MALVERN Hills District Council requested a hearing should be held to determine a planning appeal, specifically so that it could claim costs against the appellant, according to a government planning inspector.

Planning inspector David Richards said Hazel Wrightson, who appealed against the council's decision to refuse planning permission for a home to be built in the garden of Bede House, Stourport Road, Great Witley, did not seek a hearing and was content for the appeal to be handled through written representations.

"In my view the appeal was entirely suitable for consideration through the written representations procedure. The council requested the appeal be dealt with by a hearing specifically so that a costs claim could be made, which increased the costs of the proceedings," said Mr Richards.

The council claimed that Mrs Wrightson's "unreasonable conduct" had caused the council wasted expenditure because the appeal had no reasonable prospect of success.

But Mrs Wrightson said a previous appeal on the same site in 1989 was allowed and there was no reason to suppose another appeal would not be successful.

Mr Richards dismissed Mrs Wrightson's appeal saying the proposed development was contrary to planning policy and would harm the countryside and he also dismissed the council's claim for costs.

"I consider on balance that the appellant's behaviour is not so open to criticism as to amount to unreasonable conduct," said Mr Richards.