BATTLING Droitwich pensioner Nellie Copson has been told she will not get permission to re-class her empty shop premises as a home.

Wychavon councillors yesterday refused her plea for a change of use.

Miss Copson, who in August escaped a prison sentence for not paying business rates on the High Street shop, wanted the building to be classed as residential.

Councillors were split over the future of the building, with some saying that allowing the 85-year-old to use the ground floor as part of her home could damage efforts to regenerate the High Street.

But Coun Roy Seabourne said there was no danger to the High Street of having a residential building there.

"The world isn't going to stop turning if an 85-year-old woman puts some net curtains around her shop front and uses it as her front room," he told fellow councillors at a planning committee meeting.

Coun Seabourne said another building in the High Street was not being used for retail purposes, and the council doing nothing about it.

"This is exactly the sort of thing that makes people wonder 'why do we elect these clowns?''' he said.

Coun Michael Barratt said Wychavon was "struggling to get life back into the High Street.''

''To give permission against our principles because a lady is difficult is totally inappropriate,'' said Coun Anthony Hotham

In January last year, Miss Copson was sentenced to two weeks jail for refusing to pay nearly £3,000 in business rates, but was released after two days by order of a High Court judge.

Councillors were told that last November, the pensioner had made a similar change of use application and it was refused.

Coun Seabourne's amendment calling for a change of use for three years was rejected, as was Miss Copson's application.

Officers said the proposal was contrary to the Local Plan.