TOWN council planners are being urged to reject a couple's bid to build a single-storey house on the site of a 20-acre smallholding .

Mr and Mrs Steve Bradbury want to build the house - for use six months each year - on a site 300 metres from Minskip village, near Boroughbridge.

A letter from their agent supporting the plan says that the couple keep 65 ewes and four brood mares, along with four other horses which are used for eventing.

"This is a commercial enterprise which requires an almost constant attendance on site generally - but 24 hours during the lambing season from January to April," says a report from the agent about the planned home at Thorndikes Farm Stud, Thorndikes Lane.

Mr and Mrs Bradbury, who have owned the stud for more than ten years, say the farm and stud are too far from their house to see or hear any problems.

They added that a security system would not provide any warning during birthing in the lambing season.

Boroughbridge Town Council planning officer Robin Forrester says it would be an inappropriate development in the countryside and would not be justified in agricultural terms.

He pointed out that permanent homes are only allowed when an agricultural holding is being run full-time, economically viable and justified in operational terms.

"In this instance, by the applicants' own admission, the holding is only part-time and there is no business plan, nor any apparent intention to build up the business," says Mr Forrester's report to councillors.

"While the applicants' desire to care for their animals is noted, this doesn't amount to material reasons to set aside the development plan."

Harrogate Borough Council planning committee is being recommended to refuse the development when it meets on Tuesday.