THE Gipsy Council has failed in its effort to have barn conversion plans halted until the results of an appeal against the refusal to allow a neighbouring scheme are known.

Darlington Borough Council has granted Ken Dryden's planning application to develop the barn at Blackwell Moor Farm, Snipe Lane, Darlington.

But the Gipsy Council had asked for the decision to be deferred on behalf of Jim Mounsey, who is a neighbour to the north of Mr Dryden's barn.

Mr Mounsey had a planning application, requesting permission to site gipsy caravans for extended family members on his land, refused by the committee in March.

Councillors feared the caravan site, which included wash houses, lavatories and showers, would have an unacceptable impact on the countryside, and that access to the A66 was unsatisfactory. They refused the application against officers' advice.

Following the refusal, Mr Mounsey lodged an appeal, which is pending.

The Gipsy Council said Mr Dryden's application should be deferred until after the result of the appeal.

But planning officers advised councillors at a meeting on Wednesday that they were entitled to deal with Mr Dryden's application without consideration of the status of the appeal.

The committee granted Mr Dryden's application for the conversion of the barn into a five-bedroom home at Wednesday's meeting.