A GOVERNMENT inspector is being called in to sort out the latest planning wrangle between Wychavon District Council and an Evesham company.

Jet Plant Hire and the council are already at loggerheads over its plans to fund its move from its Badsey Road site to Vale Park.

Now, a condition imposed over the use of a room as an office has prompted the firm's appeal to the Environment Secretary, amid warnings that it may have to abandon its move altogether.

Wychavon planners had ruled that consent relating to use of the upper floor of a house on the company's site as an office was given on the basis it should only be for one year, to May 30 2001. Jet Plant Hire Ltd has appealed on the grounds that the condition is inappropriate.

The company's Stuart Witheford is telling the inspector the long-term goal is to relocate at Vale Park within five years, moving in stages, but the last thing to move would be the office which could not operate from two locations.

The use of the present yard at Badsey Road for houses to finance the move has already been rejected by Wychavon. "This fact, together with the conditions placed on the land at Vale Park, will at the very least slow the progress of our move, and depending on the outcome of the conditions may result in us abandoning the move altogether," Mr Witheford says.

"It is the actions of the council that are delaying the move. If the move goes ahead as we hope, it will be in stages, the office being last, and we will probably use the whole of the allowable five years before alternative offices are built at Vale Park.

"If it is acceptable to use the upstairs for offices for one year, it should be acceptable to continue.

"Nothing is likely to change in the year to make the use of our offices unacceptable." The appeal is being dealt with by letter.