Planning officers have recommended controversial proposals to expand a Yorkshire Dales hotel and build holiday lodges near a popular beauty spot be approved, despite parish council objections.
The Aysgarth Falls Hotel, beside the A684, is hoping to get permission for 14 new lodges and an extension to the hotel building.
Aysgarth and District Parish Council has expressed strong resistance to the plans with concerns they are out of keeping with the area.
Despite recognising that the proposal “represents a more intensive use of the site” than is considered acceptable, the report submitted by officers to a meeting of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority’s planning committee on Tuesday states: “The hotel lodges would be serviced hotel rooms, intrinsically linked to the hotel enterprise, and are acceptable in principle as an alternative to an extension to the hotel.
“Although the proposal represents a more intensive use of the site, it is considered to be acceptable in landscape, visual impact and neighbour amenity terms (subject to conditions).
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“It provides for biodiversity net gain and addresses environmental, economic and social sustainability.
“Some harm will arise from the loss of the tent and touring caravan pitches but this is considered to be offset by the benefits of providing a year round tourism offer, plus economic and employment benefits in a sustainable location.
“Overall, it is considered that the development ... would not undermine the conservation of the landscape, wildlife or cultural heritage of the national park.”
The report outlines a number of conditions which would need to be satisfied for permission to be granted, including agreements on building materials, external lighting, drainage and landscaping.
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The parish council previously told the planning department: “It is an expansion which is totally out of keeping with the area and will permanently change its nature.
“We feel this development does not add anything the area needs, but it does take away facilities that the area cannot afford to lose and will permanently damage the local economy and landscape.
“It is commercialisation on a grand scale better suited to larger urban areas such as Leyburn where there is already a large hotel development under consideration.
“We believe that in planning terms this development is not in the public interest, particularly locally, because of its damaging impact on the local economy, and thereby the local community as a whole, and for its lasting detrimental effect on the environment.”
The hotel has said replacing the site’s touring caravan and tent pitches would extend visitation into the off-season, address the undersupply of rooms at the hotel and tap into new and growing markets.
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