AN appeal could be submitted to the planning inspectorate following a ?pedantic, bureaucratic? decision regarding Tavistock Town Hall?s crumbling ceiling. West Devon Borough Council?s planning committee last month rejected an application by the town council to replace the Grade II Listed Victorian town hall?s ceiling with modern materials, instead of traditional lath and plaster. Planners claimed modern materials would ?adversely affect the character of this very important building? ? despite admitting that no-one would be able to tell the difference if they were used in place of traditional ones. Members of the town?s properties committee last week slammed the decision. Cllr Ted Sherrell said: ?This is one of those things that really gets to me. We are being forced to spend £25,000 more than we need because of pedantic bureaucracy. ?There?s no way they can say we have to do it, so let it stay as it is. In a few years? time perhaps some wisdom might come to the planning committee ? and if we cannot ignore it, we should consider very seriously going to appeal.? Town clerk Roger Howard told the committee the green screen covering the ceiling, which stopped further bits of defective ceiling falling on anyone, only had conditional consent for a limited time. He said the £78,400 which had been quoted to repair the roof using modern materials was already out of date ? and the figure would probably rise further if the council decided to appeal. Cllr Brian Trew said: ?Whilst my gut feeling is I would love to take the bureaucrats on, because the decision is totally ridiculous, we do need to get something done ? but if the council was to say appeal, I am with you all the way.? But Cllr Norma Woodcock, when the subject was referred to the finance committee meeting, said she was ?totally against? going to appeal. She said if there had been a split decision at the borough council regarding planning consent, it would have been worthwhile appealing ? as it was, the town could end up paying huge sums to lawyers if the council went down the appeal road. And Cllr Peter Jones said it was time to ?bite the bullet?, accept the borough council?s decision and ?get on with it?. The committee agreed the clerk should find out the likely cost of appealing against the planning decision ? the issue was due to be brought back to the full council meeting as the Times went to press this week.