A COUPLE have won the right to go ahead with the conversion of a barn.

The applicants, of Loud Farm, Loud Hill, Greencroft, near Stanley, will be allowed to turn the barn into four homes with detached garages and to build a stable block.

They appealed to the Planning Inspectorate after Derwentside District Council twice turned down their application for permission.

Last month, the couple also won a long-running battle with the authority for retrospective permission to use some land for a plant hire business.

In a separate ruling, the inspectors overruled the council and granted planning permission for a hot food takeaway on the A694 Durham Road, at Blackhill, near Consett.

The council turned down the application in November last year, on the advice of planning officers.

However, inspector David Stovell granted planning permission on condition that the shop is open no later than 11pm and subject to the approval of a rubbish disposal system.

But another decision by the council has been vindicated by the Planning Inspectorate.

Inspectors upheld the authority's refusal of permission for a holiday caravan park on land east of Ornsby Hill, Maiden Law, near Lanchester.

Derwentside council had thrown out the scheme at a meeting in March. Applicant Holmside Leisure appealed but inspector David Rusdale agreed with the council.

He dismissed the appeal, saying the development would be detrimental to the Browney and Smallhope Burn Valleys Area of High Landscape Value.

Mr Rusdale also said an upgraded access road would damage the Lodge Plantation woodland and have an impact on wildlife.