Councillors want to know what benefits will come from a new access road and car park at an historic Staffordshire house.

Planning committee members decided to put off making a decision on the controversial proposals for the Grade II* listed Biddulph Old Hall, to allow for further consultation with the applicants.

Owner Brian Vowles, who has spent the last 22 years restoring the 17th century building, says the 600m access track from Congleton Road and 120-space car park are needed to support continued public access to the site, with the current access off Overton Road being 'not fit for purpose'.

But planning officers at Staffordshire Moorlands District Council, who recommended for scheme for refusal, say that any increase in visitor numbers would require a planning application for a change of use from residential to commercial, which has not been submitted.

And according to the officers, if there is no increase in visitors, it would be unclear what benefits there would be to justify the harm caused to a heritage asset and the Green Belt.

The application states that there would be no increase on the current level of around 2,000 visitors a year.

Members of the planning committee voted to defer the application to allow the applicant to provide more clarity on this issue.

Mr Vowles, speaking in support of the application, told the committee that public access supported the ongoing work to restore and maintain the site, including the ruins of an Elizabethan mansion.

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He said: "Over the last 22 years we have worked tirelessly to restore the hall, its grounds and the gardens. Our predecessor allowed no public access. During that time a large section of ruins collapsed and was lost forever, resulting in it being put on heritage at risk register.

"When we took over the hall the demand for people to come and look at it and enjoy it and experience it was intense.

"From the very outset we have attempted to, wherever possible, to facilitate people to enjoy the heritage asset, at the same time as allowing us to do our own jobs which paid for all the work that's been done and keep it as our home."

Alexa Burns, from planning agents Emery Planning, claimed the proposals would bring 'extensive public benefits, heritage benefits, and benefits to landscape and biodiversity', saying that it had been 'disappointing' that officers had recommended the application for refusal.

Ms Burns said: "New access will allow visitors to continue to enjoy Biddulph Old Hall. This visitor access has not previously been questioned by the council. It is similar to the arrangements for visitor access to other historic residences, including Thornbridge Hall in the Peak District, for which a proposal not dissimilar was allowed following a public inquiry in December 2022."

The committee also received a written statement from objector Jane Sinclair, who argues that due to the increased traffic on Congleton Road in recent years, the proposal for a new access opening onto the road raised a 'serious concern for loss of life'.

Committee member Councillor Jonathan Kempster praised Mr Vowles for the work he had done in restoring the site, but said the application raised 'procedural' concerns.

Cllr Kempster said: "The officers have quite rightly said that the benefits that have been identified don't have a use that planning permission has been granted for.

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"So in many respects what we're doing here is putting the cart before the horse. If it is going to be used as a visitor site, then surely the planning permission for that should be granted first, or at least applied for."

Councillor Paul Roberts said: "The reason I'm asking for it to be deferred is so that they can go back and sort out what we've got problems with.

"At the moment we've got an application that we can't support. I don't want to see it turned down, so let's see if we can make it better."