TWO young families who put up homes on farmland at Wootton Fitzpaine to run an organic food business have been ordered to move out.

Planners ruled the timber houses - built without permission at Five Penny Farm - harm the area of outstanding natural beauty and must be pulled down.

The "low-impact" buildings were constructed on the 43-acre site, off Spence Lane, by Jyoti Fernandes and David Saltmarsh, Kerry Haywood and Olly Goolden who were seeking retrospective planning consent for them. But the district council's development control west committee agreed unanimously that they served no overriding agricultural need and had to go.

As she left the meeting, packed with supporters, Ms Fernandes, 29, shouted: "You realise you are evicting five children from their homes."

The committee heard the couples set up their agricultural enterprise last year to provide a sustainable livelihood.

But councillors heard that many locals believed the smallholding with its polytunnels and houses was in conflict with the area's designated natural beauty - and was visible from all directions.

Elizabeth Forstescue of Char Valley Parish Council said they had great sympathy with living a sustainable lifestyle but did not agree it was necessary to build a new settlement to do this or that they needed to live on site 24 hours a day.

The parish council added: "We do not want the fields covered with buildings.

"We are concerned that more people might join this settlement."

Wendy Taylor said she was their closest neighbour.

"They have done an outstanding job and are committed. They are not a problem to me or my family," she said.

Villager Chris Roper said the food the couples were producing in the style of TV chef Hugh Fearnley- Whittingstall was what people now wanted - a view shared by Lyme Regis greengrocer and former mayor Mike Hartley.

Organic farmer Adam Simon, of West Bexington, said the applicants were only seeking a temporary five-year permission and he urged the committee to take a risk because they had "very little to lose".

"If it doesn't work then the committee would be justified in not renewing," he said.

Ms Fernandes said although the houses were outside the development boundary they could be allowed because they served an agricultural need.

She said they had to be on the site throughout the night to fuel fires and look after the animals.

But Coun Nicholas Patmore said the applicants had failed to prove this was a special case.

"It is a shame. It would be nice if policy moved on and more exceptions could be made like this but I agree there is no demonstrable need," he said.

The committee approved enforcement action to remove the houses, giving the couples six months to leave.