A crisis-hit pig farmer who divided village opinion with his plan to build homes on his defunct green belt farm near York was today due to have his latest bid for the site approved.

But Holtby Parish Council, which opposed farmer Chris England's unsuccessful bid to build 15 homes on the site of Willow Court Farm, Holtby, last year, wants to see the new application to convert a disused barn on the site into a bungalow turned down as well.

Parish council chairman Coun Norman West has said he cannot understand how City of York Council planners have recommended the new bid be approved following their report's "many negative arguments".

The parish council also fears approval of the scheme could set a precedent for other bids to build houses on green belt sites in the village and elsewhere in the York area.

Mr England's 15-homes bid was thrown out last year as it was deemed to be an inappropriate development which was contrary to green belt policy.

In their report on the latest application to the authority's north-east area planning sub-committee, which was due to decide on the application today, planners highlighted green belt guidelines governing the use of redundant agricultural buildings, which say employment or recreational uses are the preferred option for this type of building.

But they concluded that Mr England's application to convert the barn into a home is acceptable providing he can show that employment or recreational uses are not viable options.

In a letter to planners, Mr England's agent Richard Flanagan, of Lawrence, Hannah and Skelton property and construction consultants, argued the costs involved in transforming the barn into offices were prohibitive weighed against the likely demand for such premises in the area and that light industrial use was also not viable and would be likely to meet objections from residents.

A total of 14 letters objecting to the proposal and three in support have been received by the council.

Officers have advised councillors to impose conditions controlling further development on the site if they approve the scheme.

Updated: 08:22 Tuesday, August 07, 2001