Bainbridge Ings Caravan and Campsite just outside of Hawes is to be served an enforcement notice after new owners installed “wholly alien features within the landscape”.
But the owner of the park has strongly criticised the conduct of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority planning committee which approved the action.
Planning permission had been granted for a small circle of curved pods which officials said would have echoed the site’s former main use as a tented camp site.
However, pods of a larger size and with a completely different design, style and form have been installed.
The planning committee at the YDNPA refused a retrospective planning application and voted in favour of serving an enforcement notice at a meeting on Tuesday.
The notice will require the removal of the unauthorised pods and all fences and hard-standings associated with them. The period for compliance will be three months.
The planning officer’s report on the development at Bainbridge Ings said: “The pods appear as wholly alien features within the landscape that detract from the appearance of the site and the immediate area.
“They have no reference or sympathy with local building traditions or natural features within the area.”
Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority member, John Blackie, who is also chairman of Hawes and High Abbotside Parish Council, told the meeting that the pods which had been installed were “abominations”.
Bainbridge Ings Caravan and Campsite, lies to the south of Gayle Lane approximately half a mile from the centre of Gayle, to the east of the village.
It is a long established caravan and camping site which includes areas for tents, static caravans and touring caravans.
However, David Khan, managing director of Rural Getaways Ltd, said after the meeting that he was appalled at the conduct of the planning committee
He said his solicitors were preparing a claim against the authority, adding; “Amongst several significant issues raised, I believe my human rights have been breached.
“As a fellow district councillor on South Lakes District Council planning committee I was shocked and appalled at how I was treated.
“I have been in the holiday park business for 15 years, invested millions of pounds in the local economy and on this particular park have created six permanent jobs – when did 6 permanent jobs last get created in Hawes – all on salaries that are well above the minimum wage.
“I think businesses such as mine and the staff who work so hard in them deserve better than the treatment I was afforded.
“I am very much a realist and accept that I cannot win 10 nil in the planning stakes, but I thoroughly expect to play on an even playing field.”
The pods were manufactured by Modular Leisure Buildings.
Simon Lead, the company’s production director, said in a separate statement issued after the meeting: “We manufacture a wide range of portable leisure and accommodation buildings in many different styles and sizes to suit any environment.
“In this instance we fulfilled our order to the specifications requested but it appears there was confusion with the park owner regarding the planning consent granted.
“We are working closely with the park owner to find a workable solution to this unfortunate situation.”
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Then you wonder why people don’t want to start a business in the countryside and help the local, isolated villages who have a hard time out of season. Surely, the council could come up with a better solution, I.e., if the owners of the campsite redesigned them in keeping with local architecture & decorated accordingly, instead of making campsite lose many, many thousands of pounds!!!!
I noticed them a few days ago… I thought what were they… and now I know what they are!