What is the Public Notice Portal?
The Public Notice Portal carries statutory public notices published in local newspapers and is the fastest and most effective way of finding out what is happening in YOUR neighbourhood.
Search the Public Notice Portal
Councillors have delayed a decision on whether to approve unauthorised building work at a Yorkshire Dales property amid fears it would send a message that people can ignore planning rules and obtain permission afterwards.
Members of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority's planning committee raised concerns about the precedent that could be set by granting retrospective permission for extensive alterations at Far End House, near Austwick.
The works include the substantial rebuilding and enlargement of a former agricultural outbuilding, the extension of a garden into farmland and the installation of ground-mounted solar panels.
Planning officers had recommended approval, but councillors voted to defer a decision after questioning the history of the development and the consequences of allowing the work to remain.
Peter Goold, chair of Austwick Parish Council, urged members to reject the application, arguing that the changes went far beyond what had originally been permitted.
He said: “A farmstead building has been demolished without permission. A new building stands in its place nearly twice the size. Many trees that were to be retained are felled. The garden has been extended into farmland.
“Walls have been removed and others rebuilt in different locations, and none of it has been justified.”
Mr Goold said the development was visible from the surrounding countryside, including public rights of way across the dale.
He challenged the description of the work as a barn conversion, claiming the replacement building had a footprint 51 per cent larger than its predecessor, rising to 73 per cent when a new bathroom was included.
He warned: “If approved, the message to every applicant in the park is simple — don't apply, demolish, build, and then re-label.”
Committee member Cllr David Ireton expressed similar concerns about the implications for future developments.
He said: “I have a great concern about the new build.
“I'm worried that if this is allowed without planning permission because it's within a curtilage, you'll see umpteen new buildings of quite a substantial size going up everywhere if they can do this without planning.”
Cllr Yvonne Peacock also questioned what approving the application would mean for the authority's ability to enforce its planning rules.
She said: “No problem, go and demolish your building, put another one up, it's all right because you'll get planning permission — it's the simple message we're sending out.
“There's certainly no money in the national park authority to be going to court and fighting against it.
“So why are we even sat here in the first place at the planning committee? People should not do things when they know they have to have planning.”
Other committee members said they wanted more information about the history of the site and the extent of the work before reaching a decision.
The application, submitted by Mr and Mrs J and R Henson, follows earlier enforcement investigations into unauthorised development at the former farmstead, approximately two kilometres north-east of Austwick.
Planning permission was granted in March 2024 for alterations and extensions to the main farmhouse, but that approval did not cover the conversion of the separate agricultural building or the changes to the adjoining paddock.
A subsequent investigation identified unauthorised paths, steps, patios, seating areas, walls and fencing, as well as solar panels and alterations to the outbuilding.
In their report, planning officers acknowledged that the former agricultural building had been substantially rebuilt and could not reasonably be treated as a traditional barn conversion.
However, they concluded that it should be assessed as a new domestic building and was acceptable because of its design, materials, size and relationship to the farmhouse.
Officers said the stone building, which has a slate roof, occupied a slightly larger footprint than its predecessor but had not caused significant harm to the surrounding landscape.
They also considered the solar panels acceptable, subject to additional screening.
The applicants have agreed to reverse a number of the unauthorised changes to the paddock, including removing paths, steps and seating areas, regrading the land and restoring its agricultural appearance.
Read more
MP challenges cash access ruling amid fears rural communities are being left behind
Holiday park between Darlington and Northallerton plans 16 more static caravans
Sewage capacity leads to fears that new North Yorkshire homes could be left empty
The planning report acknowledged that the unauthorised landscaping had caused significant harm to the agricultural character of the site.
However, officers concluded that the proposed restoration measures, together with additional planting and other conditions, were sufficient to address the concerns.
Rather than follow the recommendation to grant retrospective permission, committee members voted to defer the application to allow officers to get more information.