AN environmental watchdog has welcomed a decision to reject a plea for large entrance gates at a North Yorkshire priory estate.

The scheme, for the Priory Estate in the Nun Monkton conservation area near York, had been turned down by Harrogate Borough Council's planning committee.

In addition to main gates, the scheme included the erection of a masonry screen wall, gate piers, a pass gate and entrance railings.

Linda Potter, who represents the Harrogate District branch of the Council for the Protection of Rural England, said the decision to refuse the scheme was correct, describing it as "a completely ridiculous plan".

Planning inspector Roger Brown, dismissing the appeal, said the scheme would be harmful to the character and appearance of the conservation area as well as the setting of nearby listed buildings.

He said: "Little consideration appears to have been given to the visual impact of the proposed gates in the open position when viewed from the nearby ground floor windows of The Lodge, and this adds weight to my judgement."

The inspector said the applicants had contended the gates would improve security within the estate.

In the appeal, reference had been made to a number of attempts to steal statues and other items from either within or next to the grounds.

There had also been a break-in at a detached garage and the inspector said he was aware North Yorkshire Police supported the appeal.

Although the inspector sympathised over the security issue, he said the majority of statues and similar structures were already behind a substantial boundary wall, which included large timber gates, enclosing most of the estate.

And he said he believed modern alarms, closed circuit television equipment or detection devices could provide an adequate level of protection without the need for gates as large as those proposed.