A former council leader is pressing a national park authority to add aiding communities to its main purposes and give parish councils a greater voice in key decisions, saying radical change is needed to save the area’s future.
North Yorkshire and Richmondshire councillor for the Upper Dales Yvonne Peacock’s statement to a meeting of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority tomorrow will come as it considers its response to a government White Paper calling for a thorough shake-up of the planning system.
Leading elements of the authority’s response to the White Paper are likely to include whether the changes would take decision-making powers away from local communities and elected officials.
The White Paper suggests development proposals would be made to local authorities, but be judged against a national framework.
The document also states authorities would be required “to profoundly re-invent the ambition, depth and breadth of ways in which they engage with communities”, with the local plan, rather than the planning application, being the main opportunity for residents to influence future development.
Cllr Peacock will tell members the “duty to seek to foster the economic and social wellbeing of local communities” should be made of equal importance to the principle statutory purposes of the national park, following decades of housing policy failure.
She will also urge the authority to press the government to give “elected parish councils equal weight in making decisions on local plans and planning applications”, to ensure residents’ views are properly considered, particularly following the authority reducing the number of its elected representatives.
The moves would represent the biggest sea change for the body since the national park was established in 1954 with the statutory purposes to conserve and enhance natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage and promote opportunities for the public understanding and enjoyment of the area’s special qualities.
Conservative councillor Peacock, who led the Richmondshire authority until last year, said: “For many years the park authority has failed to meet the target of local need for affordable housing.
“It is time to look at another way. It took 15 years of battling to get some affordable housing in Bainbridge for example.
“With house prices rising, more second homes and holiday cottages and wages lower than average unless something changes, the Dales will have lost the people who are delivering services for tourists and residents.
“In other words no one left to keep the Dales economy going.”
She said to stem the exodus of young people from the national park there needed to be about five affordable homes built in every village in the Upper Dales.
Cllr Peacock said it was particularly frustrating that when parish councils did feel strongly enough about a development to submit views they were often taken with a pinch of salt by planning authorities.
She added: “It is time for a radical rethink and to allow the locally elected parish councils that best know their communities to have more input into the very policies which effect their communities.”
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Only lived in the Park for 12 years. Had to fight them to get fast broadband and luckily John Blackie took our side. But the Park seems to do so little for residents. Many staff don’t live in the Park. Ranger service fine
I’m sick of reading about affordable housing in the Dale’s as being some sort of saviour to the long term survival of the National Park. They should stick to their core business, maintaining, conserving and protecting the landscape. Ruining villages like West Witton, building 17 houses that local people won’t afford is grossly irresponsible. And giving Parish Councils more say they need to check capability and ensure they are not there to further self interest. AND finally how many young people have left the Park in this mass exodus? I’ve lived here all my life and not noticed if they have!
West Witton desperately needs the 17 new houses, a big majority of the village supports it as did all of the resident Parish Councillors. Without these, the village will become merely a theme park resort, one that people can come on holiday to but not live in.
Young people are indeed leaving in droves because they cannot afford to live here. A majority of houses sold over the past couple of years have gone as second/holiday homes.
As a resident of West Witton, I take exception to the comments of Mr. Bottley who I believe is NOT a resident of West Witton. There is no evidence that West Witton needs 17 new houses and I am sure that when these houses are sold they will go to people outside the West Witton catchment area as they are too expensive for local people. There might be a demand for single person accomodation in this area but the site does not offer these.
The majority of people in the village did not support the development and I can direct you to people who were against it. At least one Parish Councillor voted against it and I know this because I was at the meeting when the vote was taken.
I resent the comment about the village becoming a theme park resort. What does he mean by this?
What is his evidence that young people are leaving the Dales in droves?
He says that existing houses are sold as second homes and holiday homes. I agree but shouldn’t the Councils try to limit this so that these properties can be sold to local people.
The development has ruined the village and offers little for local people as only 8 of the 17 properties are affordable homes.
We live in the dales, local farmer and run a business we have been trying to get planning on a family barn, so we can live and raise our children in the local area, but the NP do not want local people in the dales, as on our last planning try we were told we could have a bunk barn, just ridiculous
Regarding West Witton housing and the village ‘desperately’ needing 17 houses, I don’t know what evidence this is based on! The housing survey conducted by RDC specifically asked for a number of single affordable homes, this will not materialise. And not all the Parish Councillors at the time were in agreement that’s a fact. I’ve no idea what a ‘theme park resort’ is either! If second homes and holiday lets are seen as the main problem on housing constraints for young people then the YDNP and local councils should look at formulating policies to address it rather than banging up more houses and not helping families like Samantha’s. I’ll be watching with great interest to see how many local families move into West Witton!
As a resident of West Witton, I take exception to the comments of Mr. Bottley who I believe is NOT a resident of West Witton. There is no evidence that West Witton needs 17 new houses and I am sure that when these houses are sold they will go to people outside the West Witton catchment area as they are too expensive for local people. There might be a demand for single person accomodation in this area but the site does not offer these.
The majority of people in the village did not support the development and I can direct you to people who were against it. At least one Parish Councillor voted against it and I know this because I was at the meeting when the vote was taken.
I resent the comment about the village becoming a theme park resort. What does he mean by this?
What is his evidence that young people are leaving the Dales in droves?
He says that existing houses are sold as second homes and holiday homes. I agree but shouldn’t the Councils try to limit this so that these properties can be sold to local people.
The development has ruined the village and offers little for local people as only 8 of the 17 properties are affordable homes.