PERMISSION has been granted for an eco-style log cabin to be built on a Catton farm.

The application from Allendale’s Conservative councillor Colin Horncastle was approved by the county council’s strategic planning committee last week.

A member of the committee himself, Coun. Horncastle left the council chamber while his application was discussed.

The application seeks to construct a house in the grounds of Highfield Farm, just north of Catton.

The farm currently comprises six homes – a combination of new builds, barn conversions and the original farmhouse.

The site for the log cabin sits to the west of the farm.

The cabin would be one-and-a-half storeys high, with timber walls and a slate roof.

Described as ‘eco-style’, the cabin includes a number of environmentaly-friendly features, including an air source heat pump, heat recovery system and a high standard of insulation.

The farm is in the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. However the AONB partnership has said the cabin would be unlikely to have a ‘significant’ impact on the landscape.

The application was supported by Allendale Parish Council and there were no objections from the county’s highways department or Northumbrian Water.