Application for fish ponds could be sunk by planners

Mike Cowling's plans for the ponds, south of Urra, near Chop Gate, have the support of almost 100 people who have signed a petition backing the scheme.

The National Farmers' Union has also backed Mr Cowling's project, saying: "Developing alternative income streams for farms is essential in today's economic conditions."

It added that such alternative incomes had become even more important because of the reforms in the EU's Common Agricultural Policy.

However, planning officials for the North York Moors National Park insist the project would have an adverse affect on the character of the area and are recommending refusal.

Mr Cowling's plans are for two ponds - one below the other. They would be fed by an existing stream and would be created by the building of two raised banks on the western side of each.

The upper pond would be 75m by 35m at its widest and 75m by 10m at its narrowest. The lower pond would be 70m by 23m and feature a small island.

North of the lower pond would be parking for ten cars, served by a 230m limestone-surfaced access road.

Mr Cowling, of Meynell Hall Farm, Great Broughton, already operates a fishing lake on Ingleby road, four miles away.

"It's a nice sideline which doesn't do anyone any harm," he said. Where else can a working person enjoy a day's sport for such a small outlay?"

He said the scheme was developed with the assistance of the park's planning office and he had "bent over backwards" to work with them.

Mr Cowling also pointed out there was already a similarly-sized pond on a farm directly opposite the proposed site and said that once the landscaping for his scheme had settled in it would not detract for the area.

However, chief planning officer Val Dilcock said the size and location of the ponds, plus the car parking and the access road would be inappropriate.

She said they would be "alien and visually intrusive features in the landscape which would be clearly visible from surrounding public areas".