunk road.

The application is to accommodate six of his relatives in caravans on a hardstanding site within the grounds of Mr Mounsey's property.

The Gipsy Council, in a letter to the council, says article eight of the European Convention on Human Rights has a bearing on the application.

The letter, from Gipsy Council president Hughie Smith, reads: "Everyone has the right to respect for his private and family life, his home and his correspondence.

"In applying for planning permission to develop a site to accommodate other members of his family group, Mr Mounsey is, in fact, attempting to ensure that their rights as members of his own family to a family life together on the same site are respected."

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

Borough planning officer Adrian Miller's report to councillors says: "Members are advised that the 'family life' for which the applicant is entitled to respect is in this context the extended family typical to gypsies.

"The value of this family life to the applicant should be positively considered and weighed with all other material considerations.