A CLEARING in a North Yorkshire woodland can be developed for extra housing, councillors have decided.

Their approval of the plan at Laverton Woods, Laverton, near Ripon, went against a planning officer's advice.

Planning officer Mike Warden said the overall development would be excessive and not reflect architectural details of existing properties.

Approval was granted to Rupert Abrahams to alter and extend a forester's house into a four-bedroomed property.

Permission was also given to convert a single-storey stone outbuilding into a one-bedroomed home, as well as to demolish a barn and build a garage block and workshop.

The officer's recommendation for refusal was backed by Harrogate Borough Council's cabinet member for planning, Councillor Richard Cooper.

He said the house extensions were a clear departure from policy and councillors needed to clearly identify why it was acceptable.

But on the matter of "harm to the character of the area", Coun Cooper said that it was a subjective judgement and councillors were entitled to reach their own conclusions.

Councillors voted to approve the development at a previous planning meeting.

But because they voted against planning officer's advice, they had to re-run the application at their meeting this week and confirmed their earlier approval.

Committee members believed the plan would not cause any harm to the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.