Three Law Lords upheld an October Appeal Court ruling against Richard Scott.

It was the latest bid in Mr Scott's long-running battle over an enforcement notice ordering him to clear rubble from his land and restore it to agricultural use.

After a private House of Lords' hearing, Lords Nicholls, Clyde and Hobhouse refused leave for Mr Scott to challenge the earlier decision.

No reasons were given.

The order was issued after Mr Scott, who owns a farm in Marthall, built a culvert to take a stream which runs across his 134-acre farm in Giantswood Lane, Congleton.

The Appeal Court was told last year that to build the culvert he began filling up a valley with waste material.

He had completed almost 40% of the work when Cheshire County Council issued the notice ordering him to remove the rubble and to restore it to agricultural land.

Mr Scott said he had needed to create a hardstanding for farm vehicles, but the council argued the scale of the operation was excessive and unnecessary.