A FARMER and entertainer who saw his plans to open a caravan park passed then later overturned heard this week that he had lost his appeal.

Mr Paul Stephenson became embroiled in a planning wrangle with Teesdale District Council over his desire to site caravans on land he owns at Coal Road, Marwood, near Barnard Castle, when councillors, on the advice of their monitoring officer, Mr Mike Dennis, debated the matter afresh. His advice followed the threat of a possible legal challenge by objectors, who claimed councillors had not declared significant contact with the applicant.

At a meeting before Christmas, members voted 12-9 to allow the application in a departure from the structure plan. But in February, following the challenge threat, the full council voted 15-10 to rescind the minutes relating to the application, leaving it open for fresh discussion by the planning south committee, whose members voted 8-7 in March to refuse permission.

Mr Stephenson's appeal was dismissed by the inspector, who said existing immature and proposed planting would not effectively screen the site during summer months and that caravans would be clearly visible from both near and far public vantage points for many years to come.

The siting of up to 50 touring caravans and the construction of a substantial building would be an incongruous feature during winter months.

Other issues included the close proximity of a site valuable to wildlife, with the potential for disturbance by caravanners, and the possible disturbance to local residents from a proposed bar.

In the light of problems in the farming industry, diversification initiatives were to be encouraged, but alternative uses for agricultural land must be carefully considered and could not, purely for economic reasons, be allowed to harm the character of the surrounding area.

Mr Stephenson expressed thanks to everyone who supported his application, saying it would not be forgotten.

"In every adversity is the seed of an equal or greater benefit," he added philosophically