A SCHEME to improve security at a North Yorkshire livestock market and deter drug addicts from using the building has been dashed after councillors refused to grant planning permission.

Cundalls' partner Peter Woodall, a partner in Malton Livestock Association, told members of Ryedale District Council's central area planning committee last night that security at the market needed improving.

"We are trying to make it secure - I believe at one time there were drug addicts going in there," he told the meeting.

Mr Woodall said that by enclosing the sides of the building, they would be able to set up stalls for the monthly farmers' market on a Friday evening without the fear that equipment might be stolen.

At the moment staff have to set up at 6am on a Saturday morning to ensure the market is ready in time, disturbing nearby residents.

But local people living along Victoria Road fiercely opposed the plans, which they said would block out what little natural light they had in their homes and back yards.

In a letter to the council, they wrote: "The tall new roof and blank expanse of boarding would be within some three metres of our rear yards, less than seven metres from our bathroom windows and less than ten metres from our rear bedroom windows.

"The roof, together with the total enclosure of all the boundaries of the sheep pen areas with Yorkshire boarding, would dramatically reduce the light in the only areas of outdoor amenity space available to residents in these properties."

The letter said: "Our rear rooms would be only metres from a large, dark, oppressive shed, with only a limited view of the sky."

Coun Keith Orrell said he sympathised with the need to modernise the facility.

"There are changes needed to this facility and they are long overdue," he said.

"But what's proposed is not an improvement for the people nearby."

Development control officer Gary Housden said they were still negotiating with the Malton Livestock Association to work towards a solution.

Updated: 11:16 Wednesday, January 15, 2003