A FARMER'S plan to upgrade his diversification enterprise of bottling spring water in the shadow of the famous White Horse at Kilburn, has won the backing of planners despite parish council concerns.

North York Moors National Park Authority's planning committee was told that Paul Hodgson wants to erect a new building and extend other buildings for his water bottling plant at Acre House Farm, Kilburn.

But the parish council said the farm was "visually sensitive" being visible to thousands of visitors to the White Horse each year from footpaths on Roulston Scar and a bridleway. It said that no more buildings should be allowed unless the planning committee was satisfied they are needed.

The council said it was strongly opposed to the commercial development and to the extraction of spring water and it was against any increase in the amount of water abstracted. Val Dilcock, North York Moors chief planning officer, said permission for the business was granted following an appeal in 1997.

She said the proposed new buildings would be screened by existing farm buildings and would not spoil views of the White Horse from Kilburn.

Mr Hodgson told the committee that Chilburn Spring bottles two million litres of water a year but to conform to new regulations by the Food Standards Agency, an additional building was needed. He said: "Chilburn Spring has always adopted a green policy. We recycle bottles, cardboard and papers and usually eight tonnes of plastic waste will be taken in a load."

The company, which currently employs six people, expected to increase its workforce to 14.