THE Church of England has been accused of ‘garden grabbing’ and of acting like a ‘greedy developer’ over its plans to build homes next to Kildwick Vicarage.

The Anglican Diocese of Leeds is seeking to build two, detached homes on the untended part of the extended garden, next to the vicarage, which is part of the village’s conservation area, including the grade one listed St Andrew’s Church - recently described as ‘one of the jewels in Craven’s crown’ - and an aqueduct on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal.

The proposed houses would both have three bedrooms, and garages and feature ‘timber cladding’ with access and have a shared courtyard created from the existing access, it says.

The development would also involve the removal and reduction in height of a number of trees covered by tree protection orders.

Agent for the diocese Jay Everett, in his proposal to Craven District Council’s planning department, says that the properties will be ‘barely visible’ from public views and are ‘carefully designed to protect the amenity of the existing properties to the north’.

In his summing up, he acknowledges the significance of the church as an ‘imposing landmark in the centre of the village, but that the proposed new homes would be ‘effectively screened’ by the vicarage itself and trees and hedges along Skipton Road, and that it would be a sustainable development.

But, the application, which has yet to be decided by the planning authority, has already attracted more than 30 comments of objection from residents, and also from both Kildwick Parish Meeting, and neighbouring Farnhill Parish Council.

In addition, recommendations of refusal have been received from the council’s own heritage advisor, and from North Yorkshire County Council highways department, for safety reasons, while the council’s tree officer has also objected to the planned removal of trees protected by preservation orders.

Keith Midgley, chairman of Kildwick Parish Meeting, says the garden of the vicarage lies within the ‘green wedge’ is a conservation area and has an ‘abundance of ‘important, well developed trees’.

And although the council would prefer no houses at all, it feels just one ought to be the ‘worst state scenario’.

“Ideally, there should be no houses built on this site, as it can only damage the setting of the vicarage and also goes against the Government policy of ‘garden grabbing’. However, in a worst state scenario, the construction of one house could avoid cutting down these fabulous trees.”

Some objectors have also commented on the current state of St Andrew’s Church, with one writing that the village’s conservation area was ‘constantly being eroded by greedy developers’ before adding: “This development will be sold off and all the proceeds used for the Leeds Diocese when Kildwick Church itself is in dire need of funds for major renovations.’

A spokesman for the Anglican Diocese of Leeds said: “We are aware of comments regarding this application and await the outcome to the planning process. We will also take local opinion on board.”