A family who hoped to open a Billericay caravan park today admitted they were disappointed their application had been turned down on appeal.

Christopher Philpot, whose family run Barleylands Farm, said: "It is most unfortunate. We wanted to put 20 caravans on our land, just for the summer months.

"As a farm we are not going through a very good time, to say the least.

"The Government is trying to encourage farmers to find alternative uses for their land and we thought the caravans were a very good idea.

"We contacted the tourist boards at Thurrock, Maldon and Southend and they were in favour of the idea because they have a shortage of places they can recommend to holiday-makers."

Basildon Council had turned down the Philpots' application to change the use of the plot of green belt land.

The family appealed but a planning inspector upheld the council's decision.

He said the farm and other leisure facilities in the area were more likely to attract daytrippers than long-stay visitors.

He added that he couldn't find any special circumstances which would justify inappropriate development in the green belt.

Mr Philpot added: "We have the museum here and the farm would be a good base for holidaymakers.

"It really is unfortunate."

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.