A FARMER who wants to build a house for his son on land classed as an area of outstanding natural beauty has suffered a setback.

G J Gornall and partners want to build the home on land at Armridding Farm, Chaigley but Ribble Valley planning officers want to throw the scheme out.

They said the proposed house was too far away from the existing farm buildings and would have a detrimental impact on the countryside.

They also said estates officers had visited the farm but felt it was not large enough to justify the need for an additional worker to live there.

But farmer Gerald Gornall said the house was for his son, who was already a partner in the business which had been in the family for more than 50 years.

In that time he said he had seen the farm increase in size from just 32 acres to 239 acres today.

"The family investment has been large, particularly during the difficulties farmers have been facing lately," said Mr Gornall.

Coun Harry Backhouse said he had visited Mr Gornall and spoken to him at length. He said he believed he had made a solid commitment to his farm and suggested the plans be passed.

He said: "He has three different types of stock, cows, sheep and pigs, which all need looking after at night. I think there is a genuine need for two people."

Coun Backhouse added that he felt the siting of the proposed house was not unreasonable as it would not be seen from the road and was within 120m of the farmstead.

However, Coun Frank Dyson said that although he felt there was justification for a second dwelling, he felt the siting of the house was "nonsensical", suggesting that in the future they could be looking at an ideal private dwelling.

"The plans need to be looked at with much greater care," he said.

The committee also felt county estate officers had not fully established the amount of work which was being carried out on the farm, and had not estimated just how much work was involved for one man.

Members voted to defer the application and asked officers to gather more information and look at the possibility of a different site for the proposed house.