PROTESTORS have succeeded in blocking plans for a farm building to be built in Fishburn.

The 78ft-long building was to be built on land off Butterwick Road and used to store farm machinery along with hay and straw.

However, local residents, fearing it would be an eyesore, gathered two protest petitions.

Councillors on Sedgefield Borough Council's development control committee have agreed to refuse the plans.

The building would have replaced two smaller agricultural buildings which were being demolished.

An initial consultation process resulted in an eight-signature petition and prompted council planners to suggest that the building could be repositioned. This was rebuffed by the applicant and another idea was put forward to screen the building with trees.

But this then resulted in a new 52-signature petition from residents in Millfield Road, Butterwick Road and Bridge View, who said the trees could provide cover for opportunist thieves.

Charles Walton, the borough council's principal development control officer, told a meeting which discussed the plan: "Your officers have considered this and looked very carefully at the issues and we feel that this building would have a detrimental impact."

Mr Walton added that the building's size was "way above" that required, as only about a third of the storage space was needed.