The proposals for Howesyke Farm in Bishopdale were passed by the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority’s planning committee on October 15. This approval came despite Cllr Robert Heseltine saying the planning committee had been wrong to pass an earlier application by Robert and Helen Brown in 2017. It was pointed out that in 2017 the planning committee had not accepted the officer’s recommendation to refuse that application which included extending the farmhouse, construction of two rural workers’ dwellings at the farm, the erection of two barns, and the conversion of a modern barn into five-holiday lets.
The new application - for one more barn and one rural worker’s dwelling - was, however, approved by the majority of the committee this time accepting the recommendation of the planning officer. They were told that if it was refused the applicants could ‘fall back’ to that of 2017 and build two rural workers’ dwellings at Howesyke. The planning officer added: "[With] the significant extent of the holiday let proposal, combined with the holiday let the use of the farmhouse, it is apparent that the tourism arm of the enterprise would become the main income stream, and significantly more than a diversification to support the environmental beneficial aspects of land management.
" Howesyke Farm in Bishopdale (Image: YORKSHIRE ESCAPES) She told the committee: "Many significant elements of the development proposal are contrary to policy, with some aspects lacking detai.