ALMOST 50 campaigners filled council chambers and applauded as plans to convert a chapel into a house were rejected.

The application to alter the use of the redundant Chapel of Ease was turned down for the second time yesterday, despite a planning officer's recommendation for approval.

Hambleton District Councillors overwhelmingly felt it inappropriate for someone to live so close to a graveyard, describing the proposals as "an intrusion into grief".

The chapel, in Thornton-Le-Beans, near Northallerton, North Yorkshire, was made redundant ten years ago and was put up for sale by the church commissioners almost two years ago.

A potential buyer has twice applied to the development control committee for permission to change its use into a one-bedroomed house.

The initial application was refused in 2001 on the grounds that it could harm the appearance of the Grade II-listed building, and also because of lack of parking space.

Yesterday, Hambleton's head of development services, Maurice Cann, said the issues had not been resolved.

However, a more prominent issue at the meeting was the proximity of the chapel to the graves, one of which is three weeks old.

Councillor June Imeson said: "We have all lost someone close to us and to convert the chapel into a house is an intrusion into grief and I have to refuse it."

Village residents have set up the Friends of the Chapel of Ease and attended yesterday's meeting in force.

The friends now plan to take over the use of the chapel and use thousands of pounds of promised donations and bequests to help restore it.