The majority of the Aysgarth and District parish councillors are in favour of the proposed extension of the 30mph speed limit restrictions in Aysgarth to include more of the road leading into the village from Thornton Rust and also by the houses along the road to Thoralby.
Councillor Brian McGregor asked if there was any way the parking places by the Doctors’ Surgery in Aysgarth could be just for the use of patients during surgery hours even though the area belonged to highways. The clerk was asked to make further enquiries.
Thoralby. – The council was so surprised that the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority’s planning committee had refused to visit the proposed site for a slurry plant at Thoralby that it considered organising a site visit itself – and to invite all the planning committee members.
Richmondshire District Councillor Yvonne Peacock said that the majority of the planning committee had voted against the proposal to have a site visit at the field above Town Head Farm, and there was concern about the impact the large slurry plant would have on the landscape.
“They had this vision of a large concrete container of slurry on the hillside,” she added.
A councillor asked how the planning committee members could understand the situation without visiting the site.
It was pointed out that there would be far less smell in the village from the slurry plant than there was now from the one in the farm yard.
The councillors were informed after the meeting that Town Head Farm had withdrawn its application.
Highways. – The councillors were pleased to hear that North Yorkshire County Council’s highways department will carry out work between Thornton Rust and Cubeck before Christmas weather permitting.
Repair work on Bishopdale Bridge, however, is not scheduled until next March. The highways department informed the parish council that there had been a number of damaged bridges this year which had required attention.
The councillors warned that if the bridge was repaired with no alterations and if the B6160 continued to be used by heavy goods vehicles it would soon be damaged again.
It was reported that the road at Tom Gill Bridge between Aysgarth and Thoralby was in very bad condition.
Flood detours. – The highways department stated that when the A684 was flooded for a significant period of time those travelling west should be directed via Thornton Rust, and those travelling east should to go via Askrigg.
“We were not aware that this is not operating in this manner,” the spokesman said. She added that a review of the signage at Bainbridge would be organised.
Thornton Rust. – The chairman, Councillor John Dinsdale, was delighted that Thornton Rust Kennel Field Trust was highly commended at the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust awards ceremony in October. He said the award included £4,000 which would cover the cost of more environmental work at the Kennel Field.
He was just as pleased that several others in Wensleydale had received awards at the Trust’s 20th anniversary celebrations, including a gold award to Colin Bailey’s BlueBoxt Productions and a posthumous one to Alan Watkinson.
Councillor David Pointon urged the other councillors to go and see what volunteers had done at the Outgang in Thornton Rust. “They have done a really good job,” he said.
Affordable housing. – Following the call from the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority for more affordable housing Cllr Peacock pointed out that a planning inspector had thrown out a proposal for a small housing development in Aysgarth.
Cllr Dinsdale warned that there might be even less houses for rent in the future after new energy standards are introduced by the government in April 2018. He explained that it might be almost impossible to improve traditional dales’ houses to the required standard. “It is a time bomb,” he added.
Air Ambulance. – The parish council agreed to give donations of £25 each to the Yorkshire Air Ambulance Service and the Great North Air Ambulance Service.
Next meeting. – Is in Aysgarth Institute at 7.30pm on Thursday November 30.
