PLANS to build eight timber clad holiday lodges on farmland at the edge of Carleton have been refused permission for a second time.

Councillors went against the advice of their planning officers to approve the resubmitted scheme, and instead refused it, with the added weight of inadequate visibility splays at the access onto Carla Beck Lane as grounds for refusal.

Craven District Council's planning committee was told that following the refusal of the original scheme in March last year, the applicant had made changes to make it more acceptable.

The proposed eight lodges - three with three bedrooms and five with two - now featured substantial landscaping, bat boxes and a wildflower meadow. The site would be accessed off Carla Beck Lane, next to an existing public footpath, and would be managed by the applicant, who lives nearby.

The applicant's agent told the meeting that farmers were looking at ways of branching out and pointed out in the last 12 months new holiday developments in rural areas had been approved.

But councillors heard strong objections from Carleton Parish Council and also a spokesperson for more than 60 people. There had also been 48 letters of objection, the meeting was told.

Parish councillor Angela Dowbiggin said the parish council opposed the application and there was no support for it in the village from residents or businesses.

She said there were safety issues on Carla Beck Lane, areas around the immediate site were prone to flooding and there was already enough visitor accommodation in the village.

In addition, a spokesperson for more than 60 objectors claimed the resubmitted plans were no different to the rejected scheme.

She said the site was open countryside, there would be noise day and night, and while staycations were popular now, what would happen in one or two years time when people started holidaying abroad again.

Ward councillor Richard Pringle said he was not speaking for or against the proposal, but pointed out that the highways authority had recommended refusal because of inadequate visibility splays. The authority had asked for 215 metre splays, but just 40m was provided.

Cllr Robert Heseltine added highways believed that the development was unsafe and moved refusal - despite legal advice that councillors could disregard the recommendation from highways, if there was clear and cogent reasons.

Cllr Andy Brown said the lodges would 'clash badly' with the local vernacular, and there was 'regular flooding' in the area that would be made worse with building at the site.

All journeys to and from the lodges would be made by car and the public right of way would be impacted.

"Instead of pleasant open countryside, there would be a view of holiday lodges," he said.

Councillors voted six to two to refuse the application on the grounds of insufficient access, impact on the open countryside and harm to the environment.