PLANNERS have refused permission for a new home at Easter Compton - even though no one would see it.

Retired engineer Brian Perkins wants to go underground and build his own "Mole Manor" in the back garden of his current home in rural Berwick Lane.

The ultra energy efficient four bedroom "earth sheltered" bungalow would have a grass covered roof and would be virtually invisible from further than a few yards away.

But despite its imperctible impact, development control watchdogs have ruled it would still breach Green Belt planning rules and have reluctantly turned it down.

Mr Perkins, 73, who ran his own engineering company in Bristol, said he was disappointed at the way the policy had been interpretted.

"I know its Green Belt but as far as I'm concerned it's also my back garden," he said. "Earth sheltered homes have been allowed in rural locations elsewhere, including Areas of Outsanding Natural Beauty.

"There's no reason why this one should be seen as harmful to the openness of the Green Belt. It's a sloping site and the whole purpose of the design is to produce a highly energy efficient structure which is absorbed into the landscape."

He said the decision seemed at odds with government exhortations to conserve energy. Mr Perkins is not giving up, however, and has decided to badger the planners again.

"Although they turned me down, they were very nice about it and there's clearly a lot of sympathy," he said. "Before rushing to appeal I shall be putting in a second, slightly amended application to give them a chance to reconsider."

Development control (west) committee chairman Alan Bracey told last week's meeting: "This is everything we could have asked for. It's just a shame that it's in the Green Belt and we cannot vote for it."