OWNERS of Walmersley-based Ashes Farm have been ordered by a Government Inspector to stop using their land as a storage yard and to restore the farmland to its original condition.

Ashes and Ashe Brothers Skip Hire and KMA Environmental Services (UK) Ltd lost an appeal against a ruling by Rossendale Council that it was in breach of planning regulations by using its land to store skips, containers, skip wagons and other heavy goods vehicles.

Council officers carried out an investigation at the farm, which lies on the Rossendale and Bury border, in May 2000 following complaints from local residents. The same month the Ashes were told that planning permission was required for works at the site.

In January 2001, the council issued four enforcement notices. In the spring, Ashe Brothers Skip Hire and KMA Environmental Services (UK) Ltd was given a license for a new operating centre for three vehicles at the farm.

But the farm owners called a public inquiry appealing against the council's decision.

They argued that, although they were in business as haulage contractors and skip hire operators, the industrial equipment kept on the land was used for works carried out at the farmhouse and on the land.

However, photographic evidence taken by council officials showed that 20 skips were placed on the land and in the farm buildings which included a stack seven high.

In his ruling, the Government Inspector stated he treated "with caution" claims that the stack of skips was to allow the painting of the ceiling of the building in which they were stacked and that they were to be used as pig arks.

The inspector ruled that the farm owners stop using the land for the storage of skips, containers, skip waggons and vehicles other than those required for farming.

The farm owners have been given four weeks to obey the enforcement notice and six months to remove a concrete hard standing which is not required for the purposes of agriculture and replace it with soil and grass.