A NEW business park incorporating general industrial and business units, along with 19 new homes has been rubber-stamped by planners.

The outline development, at Anley Crag, sits on a parcel of land to the south of Settle and is flaked by the A65 and the B6480.

Applicant’s agent Ian Swain told members of Craven District Council’s planning committee that the developer had agreed to the provision of 30 per cent affordable housing within the housing development.

He also assured the committee that a landscape buffer to the west of the site would protect much of the development from view and cause minimal impact.

He said the site was allocated for development in the emerging Local Plan.

Representations to the application had been received by Natural England which said the development would create an urban form in a rural setting and would “drastically alter the character of one of the primary entry points to the national park’.

However, the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority offered no objection in principle subject to appropriate landscaping.

Settle Town Council had written of their reservations that the size and scale of the development would have a detrimental affect on the landscape of the open green gateway to Settle.

Seven letters of objection had been received from residents who said it would impact local amenity and amounted to sporadic development in open countryside.

However, ,members supported the application. Planning committee chairman Councillor Alan Sutcliffe said: “I think this is a very good planning application and the right site for an industrial park. It is an essential part of our Local Plan.”

Councillor Linda Brockbank said:”We have seen in the past that (some developers) once they start a programme they reduce the amount of employment land in favour of houses. We don’t want to see that happen here because employment is really needed in North Craven.”

Guy Taylor, Candelisa managing director, said: ”We are delighted that the scheme has received approval and now look forward to creating an environmentally friendly, ethical and highly sustainable business community which will offer a combination of mixed employment space and residential units.

“The business park will provide opportunities for young talented professionals to live, work and remain in the rural north and help retain the vibrancy of the Yorkshire Dales National Park. It will also be of major economic benefit to the area.”