YARNBURY woman Sue Woodcock says the national park authority is scared to let its own planning committee vote on her latest application to live at Mire House.

Mrs Woodcock, who is fighting to remain in her isolated hilltop croft, accused the authority of wanting to bypass its own planning committee.

It is understood her third application has been passed directly to the Planning Inspectorate.

"They don't want it to go before the committee, because the committee will pass it," said Mrs Woodcock.

The latest plan will be held in abeyance until the inspectorate has ruled on her second application, which also seeks permission to occupy the old farmhouse.

A planning inspector is due to visit the site later this month.

Mrs Woodcock's original application was turned down by the authority's planning committee in 2005, but her second never made it to the committee and was turned down by officers under delegated powers.

However, after Mrs Woodcock launched an appeal, several members expressed regret that they had not granted permission in the first place.

Referring to the latest situation, Mrs Woodcock said: "I don't think they (the planning committee) are going to be happy with this. It would be a crying shame to let this fall into dereliction."

And she accused the authority of "making the rules up as they go along".

She added: "I see that they have a problem. They have dug themselves so deep. When you have dug a hole, hiring a JCB to get yourself out is not always the brightest of moves.

"Why are they so frightened of the planning committee? I would like to know what they want done with this place."

A planning inspector will visit Mire House, on Grassington Moor, on March 19 to inspect the property.

Mrs Woodcock said: "If he is independent and has a damn sight more common sense than the parks, he will see this is a house."

The Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority wants to evict Mrs Woodcock after deeming her occupation of the building as "unauthorised".

Mire House, a 170-year-old croft, has no mains water, sewerage or electricity.

Mrs Woodcock has now called for a public meeting to be held.

"Then everyone could have their say," she added.

She said she had been left dumbfounded after the park authority raised objections to her erecting a washing line and having garden furniture.

She also wants to quiz the authority about Mire House's status. She says it was surveyed as a dwelling back in 1980, but the park authority had told her the house was surveyed as a sheep shelter in 1986.

Mrs Woodcock also highlighted the redevelopment of the former ruinous Hellifield Peel, which was recently featured on the TV show Grand Designs.

"It didn't even have a roof, but they were OK with that," she said.

Peter Watson, head of planning at the national park authority, said the park had not received a third planning application from Mrs Woodcock. But he admitted he was aware of its existence and it had gone to the Planning Inspectorate which was holding it in abeyance.