PLANS to convert buildings around the courtyard of Buriton Manor have been turned down by planners.

Owner of the manor, Bob Camping, applied last year to South Downs National Park Authority for permission to convert the Tithe Barn, Monks Walk and a garage building into five dwellings, an increase of four homes.

But on Thursday, January 19, the national park planning committee at its meeting in Midhurst turned Mr Camping’s application down.

A spokesman for the planning committee said: “The committee was minded to refuse for a number of reasons, primarily because the applicant had failed to demonstrate that this was the optimum viable use of the buildings.”

The Tithe Barn was used as the venue for a wedding reception business run by Mr Camping, which closed after it’s licence was revoked by East Hampshire District Council.