A major farm expansion has been approved despite several concerns from the public and councillors.

The proposals for Howesyke Farm in Bishopdale were passed by the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority’s planning committee on October 15.

This approval came despite Cllr Robert Heseltine said the planning committee had been wrong to approve the application by Robert and Helen Brown in 2017.

It was pointed out that in 2017 the planning committee had not accepted the officer’s recommendation to refuse that application which included extending the farmhouse, construction of two rural workers’ dwellings at the farm, the erection of two barns, and the conversion of a modern barn into five-holiday lets.  

The new application (for one more barn and one rural worker’s dwelling) was, however, approved by the majority of the committee this time accepting the recommendation of the planning officer.

They were told that if it was refused the applicants could ‘fall back’ to that of 2017 and build two rural workers’ dwellings at Howesyke.

The planning officer added: "[With] the significant extent of the holiday let proposal, combined with the holiday let the use of the farmhouse, it is apparent that the tourism arm of the enterprise would become the main income stream, and significantly more than a diversification to support the environmental beneficial aspects of land management."

 Howesyke Farm in Bishopdale Howesyke Farm in Bishopdale (Image: YORKSHIRE ESCAPES)

She told the committee: "Many significant elements of the development proposal are contrary to policy, with some aspects lacking detailed justification, such as the proposed dwelling and need for the additional barn. The reason for this is that the applicant is reliant on a fallback factor."

She said that the latest proposal amounted to unsustainable development and there was no essential functional need for the proposed dwelling at Howesyke but stated:"‘There are several factors relating to the fallback scheme that are worse than the development that is now proposed, including the visual impact, the operational needs of the enterprise, and the sustainability credentials.

"This weighs in favour of granting permission for the development, despite it being entirely contrary to the development plan policy.

"The fallback scheme included two semi-detached houses which, whilst well-designed, were sited poorly. Together with the farmhouse, they would have formed a long run of buildings, all with similar eaves and ridge height. In design terms, they would compete with the main farmhouse and confuse the hierarchy of dwellings on site."

There is now a car park where they would have been built.

Member Allen Kirkbride described the original location of those two proposed dwellings as infill. ‘I can’t see what the problem is with that [2017] plan," he said. 

He agreed with North Yorkshire County councillor Yvonne Peacock who said: "My main concern is that the first [application] went through on the basis that the applicant was going to live in the house and farm 1,000 sheep on the land. That has not happened.’ The farmhouse is now a nine-bedroom luxury holiday let."

Several Bishopdale residents had objected to the latest Howesyke Farm application with one stating that there had been an obvious increase in pheasants in the fields plus noise from the shooting business.

"Howesyke is now beginning to look like some kind of expanding holiday estate. It is not in keeping with the natural, unspoilt image of Bishopdale," she had added.

Another North Yorkshire councillor David Ireton, also rallied against the plans, saying: "Just because we’ve made a mistake and got it wrong. In my view doesn’t make it right by now to approve this [new application] when it is entirely contrary to the development plan."

The Browns have also applied to build a rural worker’s dwelling at Kidstones Gill Bridge and that will be discussed at next month’s meeting.  At present a gamekeeper lives in a chalet there for which temporary planning permission expired in March this year.

Mrs Brown told the committee: ‘The easiest way to resolve the fact we already have permission for two cottages at Howesykes and not wanting to build a third in Bishopdale … [is] to move one of the cottages from Howesyke to Kidstones [Gill] Bridge.’ A legal agreement would be signed to rescind the 2017 approval to build two beside Howesyke Farmhouse.

Cllr Heseltine said: "In my opinion, it has not been helpful to conflect the Howesyke Farm application with that of Kidstones [Gill] Bridge. It’s muddying the waters and confusing the issue."

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However, Derek Twine, the chairman of the Authority, said: ‘The [Howesyke Farm application] is the lesser of two challenging proposals. There is much that can be learned from seven years ago but we are in a different position with different criteria in terms of businesses and work in the Dales, life in the Dales and how tourism as well as farming has changed.’

The majority agreed with Cllr Graham Simpkins (Westmorland and Furness Council) who said: "Over the last seven years there has been a considerable change in agriculture.

"This business is growing, it’s employing people, and what’s on the table is better than what we approved in 2017. So I can’t see any reason to refuse it."