HERMIT Stephen Grendon has won his three-year battle to stay in his Brimpsfield shack and should be "cherished as an eccentric," according to a Cotswold councillor.

Mr Grendon, 43, was ecstatic when the planning committee overturned the advice of officials and today voted in favour of letting him live on the site, known as Hermit's Corner, for his lifetime.

Planning officer Martin Perks recommended the application for refusal because it does not meet living standards and is detrimental to the character of the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The father-of-two bought the land and shack in 1994 and says he has lived in the building for the past 12 years.

In April 2005 CDC decided the shack did not constitute a single dwelling house and an appeal against the decision by Mr Grendon was dismissed by CDC in January 2006.

He retrospectively applied in April this year to covert the shack into a low-impact dwelling, a self-sufficient home, but this was rejected and he faced eviction.

However, officials did not take into account a letter from Mr Grendon's NHS psychiatry consultant stating the dangers posed to his mental health were he evicted.

Mr Grendon, who suffers from depression, admitted to feeling 'suicidal' around the time of his failed application and stopped working.

He is now back working as a freelance gardener, grows vegetables and is close to generating all his own electricity through a water mill.

The eco-champion enjoys living in the countryside with nature and uses fresh water from a spring in his garden as well as rainwater.

Cllr Peter Martin (Tetbury, Ind) spoke in support of Mr Grendon's application as a member of the public.

"Stephen Grendon is a quiet man wanting to live a quiet life in a quiet corner of the Cotswolds, what is wrong with that?" he said at the planning meeting.

In a letter to CDC Mr Martin said: "I am appalled at some of the vitriol which has been poured on this man for daring to suggest a different way of living.

"One objector has referred to his small water wheel in terms that would make one think it was an object of neo-satanic horror."

Objector Brimpsfield resident Tom Overbury said: "He affects all around him with the noise and disturbance and all his neighbours have objected to this application."

But Cllr Margaret Rickman (Chesterton, Lib Dem) said the uniqueness of Mr Grendon's situation should be considered.

Cllr Clifford Hilditch (Watermoor, Cons) said: "This man should be cherished as an eccentric and if we can possibly put aside the rules I think that would be a wonderful thing."

The application was granted after a close vote of seven for six against.

After the meeting Mr Grendon said: "It was a victory for common sense. I am so relieved.

"I am always being told I am unique and I feel I am."