Controversial Yorkshire Dales planning application set to be approved (From Darlington and Stockton Times)

Controversial Yorkshire Dales planning application set to be approved

12:00am Saturday 2nd March 2013 in News By Joe Willis, Regional Chief Reporter

PLANNING officials are recommending controversial work at a Wensleydale barn conversion is granted planning permission despite objections from villagers.

Local businessman Tony Biker is at loggerheads with residents of Redmire over developments at Mill Farm Barn, a property near the River Ure which is owned by the haulier.

In the latest episode in the long-running dispute, a planning application has been submitted for an area beside the barn for car parking.

The application is partly retrospective and seeks to regularise unauthorised work which has already been undertaken at the site.

John Hall, the applicants' agent, states that Mr and Mrs Biker are pensioners and the existing parking area away from the barn is inappropriate But Glynne Price, whose own property neighbours the barn conversion, is one of several villagers who have raised objections to the changes.

He said: “The new unapproved car park could hardly be worse featuring as it does an extensive gravelled area, an electronically operated teak barred gate and a leylandii hedge.

“This urbanisation is accentuated by Mr Biker’s recent surfacing with stone of the old grass rural road.”

Redmire Parish Council has also raised objections.

The authority said: “The parish council was expecting to see a retrospective planning application for the existing parking development and this has not been forthcoming.

“This application does not acknowledge that a new access to the highway has been created without permission and that a hedge has already been destroyed, again, without permission.”

The application will be discussed at a Richmondshire District Council planning committee meeting on Tuesday (MARCH 5).

At the meeting, planning officer Natalie Snowball will recommend the application is approved.

She said in her report: “This is a somewhat controversial and quite finely balanced case.

“All things considered, I believe that the proposed curtilage is not overly large for the size of this particular barn and that a suitably screened parking area can be provided in the proposed location.”

Residents previously expressed concerns that Mr Biker was trying to close a footpath past the barn, which takes in a popular view of the river.

Mr Biker has been told to remove stone gateposts in the track past the barn by North Yorkshire County Council.

However, the unlawful gateposts remain and the county council has admitted it is reluctant to take legal action which could lead to a judicial review.