Developers are appealing a refusal to allow them to change farm buildings into housing.

Agents Granville Developments submitted a proposal to change Middlefield Barns, Crouchmans Farm Road, Ulting into two new houses in July.

Planning officers refused the proposal in September because they felt the development was too far from ‘community services and essential support facilities’ and inaccessible for transport.

Developers say these conditions are irrelevant for their proposal and they should not have been applied by planning officers.

They state: “We submit there are no reasonable grounds to sustain a refusal of the proposal.”

They are also applying for ‘a substantive award’ of costs against Maldon District Council.