The application by Elmchurch Estates for land at the rear of 99 Main Street was rejected at this week's meeting of the council's eastern area planning sub-committee.

The application had previously been deferred to allow consultation on amended plans.

The committee was told that nearly all the site was outside the village development limit, in open countryside. It is brownfield land, currently used for offices, lorry, plant and material storage in connection with Simpsons Civil Engineering Ltd, which has plannning permission to relocate the business to Kelleythorpe industrial estate.

Planning officers recommended that the application should be turned down, claiming that building outside the development limit would be a substantial departure from planning policy.

While there would be some reduction in traffic, officers claimed there would be a loss of employment in the village and they did not consider that the removal of the existing use was sufficient justification to grant planning permission.

Alec Cammish, agent for the applicants, urged the committee to approve the proposals. He pointed out that the land was a brownfield site and said there was no objection from any of the consultees. He said the application would facilitate the expansion of a successful local business to a more appropriate location.

Coun Jonathan Owen, who also addressed the meeting, claimed the scheme would result in a huge gain for villages in terms of reduction in traffic movements. He pointed out that Hutton Cranswick is a sustainable village for housing, with shops, public transport and other facilities, and claimed that previous issues had been addressed by the amended plans.

But Coun Chad Chadwick said there were other sites in the village which had been refused planning consent because they were outside the development limits, and he claimed the council should stick to its policy.

Coun Christopher Matthews said he would like to see the company move out to Kelleythorpe, but found it difficult to go against planning policy and agree to development where the site was 90 per cent outside development limits.