Pip’s Patch

ARC News service :

Two planning applications involving Coverdale led to unanimous votes at the YDNPA planning committee meeting on Tuesday, January 11.

Carlton. – The members heard how application to make alterations to the Foresters Arms in Carlton had divided the community. The owner, Claire Pritchard, requested full planning permission for the erection of an extension to allow the partial change of use to form three two-bedroomed dwellings for local occupancy and a public house. In an independent financial report commissioned by the YDNPA it was stated that the downsizing of the business was both a sensible and logical way of making it more viable. It would continue as a traditional country village pub with food available in the bar.

The meeting heard that the community wanted the Foresters Arms to be viable so that the village did not lose its only pub. Matthew Wilkes, chairman of Carlton Town Council, explained that although the council was not opposed to the application, it did want to see the cottage nearest to the pub tied to the Foresters Arms. This would protect the viability of the pub as there would always be sufficient accommodation in the future if someone with a family bought it. Otherwise the pub would be left with just the one-bedroomed flat above it which N Yorks County Coun John Blackie stated, would be like issuing a death notice as at some time in the future no-one would want to buy it as a pub due to the limited accommodation.

Mr Andrew Pritchard, agent for the pub, argued that it would be difficult to get a mortgage if that cottage was tied to the pub. The Authority’s legal advisor explained that the committee could decide the cottage should be tied to the pub but a mortgage provider might refuse to sign the agreement. Members also wanted to know if that cottage could, under the Authority’s present housing policy,  be an open market dwelling. Some members pointed out that if it was a farmhouse the cottages would not be restricted  under that policy to being affordable homes. The policy allows farms more flexibility so that they can remain viable – and it was argued that the long-term viability of the public house in Carlton was just as important.

N Yorks County Coun Roger Harrison-Topham proposed that the application should be approved on the basis that one cottage was tied to the Foresters Arms and that there should be no local occupancy restriction on that cottage. “Our overwhelming objective is to ensure the prosperity and the future of this pub,” he said. The members voted unanimously in favour of his proposal. As this was not fully in agreement with the officer’s recommendation that all the cottages should be for local occupancy with none tied to the pub this decision will have to be ratified at the February meeting.

The application for listed building consent for the internal changes to part of the pub to create three new dwellings was agreed. One of the consultees had pointed out that the creation of such homes for local occupancy might bring some new residents into a village where there were already too many empty second homes.

Coverham church. – Members voted unanimously against the officer’s recommendation to accept a proposal from Welcome to Yorkshire on the siting of a Turner Trail interpretation board on the grass verge outside Coverham church. Coun Harrison-Topham said the board would be incongruous within the landscape. He added that he wished the YDNPA would support them more in keeping down the number of signs that were beginning to litter the area.

The planning officer had explained that originally it had been agreed with Coverdale Church Committee that the interpretation board could be placed under the noticeboard in the lych gate. Welcome to Yorkshire had then decided it would be more visible on a wooden frame on the verge nearby. The officer recommended that this proposal should be accepted so long as the colour of the frame was not intrusive. Coverham with Agglethorpe parish meeting reported that the church committee strongly opposed this as the interpretation board would then be an alien intrusion into an ancient view. Coun Blackie reminded members of the NPAPA report which had emphasised the need to listen to the community more.

When proposing that the application should be refused William Weston said: “We should try to seek other solutions like using natural materials in more unconventional ways that intrigue and add to the experience of those visiting the area.” As members were unanimous in their refusing this application Mr Watson said it would not need to be discussed again at the February meeting.

Planning applications for two other interpretation boards for the Turner Trail were approved. An A1 lectern style board will be erected to the north west of Aysgarth Falls Visitor Centre and at Kettlewell a board will placed on the rear wall of the toilet block beside the car park.

Widdale. – There was yet another unanimous vote after members had discussed the application to convert the former chapel at Widdale so it could be used for residential lets or short stay holiday accommodation. This time the members were in full agreement with the planning officer. Chris Armitage said it was a much better proposal than the first one they had discussed. This was because the access onto the highway had been moved to a position where there was far greater visibility. This access had been agreed with the N Yorks Highways department at site meeting requested by the YDNPA.

Some of the members pointed out that the chapel was already falling into disrepair and looked forward to it being restored and brought back into use. This development is part of a farm diversification project and there will be a section 106 agreement tying it to the farm. The 106 agreement will not apply to the house adjoining the chapel.

Clapham. – The concerns of Clapham-cum-Newby parish council were discussed when considering the application for the change of use of the offices at Old Mason’s Yard in Clapham to two three-bedroomed dwellings and the construction of one single-bedroomed bungalow. The parish council said its prime concern was to maintain the viability of the village hall and the parking and increased traffic at the yard site would add to issues between residents and the hall users. The access is shared between the present residents, the village hall and the yard. The officer’s analysis was that the use of the yard for residential accommodation was likely to cause less traffic generation than if it was still in commercial use. Craven Dt Coun John Rogers stated that with cars being parked in the yard in the evening parking at the village hall might get tight. He was also concerned about the close proximity of the bungalow to existing houses. All three dwellings will be restricted to local occupancy and Coun Blackie pointed out that one-bedroomed homes were as necessary as those for families. The committee voted to approve the application.

Selside. - The  members agreed to a request from the YDNPA enforcement officer that an enforcement notice should be issued to ensure that the owners of Penyghent Cottage at Selside stopped using part of it as a holiday cottage by no later than December 31 2011.  This is a Grade II listed building which used to be a barn and the original planning consent was for one dwelling. Under the present housing policy any sub-division can only be for local affordable housing. Coun Rogers felt that the sub-division should end immediately and added: “This is a flagrant breach of planning conditions.”