COUNCILLORS have granted retrospective planning permission for two additional gypsy pitches near a Darlington village.

In 1997 planning permission was granted on appeal for a single gypsy pitch at Oxmoor Nurseries, on the A68 near Heighington, opposite the junction to Bolam.

Since then, two more pitches have been created on the site without planning permission.

At a meeting of Darlington Borough Council’s planning applications committee, members heard the site lies more than 100m off the main road on land owned by the applicant.

One objection was received from a nearby resident who raised concerns over the safety of the junction leading to the site, as it is on a busy main road.

They also said that if approved, it would set a precedent for similar proposals, and that another nearby development had been refused due to safety concerns.

Planning officer Dave Coates said that as the site was so far away from the road, it did not have any negative impact on the surrounding countryside.

Councillors granted a retrospective planning application, which allows three mobile homes and three touring caravans to exist on the site, all belonging to the applicant.

A number of conditions were also imposed stating that the first 10m of the private drive leading up to the site must be resurfaced to stop loose gravel falling on to the main road.

The applicant must also make amendments to a directional sign on the A68 to improve visibility from the junction.