PLANS to permanently close Farmer Giles Farmstead in Teffont and build a "mansion" have been rejected.

Owners of the rural tourist attraction, which has been closed for two years, want to shut it for good and build a farmhouse.

They claim the land is a brownfield site and the plans, which include knocking down barns, will improve the surrounding Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

But opponents say the house will be exposed and spoil the landscape.

Cllr Chris Devine said the development put forward by fellow Tory councillor Tony Deane and his wife Mary Corrie had "nothing going for it" and allowing it would be an "absolute travesty".

He said the applicant was trying to bargain with planners by offering to close down a business which was already closed, in return for being allowed to build a mansion.

"This is a rubbish bargain, it really is," Cllr Devine said.

"And for us to accept such a one-sided bargain and go against Core Strategy, the National Planning Framework, the AONB statutory guidelines, I think would be absolutely ridiculous."

The local ward councillor, Bridget Wayman, spoke at length against the plans.

She accused the applicants of trying to manipulate the community and the planning committee by threatening to re-open the business, bringing 35,000 visitors a year back to the nearby roads.

Both she and Cllr Devine questioned whether the business really attracted as many visitors as the applicant claimed.

Meanwhile, others, including Cllr Ian McLennan, said permanently losing thousands of visitors would be bad for the rural economy.

He said: "It's a bad bargain. We should be concentrating on getting the business going again."

Cllr Ian West said the "terrific-sized house" offered no enhancement to the area whatsoever, while Cllr Richard Clewer called for a full, detailed planning application, saying: "We should know what we are going to be haggling over before we start haggling."

Cllr Mike Hewitt said refusing the application would risk the land being farmed intensively to make a profit.

And Cllr Fred Westmoreland said if the business closed for good, two holiday lodges and a caravan site would have to be removed under rules laid out when planning permission was originally granted.

He said it was "absolutely crucial" to resolve the issue before proceeding.

A Wiltshire Council planning committee went against officers' recommendations and refused outline permission on Thursday by eight votes to three.

Speaking after the meeting, Mr Deane said he would "let the dust settle" and take "a considered approach" before deciding his next move.