How to define “a significant extension” and the difference between a holiday let and local occupancy when a farmer was trying to plan ahead for the day when his son would join the family enterprise became pivotal issues at the meeting of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority’s planning committee on March 13.
Nigel Pearson had applied to convert a roadside barn at Oughtershaw to create a local occupancy dwelling or holiday let. The planning officer stated that Mr Pearson’s son might or might not become the local occupant in five years time and so the conversion had to be considered as a holiday let which did not require an extension.
Mr Pearson explained that it might take four years for the family to finance the conversion and that any use of it as a holiday let would only be until his son needed it.
He added:”The barn is on the small size and if you are a dual worker you need a place to take off your boots, shower and clean up. You also need space in the utility room for a large freezer and fridges for food and storage. In such an isolated place you can’t pop to the shops every day – you need ample supplies of food. An extension is needed so that we can accommodate this need.”
The planning officer, however, pointed out that the extension represented 47 per cent of the original floor space in the barn. North Yorkshire County councillor Robert Heseltine warned: “If we back this today it’s a coach and horses through a policy – a precedent that will come back to haunt us.”
“The size of the extension is the main issue,” he added.
Askrigg Parish councillor Allen Kirkbride, however, pointed out that there were numerous barns in the dales which had extensions and Buckden Parish councillor Chris Clark, who lives at Oughtershaw, commented:
“What Oughtershaw needs is more vibrancy, more people and more families. Even though there is an extension I believe the barn will still maintain its agricultural integrity. I think we should go for it.”
Both North Yorkshire County councillor John Blackie and Richmondshire District councillor Yvonne Peacock reminded the committee of the need to encourage young people and families to live in the dales.
“If we can encourage this young man [Mr Pearson’s son] to finish his schooling, to go to agricultural college and come back to work this land we should. Let’s face it, if we didn’t have the farmers working this land it would be an eyesore and tourists wouldn’t want to come,” Cllr Peacock said.
And Cllr Blackie added: “We need to put our money where our mouth is. If young people express a desire to continue in that industry they should be afforded that opportunity without having to push those who preceded them out of their homes.”
He said that although in the policies regarding barn conversions “significant” was not defined the proposed extension should be reduced in size.
The majority agreed and a decision was deferred to give Mr Pearson time to amend the plans.
The committee decided to hold a site meeting at the field above Heaning Hall at 11am on Monday March 26 as the proposed slurry store for Town Head Farm will be so large and the members wanted to assess its impact upon the neighbouring area and landscape.
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