A COMMUNITY theatre group's plans for expansion look likely to be blocked.

Theatre Cap-a-Pie, based at Manor House Farm, near Lanchester, was hoping to build a theatre workshop near their offices.

But planners at Derwentide District Council have recommended the plans be refused, because the conversion work would constitute a new building - which would be "out of scale and character" with nearby buildings and the valley .

The application was submitted by Douglas Reed, landlord of the Manor House Farm site, which also includes homes converted from farm buildings.

He says the theatre group, which works with local youth groups and unemployed people, needs to expand after taking on several members of staff.

The proposal, amended slightly after it was previously rejected by the council, is to extend a farm building to provide a theatre workshop, holiday cottage and offices.

Mr Reed said: "Theatre Cap-a-Pie are completely unobtrusive in their current offices and have never caused any kind of problems. They have taken on more people in the last few months and want to expand, but stay on the same site.

"The theatre workshop would be used for rehearsals and to store sets and props - not to put on large stage productions.

"It is not going to be used as a working theatre as such, with carloads of theatregoers arriving all the time.

"We are in a beautiful spot here and I don't think these plans, to renovate and improve on an existing building, will be detrimental to the area at all."

A report to the council's development control committee said it had received two objections from neighbours and one letter of support for the scheme.

The objections centre on an expected increase in traffic up the lane leading to Manor House Farm and the extension plans not conforming to the Local Plan's ban on new buildings in rural areas.

The access road, just off the A691 from Durham to Lanchester, is passable by one vehicle only in parts.

The application will be considered at the next development control meeting on Thursday.