RELIEF was the word when the Whitham family finally won their battle to save the house they built without full planning permission in the Yorkshire Dales.

Andrew Whitham had converted the pump house at Cherry Trees in Hebden to make a home for his son, Lewis, his partner, Sophie Thompson, and baby twins, Ann and Francesca.

The Yorkshire Dales National Park meeting on July 12 agreed to let the building stand, despite opposition from the chairman, Councillor Carl Lis.

Earlier this year, the family faced having to pull the building down because it flouted planning rules, but they were given a chance to re-submit an application.

Coun Lis told authority members: “I can never accept this kind of flagrant flouting of planning rules."

But a majority believed the conversion had improved the appearance of the building and it should not be demolished just because the work was done without permission.

Mr Whitham said: "I spoke to the committee and brought along a display. I was quite emotional about what I wanted to say and we were relieved with the decision.

"We now have to sign an occupancy agreement but I'd always said I was prepared to do that from the start. We didn't do the job for profit or reward but to provide a home for my a son and his family."

He argued his son works in the Dales as an agricultural contractor and is exactly the kind of person who should be encouraged to stay and earn his living in the park.

Mr Whitham thanked especially the support of Cllr Robert Heseltine, who told the authority: "We should also recognise what has been built is not entirely unreasonable and, in all the circumstances – including the provision of a local occupancy home for a family with young twins – a compassionate view was taken on this occasion.”

Permission was conditionally given in 2014 for the building to be used as living accommodation, but did not include "significant" alterations.

The small house has been constructed on the same footprint as the former single-storey pump house using the same materials.