A FUNERAL director has been awarded costs against his local council after winning his appeal to build a detached house.

John Wise submitted a plan to build a four-bedroom home to the east of Low Green Farm, at Mickleton, in Teesdale, on land which he has now sold, but it was rejected last November because it was a greenfield site, even though there were no concerns about its effect on the conservation area.

The original application was for outline planning permission, but additional plans and elevations were submitted, changing it to full permission.

In giving her recommendation that the appeal be allowed, planning inspector Ruth McKenzie stated that the main issue was whether or not the site was previously developed land.

In support of his appeal, Mr Wise had provided a chronological record of the use of the site, going back to the 1920s, and showing that since 1965 the farmhouse at Low Green Farm had been occupied by people who had not farmed the agricultural land to the rear.

Ms Mackenzie said: "None of this information has been challenged by the council, and I have no reason to suppose the information is incorrect."

She added that she had checked the proposal against the emerging local plan and found it complied with the design criteria.

Mr Wise said he was pleased that the inspector had found in his favour, although he has not revealed how much the costs were likely to be.