Woodlanders on the edge of Dartmoor have won their legal battle to remain on site.

A High Court judge has now backed the Steward Community's experiment in sustainable living.

The 10-strong community bought the 32-acre site at Moretonhampstead several years ago and moved onto the land in April 2000.

They built a number of shelters, but without formal permission from the Dartmoor National Park Authority.

They were told to leave, but eventually won five years' temporary planning permission on appeal.

The authority contested the ruling at the High Court on Tuesday, but its argument that the project was contrary to both local and national policies in respect of development in the countryside was rejected.

'Struggles over'

Woodlander Dan said: "We're absolutely over the moon.

"All the planning struggles are over and we can get on with things here.

"This whole project is in context with the environment and we are trying to demonstrate solutions to some of these problems."

Graham Wall, director of planning at Dartmoor National Park Authority, said: "We are disappointed by the ruling.

"The authority is against a small residential settlement outside Moretonhampstead and we feel that there is no justification for it."

In five years, the authority would "look at the circumstances at that time".

It would also be monitoring the Woodlanders "to see if they had had any worthwhile outcomes".