A PLAYGROUP scheme said to be "tearing a moorland community apart" is still in the balance.

The situation at Glaisdale is so sensitive, members of a planning committee are making a last-ditch bid to resolve a series of issues.

On Monday, plans for a new playgroup building on land next to Glaisdale primary school were back before North York moors national park planning committee for the third time.

Members have now agreed to arrange a site visit to try to thrash out a solution. They hope this will encourage various factions to get together to solve their problems.

Last month, the committee gave conditional approval to the scheme but the matter was brought back in the wake of a flood of new comments.

The playgroup has the chance of a grant to build a single-storey, temporary classroom to replace outdated accommodation in the village's Robinson institute.

The new building would be next to the school, which is on a hillside in an area of outstanding beauty.

The main concerns are that building work will disrupt a water supply from a natural spring and that a car park will be in an elevated and visible position. Others feel the need for a playgroup overrides such issues.

At Monday's meeting, the park authority's chief planning officer, Mrs Val Dilcock, said: "We have had many new comments, raising issues members will have to sort out. Concerns centre on the water supply and a natural spring and the position of tanks and pipes. Objectors feel these were accurately shown on plans." Continued on page 3.