COUNCILLORS at a key planning meeting have thrown their support behind plans to develop a lavender farm on the site of a former piggery.

Members of Ryedale District Council's central area planning committee agreed with officers that Steve and Anne Jaques' hopes to create a new tourist attraction at Wintringham, outside Malton, should be given the seal of approval.

Speaking at the meeting Anne Jaques, whose husband Steve is the manager at Eden Camp museum, said they had already received overwhelming support.

She said Government guidelines encouraged the type of diversification they were proposing. The couple planned to develop a farm shop, together with refreshment facilities and a toilet block at the lavender farm.

Support had also been received from the National Farmers' Union, the Yorkshire Tourist Board, the Wolds Way Project, Helmsley Walled Garden and staff from Askham Bryan and Bishop Burton Colleges, she said.

Coun Keith Knaggs said: "We are very fortunate to have someone who is prepared to make that sort of investment.

"Surely this is what Ryedale needs - investment with an eye to the future."

Coun John Raper said he was concerned that the applicants wanted to restrict their hours of use to 10am to 5pm from Sunday to Thursday.

But Coun Knaggs said he believed that was a decision for Mr and Mrs Jaques to take.

Objector Jane Crease, who lives next to the proposed development, said she and her husband were concerned about what might happen if a new owner took over the lavender farm.

"The site's place at the side of the A64 could result in its becoming a refreshment stop for traffic driving past," she said.

Councillors agreed with officers to approve the proposal, subject to the restaurant side of the business being secondary to the lavender farm, and hours of use restricted to 10am to 5pm, seven days a week.

liz.todd@ycp.co.uk

Updated: 09:53 Friday, January 17, 2003