ORGANISERS of some of North Yorkshire's top farming shows have welcomed the Government's scrapping of controversial planning laws.

If enforced, the new regulations would have meant organisers of many shows, country markets and village fetes needing to seek planning permission each time they staged an event.

But rural communities breathed a sigh of relief this week when Planning Minister Jeff Rooker abandoned the proposals.

Jenny Bird, secretary of the Malton Show, said the new rules would have made her job even harder than it already is.

"It is great news that they have decided not to pursue these new laws," she said. "The Malton Show was held quite recently yet we are already organising next year's. These new planning regulations could have spelled the end of the show because there is no point in organising anything unless we know for sure the event is allowed to go ahead."

The Country Land and Business Association (CLA), which looks after rural interests in the region, also praised the decision.

Yorkshire director Dorothy Fairburn said: "We campaigned hard to the Government about the potential consequences of these proposals, which could have put an end to small events in the countryside.

"It's possible that ministers had never fully appreciated the implications of the proposals, which were intended to make it easier to control nuisance events. Luckily, CLA planning advisors spotted the potential problem and common sense has won the day."