THE THREAT of immediate enforcement against an Angus firm has been temporarily lifted after an 11th hour move by the business.

Development standards committee members deferred a decision on instigating action against Smeaton Plant Hire, based near Letham, until their meeting next month.

Councillors meeting in Forfar yesterday were to have been urged to begin moves against the company as its site at Valleyfield has no official planning status, according to officials.

The council has been pursuing a formalisation of the business through a change of use planning application or a Certificate of Lawful Use, indicating that the present level of operation had been in place for more than 10 years.

Planning boss Ian Mitchell revealed the council had received an application from the company for a certificate on Monday.

He suggested councillors consider putting on hold any decision to allow his department to study what he called a technical matter.