GALE force winds practically demolished an already semi-derelict farm barn near Clapham while it was in the process of being made into a house, Craven councillors were told.

An application by farmer owners George and Carol Wallbank to reconstruct Bence Barn in Keasden Road for their farming business was recommended for refusal, because there was too little of the original structure left standing.

But Craven District Council's planning committee sided with the parish council and the two ward councillors and supported the Wallbank family's efforts to rebuild the barn.

A decision was, however, deferred until a future meeting after councillors were advised they could not approve the application as it stood - because it did not represent what was now on site.

Planning control manager Neville Watson strongly advised councillors against approving the plans, which sought the reconstruction of the barn to a three-bedroom home with ground floor gallery and studio.

Although the scheme was the same as a plan approved in 2015, back then there was more of the barn left standing.

"The application before us does not represent what is there on site," he said.

The state of the barn was such it could no longer be rebuilt and now represented a 'new dwelling in the open countryside'.

Carol Wallbank told the committee the family needed the barn as additional accommodation for two sons in order to keep the farming business going. She added she was also the sole carer for her severely autistic daughter, who was happiest in familiar surroundings.

And she stressed demolition of the barn had not been deliberate.

Cllr Colin Price, of Clapham Cum Newby Parish Council, said he had known the barn all his life and had believed it to be well built, despite it having no foundations.

He said it was believed it had been a house in the 19th century, had fallen into disrepair and rebuilt as a barn.

"No one has knocked anything down on purpose, all they want to do is stick to the original plan," he said.

Cllr Price added there had been considerable support in Clapham and in Keasden, which was 'unprecedented'.

Ward councillor David Ireton said work was taking place on the building when it had been hit by a 'horrendous gale'.

"The gale took two walls out and unfortunately we are left where we are now," he said, adding members of the committee had discretion to go against officer recommendation.

Cllr Carl Lis, who moved approval of the scheme, added: "This happened because of violent weather conditions. All these people want to do is rebuild this building, and I cannot for the life of me understand what is wrong with that. We should support this family who are doing their hardest to continue living and working in this area."

Cllr Robert Heseltine said he doubted the existing structure would survive another winter.

"We are morally obliged to support it, but we need to regularise it and that may mean an amended application using the original proposal on the same footprint," he said.

Committee chairman Cllr Alan Sutcliffe said he believed Mr and Mrs Wallbank had been given a strong indication of support from the committee, but that the council needed to approve the application on safe grounds.