THE owners of a wedding venue have been given temporary planning permission for a marquee that has been described as “a blot on the landscape” by some councillors.

Deer Park Business Centre in Eckington, near Pershore, which is set against the back drop of Bredon Hill and is in an area of outstanding natural beauty, has been granted retrospective planning permission for the structure, which was put up in the summer.

After a lenghty debate it was decided by Wychavon District Council’s development control committee that the white marquee would be allowed from the beginning of May until the end of September for the next two years only.

A condition to plant hornbeam trees in front of the structure was also passed.

We previously reported how Wychavon gave the owners Mark and Caron Steele an ultimatum to submit a planning application before the end of September or they would be forced to take the marquee down despite the fact that the couple had put a khaki-coloured camouflage net over part of it when it was not in use over the summer.

While councillors said they wanted to support a successful local business, especially during the current economic climate, they were concerned about how the marquee looked in its setting.

At the meeting, Bredon Hill Conservation Group’s secretary Willy Ford spoke about the objections they had, including the marquee’s appearance and concerns about noise travelling across the area late at night.

Mr and Mrs Steele’s agent James Spreckley spoke in favour. He asked whether the temporary planning permission could be extended to five years so the business could plan new bookings.

Councillor David Lee said he could not understand why the marquee had to be such a bright white and asked if it could be toned down. Councillor Pam Davey agreed.

She said: “Why are we allowing one of our gems to be disfigured for all the reasons of the recession? All it needs is for the marquee to be a different colour. All it needs to do is be bland.”

Councillor Anna Mackinson said: “I want the applicants to come back within the two year period with a planning application for a building rather than this blot on the landscape.”