A man has pledged to defy national park guardians who he fears will try to make him pull down a part-erected wrought iron fence at his dream home.

But the park’s planning chief says Matwey Kozlow has also built a platform into a stream next to his Kettlewell home, and that is the main reason why officials are asking he puts in a planning application for the work he has done. Mr Kozlow has put the fence up at his converted barn in Town Head to protect his family from falling into the nearby fast-flowing beck.

But he has been forced to halt further work on the fence and told he must submit a retrospective planning application.

Six years ago, on the ruling of a planning inspector, he won the right to live at his home, Brightwaters.

Mr Kozlow, who blames neighbours for alerting the planning authority, believes the original planning permission allows him to construct the fence.

He said: “The fence is to prevent me and my relatives coming out of the main door of the house and falling into the beck. When it’s in full flood it is a torrent. If anyone falls in, they’d have no chance. I’ve seen it carrying boulders along.

“I think some neighbour reported the fence. They just don’t want us to enjoy ourselves.”

He said he had submitted what he understood was the proper planning application about three months ago.

“I got a reply saying I must pay a further £200 and even then I might not get permission.

“I’m keeping the fence. I’m fed up with fighting the national park but I will fight for this,” he said.

Richard Graham, the Yorkshire Dales National Park’s head of development management, said it had been forced to investigate after receiving a complaint from a neighbour.

He said it was not just the fence that was at issue, as Mr Koslow had also built out into Kettlewell Beck, creating a platform.

Mr Graham said: “We have invited him to submit a planning application, which we wouldn’t do if there was no chance of it being approved.

“Once we have received the fee, we will consult other bodies such as the Environment Agency and the parish council.

“If the application proves contentious, it will go before the planning committee, otherwise it will be determined by officers. We have not expressed a view one way or another.”

Mr Graham said the application fee was £380 because it included a change of use of land from stream bed and garden. “The fees are set nationally,” he added.