A decision over whether to permit a wedding venue business to welcome up to 150 guests to a farm has been postponed after councillors concluded there were “too many unknowns”.

North Yorkshire Council’s Richmond constituency planning committee called for more details about the potential impact of Stuart and Catherine Tweddle’s proposal on land at Sedgefield House, Ainderby Steeple, near Northallerton, amid concerns over noise and road safety.

The application follows the couple staging events on the 60-acre farm without consent, saying “to make the farm viable we decided to shift the emphasis of the business away from farming into tourism and hospitality”.

READ MORE: Award-winning Scottish wedding venue's spike in bookings

Mrs Tweddle told the committee their “sustainable farm diversification business” had included a glamping venture for the past six years, which had not encountered any problems, while providing jobs and income for “countless small local businesses”.

She said with noise limiting mitigation measures, improvements to the wedding venue buildings, the route to the venue being boosted with passing places and a strictly enforced events management plan issues raised by residents “had been blown out of all proportion”.

Mrs Tweddle said: “We are proposing a low impact events business with no more than 15 to 20 weddings over six months of the summer. Last year saw an average of 95 guests per wedding.”

The meeting also heard the authority’s head of legal services reject concerns over the appearance of impartiality in dealing with the application as a senior council officer, whose colleagues recommended the proposal be approved despite residents’ road safety concerns, stood to benefit from a scheme to make access to the venue acceptable.

Councillors were told the officer had declared her interest in the proposal, taken no part in considering or commenting on the application and that everything "is proper and correct”.

The meeting heard national planning policy required there to be a “severe” impact on the road for an objection to be lodged on highways grounds.

Nevertheless, Charles Duffield, of Warlaby Parish Meeting, said some residents had no objection to the development of a wedding venue, but strongly objected to the plan to route traffic along Warlaby Lane.

The meeting was told an “official speed survey” at a crossroads the wedding guests would use found only seven per cent of vehicles reduced their speed to the recommended 30mph, and 35 per cent exceeded 40mph.

Councillors heard while the Tweddles wanted to move their focus away from farming on the site, four farmers had objected to the consequences for their businesses, and that there was “no evidence impartial due diligence over whether the proposed passing places can be implemented”.

Opposing the wedding venue plan, another resident claimed a revised proposed access “simply moves the problem to another set of residents”.

He added: “There’ll be cheering, drunken shouting, screaming, breakout noise. The management plan describes a military operation with all the enjoyment being stamped out and all the patrons being kept inside during hot days.”

Planning officers said it would not be possible for the council to enforce a specific number of people attending the venue.