AFTER over four years of discussions and applications Nigel Lambert of Fold Farm Shorthorns at Kettlewell has finally been given planning permission for a barn for a farming enterprise focussed on environmental land management and preservation of native breeds.

At the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority’s planning committee meeting on Tuesday, North Yorkshire councillor Robert Heseltine said: ‘The farmer needs this building - it is a necessity."

The barn had however been recommended for refusal. A planning officer stated: "It is recognised that there are difficulties faced by the applicant with regards the storage of agricultural equipment and feed but it is considered that the scale, form and location of the proposed development would have a truly significantly harmful impact on the landscape of this part of the national park."

Member and Askrigg parish councillor Allen Kirkbride pointed out that the authority’s senior farm conservation officer supported the application not just because there was a genuine need.

That officer had stated: ‘It is understood that the planning officer has objections to the siting of the building, however, given the fact that the intended location is adjacent to the sewage works and other man-made structures, it seems logical that this should be the preferred option rather than siting it away from the farm and village which would cause additional farm traffic travelling to and from the site."

Both Cllr Kirkbride and North Yorkshire councillor Yvonne Peacock (Con, Upper Dales) said that the proposed site would be well hidden. This was due to the mature trees by the sewage works and as more trees will be planted.

Lizzie Bushby, deputy chair of the authority, said the barn would be seen from some views across Wharfedale and authority chair, Derek Twine asked for further conditions to ensure it didn’t have a negative impact upon the landscape.

Cllr Kirkbride warned that if they put too many conditions on such a small farm it could fail. As the majority of members accepted the site location, the head of development management, Richard Graham, said the planning department could work with the applicant and his agent, Gemma Kennedy, on the conditions regarding the materials to be used and tree planting.

Ms Kennedy told the committee the applicant had been seeking approval for a new agricultural building since March 2020. As a planning officer was concerned about the visual impact that application had been withdrawn. In 2022 Mr Lambert applied to convert and extend an existing roadside building beside Conistone Road with part of it being set aside for use by Duke of Edinburgh campers. That was also withdrawn due to concerns raised by a planning officer.

He then submitted a pre-application inquiry which led to planning officers suggesting a site very close to that which has now been approved. But Mr Lambert was concerned that site was over a water main.

In June 2023 approval was given for him to convert the roadside building to provide facilities for the DofE campsite.

Ms Kennedy said that in the past three years she had considered all possible locations for an agricultural building with Mr Lambert and a planning officer to try and find a location that would have the least visible impact yet allow the farm to be run efficiently and sustainably.

She explained: "All other locations on the holding that have been considered and dismissed would have a far greater visual impact than the application site, not to mention constraints including narrow accesses, sloping sites and historic field lynchets, making them unsuitable to pursue.

"The applicant’s farming system - keeping native breed cattle on Biodiversity Action Plan hay meadows, epitomises what the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority heralds as its vision. Denying the necessary facilities to operate would be counter intuitive."

The present application was for a smaller building than that suggested in 2022 with a five metre clearance from the water main. "We acknowledge that the building will be subject to public views, but so too are the majority of agricultural buildings in the national park," Ms Kennedy said.

Cllr Peacock commented: "Wherever you put a building in the national park it will be seen by somebody, somewhere."