Outdoor pursuits centre can be turned into family home (From Craven Herald)

Outdoor pursuits centre can be turned into family home

9:00am Friday 1st February 2013 in News

A former outdoor pursuits centre in the heart of the Dales can be turned into a four-bedroomed family home which will secure its future as a heritage asset.

The Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority said the change of use of Foxwood Farmhouse at Newhouses, near Horton-in-Ribblesdale, would bring back into use a redundant grade two listed building.

The former home was purchased in 1965 by the Parent Teacher Association of Foxwood School in East Leeds and, when the school closed in 1996, was handed to an independent charity so youngsters from East Leeds could continue to experience the “social and educational benefits of a residential stay in an area which is in contrast to the environment in which they live”.

But, with major work needed, the charity reached a position where it could no longer run the facilities and the building was sold at auction in 2011.

It has stood empty ever since.

In a report to the planning meeting, officers conceded that the financial implications of maintaining and upgrading the building within the constraints of listed building designation made it unsuitable for modern organised outdoor activity.

“The change of use of this particular facility would not have a significantly detrimental impact on the opportunities for the understanding and enjoyment of the special qualities of the national park by the public,” they said.

And officers added that retaining a grade two listed building as a heritage asset was a material consideration that should be afforded weight.

The application had attracted three letters of objection and one of concern.