A planning application to convert a Brown Lees agricultural building into a house has been refused by Staffordshire Moorlands District Council.

Biddulph Nub News reported previously how Mr & Mrs Craig applied to the council in November for permission to convert a building on Tower Hill Road.

The structure which would have been converted is an 'L' shaped building at the section of Tower Hill Road that meets with Newpool Road.

It appears from the plans that the building would have included three bedrooms and three bathrooms, as well as a kitchen, dining area, lounge and garage.

However, the application was refused by the district council's planning officers this week, with officers stated that the building in question had not been used for agricultural purposes only.

Since the application sought permission for "change of use of an agricultural building to a dwellinghouse", the application could not be approved if the building was not used for agricultural purposes.

A report by district council planning officer Ben Hurst stated: "Planning permission was granted to construct the building for agricultural purposes in 1992 subject to the condition that it only be used for agricultural purposes.

"For reasons discussed below, it does appear that this condition is or has in recent or last use, already been breached."

It explained: "When the site was inspected there was a loaded skip on the site full of general refuse, none of which appeared to have resulted from agricultural activity.

"The skip was either being used to collect unwanted items from the building or to transfer waste from another property. The items in the skip included kitchen white goods and an old bike.

"Two sections of the building were closed and locked and could not be inspected, the remaining open fronted parts housed a small animal trailer and spreader, but also other items including a domestic trailer, small animal hutches, trolleys, garden tools, old fridge, and car tyre that were not obviously resulting from or determinative of an agricultural use.

It concludes: "The proposed development therefore would not involve a change from a use as an agricultural building to a dwellinghouse, the change would occur from an unauthorised 'mixed use' that is not permitted."

To see the application and its supporting documents in full, visit the relevant page of the district council's planning portal here.