CHRISTMAS could be coming to the countryside near West Buckland after a Taunton decorations company won permission to expand into an old hen house.

The Festive Lighting Company will continue to operate out of its Canon Street base, but says it may expand some of its business into the former poultry house at Manleys Farm in a couple of years' time.

The scheme won the backing of Taunton Deane planners on Wednesday night despite objections from the parish council and a nearby resident.

Company director Andy Hill told the County Gazette: "It would be a supplementary operation for us, but it will be some time before we start operations there in any meaningful way.

"We've had a new management team in since June, 2000, and business is booming.

"We're very pleased with the decision this week."

The Festive Lighting Company, which has three distinct sections to its business, imports large Christmas lights for town decoration and sells a range of boxed retail products through the garden centre trade.

The Festive Decoration Company sells non-lighting Christmas decorations directly to commercial users, while West Country and Wales Wholesale sells stationery, toys and party goods.

The first two of the businesses could expand into the former hen house. Councillors heard how the plan to turn the building into a showroom and storage area would mean 50 per cent less traffic than in its previous use.

It was also claimed that there would only be about 20 delivery runs to the site each year and there were no plans for retail trade there.

West Buckland Parish Council had objected to the plan, saying it would create too much traffic and suggesting the building should be demolished if it can not be used for agriculture.

One private objector said local roads were not suitable for the development.

The 7,000 sq ft black structure was used for free range egg production from early 1997 for just three years before being shut down.