PLANNERS have ignored pleas from residents who were hoping affordable housing could be developed in their tiny North Yorkshire village.

Farmer Alec Bulmer, of Great Habton, outside Malton, plans to develop barns next to his grade II listed farmhouse. The site is opposite the local pub at the heart of the village - but has been re-classed as outside Ryedale District Council's development limits for housing in the new Local Plan.

Planners advised Mr Bulmer to apply for light industrial use, storage and distribution at the site.

Planning officer Paul Simpson said in a report to last night's northern area planning committee: "The policy of the council to promote employment uses in redundant rural buildings, including those on the edge of villages, is a positive approach to supporting the rural economy."

Parish councillor Paul Andrews told the meeting: "No one in the village wants to see industrial use of this site as far as I know," he said. It's right in the middle of the village, and it's fairly obvious that this is an ideal site for housing.

Mr Andrews asked members to at least visit the site before they made their decision.

In a letter to the council, Mr Bulmer's agent David Toft said his client would be willing to defer his application to consider housing on the site. "I understand that there is a groundswell of opinion in the village against this application and that the residents, including all members of the parish council, would prefer to see housing," he wrote.

But councillors voted overwhelmingly to approve the application for a change of use to light industrial.

Updated: 10:42 Tuesday, March 04, 2003