A VOCIFEROUS audience at Monday’s planning meeting to decide the fate of a controversial plan to build a holiday park-style development on Hellifield Flashes made their opinions clear as they cheered and applauded a decision to reject the scheme.

Around 180 people packed into the meeting at Gargrave Village Hall where Ballon Ltd, represented by planning consultant John Steele, put their case forward for development of the 32-hectare site into a vast holiday village which would have doubled the size of Hellifield.

The developers said the hotel and leisure centre with swimming pool, complete with around 300 lodges, park and ride and bus and coach drop off point would bring around 500 jobs to the area and would boost the local economy.

Despite some support in the room, the majority had been fighting against the application since it was first aired in 2016.

The plans had been recommended for refusal by Craven District Council’s planning officers who said they conflicted with saved Local Plan policies and national planning policy as set out in the National Planning Policy Framework.

Brian Hugill, chairman of Hellifield Parish Council said: “This application is the biggest thing to hit Hellifield since the railway came in the 19th Century.

“We asked residents what they thought.and delivered a survey to every household in the parish including all the outlying farms and settlements. Of those returned, 87 per cent were against the development.

“Residents are extremely concerned about the impact on the village, the overbearing nature of the proposal would destroy its essential character. It would affect neighbouring properties overlooking the site, not only during construction, but once the site is operational. There would be noise, disturbance, loss of privacy and loss of existing views would adversely affect the residential amenity of the neighbouring owners.”

Mr Hugill added that a major concern was the amount of traffic which would be generated on proposed changeover days at the holiday park where it was feared at least 300 cars would be arriving just as the local primary school finishes.

Ward representative Councillor Chris Moorby said: “This (planning application) has been going on as long as Brexit,” adding that the only difference was that by the end of the day there would be a decision.

He said the area was totally wrong for that sort of development stating the dangerous A65 road was the reason a by-pass was mooted in 1987 but never commenced.

He also made reference to a number of extant planning permissions dating back to 1991 which included a steam heritage centre for the Settle to Carlisle Railway, a country club hotel, golf course, new access road, site manager’s house and rural environmental centre with equestrian and livestock buildings.

To date only the manager’s house and access road - Waterside Lane, dubbed the ‘road to nowhere’, along with some landscaping - has been completed.

He cast doubt on some of the letters of support received by the council which included one from a resident of Derbyshire who said it would be a great asset to the Peak District.

He added he feared the application was a Trojan Horse and feared if approved the developers may come back at a later date claiming it was unviable and lodge plans for houses.

He also referred to the suggestion there would be up to 500 new jobs created.

“Jobs in this industry are out there in Craven. The businesses are struggling to fill the vacancies at the present time so what good will another 500 be?”

Roger Haffield, on behalf of residents said it was a ‘destructive application’. “This site remains an integral part of the village communities. We are lucky to have this amenity on our doorstep.” He added that 150 different bird species had been seen on the flashes. It was a flood water retention asset and merited SSSI recognition.

“For two and a half years Hellifield has been blighted with this destructive proposal,” he said.

John Goodall, deputy chairman of Long Preston Parish Council added the development would ‘erode the distinction between the two villages’ and said it would not provide any long term benefit.

Planning consultant John Steel, on behalf of the applicant said ‘staycations’ where people holidayed in this country rather than go abroad boosted the economy by £31 billion.

He said of the development that it would be worth £2 million per annum in business rates and would generate £40 million in extra spending in the local area.

He added the scheme would provide employment opportunities with up to 500 jobs anticipated.

He said there was to be more screening than in the original plan and reminded members that there had been no objection from the RSPB and the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority.

“Waterside Lane is referred to as the ‘road to nowhere’. Let it be the road to a first class tourist destination,” he said.

Planning committee members voted unanimously against the plans.

Councillor Stephen Place said the scheme should be renamed Hellifield Swamp. “It will swamp the village of Hellifield with traffic, light pollution and noise. You would not wish a scheme like this on your worst enemy.”

Councillor Chris Rose said she doubted the scheme would provide the jobs which were suggested.

“Work in the hospitality industry is not well paid and it is seasonal. I think this is a little bit of carrot but is not an enticing one.”

Local and national campaigning charities have also welcomed the decision.

Ann Shadrake, executive director of Friends of the Dales said: “We congratulate members of Craven District Council on their unanimous decision to refuse planning permission for a huge leisure village on the edge of the lovely Dales village of Hellifield.

"Councillors fully considered the robust reasons for refusal put forward in a comprehensive report from their planning officer, and listened to the superb presentations from local objectors and parish representatives.

"We are thrilled that this beautiful area of open countryside on the boundary of the national park and its wealth of precious wildlife has been saved for the future.”

Ruth Bradshaw, policy and research manager for Campaign for National Parks said: "We’re really pleased that Craven District Council members took their responsibilities towards the National Park on their doorstep seriously.

"This decision will ensure that the landscape and wildlife of this beautiful area can continue to flourish."

Planning officer Mark Moore said the reasons for refusal were that the development was out of scale in the context of its surroundings, would have an unacceptable impact on the character and setting of Hellifield, would not be well screened by landforms and existing landscaping from roads and would have an adverse effect on the character and appearance of the countryside.

He also said traffic generated by the development could not be satisfactorily accommodated on the local roads.

Objectors included the CPRE, Friends of the Dales, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, Save our Craven Countryside, Long Preston Heritage Group, Craven Ramblers’ Association, East Lancashire Ornithological Society, Cycling Touring Club of North Yorkshire and representatives of the Diocese of Leeds.

Speaking afterwards, Mr Steel said his client would be disappointed with the decision but could not confirm if there was likely to be an appeal.