CONTROVERSIAL plans to build a temporary home at a fish farm have been approved despite objections by residents.

Members of Wear Valley District Council's development control committee agreed that there was a need for some sort of home on the site, which is south of Derwent Bridge, Edmundbyers, at a meeting this week.

But councillors said they were not happy with the design of the wooden structure that has been proposed.

Joan and John Linney, from Shotley Bridge, near Consett, have spent several years and hundreds of thousands of pounds trying to set up the fish farm in the countryside surrounding the Derwent Reservoir.

But their plans ground to a halt when planning permission was refused twice for temporary accommodation on the site, which is in the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Beauty.

They already had permission for four growing ponds and have spent about £235,000 on access roads, an agricultural shed and water and electricity connections.

People living near the site have branded it an eyesore and many residents attended Thursday evening's meeting to try to persuade councillors to refuse the application for the chalet-style home, which they say will ruin the area.

Two objectors said that the majority of people in the nearby village were against the development and many meetings had been held in protest.

However, agent Ian Self, acting on behalf of Mr and Mrs Linney, said it had been proved that there was a need for accommodation on site and guaranteed that progress would be made on the development of the site if planning permission was granted.

He told the committee that planning permission had been given for a similar development in Witton-le-Wear following an appeal.

Councillor David Kingston said he felt that the committee had to grant permission for some sort of accommodation, but he asked that the final design be brought back to the committee before the home was built.

He said: "Nobody is happy with the design that is in front of us and it is the design that matters. I think we have to say go ahead but we must have a say on the design."