A TORY councillor involved in a planning dispute over a row of garages and associated land has been told he is in breach of regulations for a second time.

A public inquiry upheld a decision by Swindon Council's planning committee, which said he was in breach of conditions of use for the site which is in Wootton Bassett Road, Swindon.

And now the council will be entitled to use enforcement action to ensure he stops renting out the garages as business premises.

Coun Douglas Stewart (Con, Shaw and Nine Elms) said: "We will ensure that the yard will be clear of all builder's materials by the May 16 which is the date specified.

"We will be in discussions with officers of the council to talk about what use we are able to put the yard to."

He declined to say whether he would be appealing to the High Court over the decision.

Coun Stewart, himself a member of Swindon Council's planning committee, has shared ownership of a series of 12 garages in Wootton Bassett Road, Swindon, with his brother and wife.

For most of the time the garages were in his ownership they had been used for storing vehicles.

But over the last year he has rented both the garages and the land for use as a builder's yard without planning permission.

Following inquiries by the council into the site's use earlier this year, Coun Stewart applied for retrospective planning permission, but this was refused.

Not satisfied, Coun Stewart then appealed to the Planning Inspectorate against the decision.

But the inspector endorsed the council's view that the yard was unsuitable for the area.

The council then served an enforcement notice on Coun Stewart to stop him using the garages as a builder's yard.

But he again refused to give way and appealed against the enforcement notice.

The second public inquiry before the inspector took place in October at the Civic Offices.