PEOPLE are being invited to have their say on potential housing sites in the Yorkshire Dales national park.

A total of 23 'preferred' sites are being put forward, including in Airton, Bolton Abbey, Grassington, Horton-in-Ribblesdale, Long Preston, and Threshfield.

Two controversial sites in Embsay that were subject of last year's first consultation and would have seen around 120 new homes being built in the village, have been removed from the list.

The sites are generally for around five houses, but often more, and together total around 370 new homes across the whole national park area.

The national park authority says taken together with existing planning permissions for homes yet to be built, allocating the 23 sites would 'significantly' contribute to the authority's annual housebuilding target of 50 up until 2040.

It is the second consultation on housing sites in the national park's preparation for a new local plan.

In March last year, 33 potential sites were identified for 600 homes.

Since then, changes have been made to the sites in Grassington and Threshfield, and the two in Embsay removed. The three areas were subject to the most comments during last year's consultation.

Work carried out by authority members included the consideration of public comments and the re-evaluation of sites that were previously dismissed.

Member champion for sustainable development Richard Foster said: “It is abundantly clear from the evidence we have gathered that we need more affordable housing, and more permanently occupied homes, in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. That’s what we want our new local plan to deliver.

“We must also conserve and enhance the nationally-important landscape of the national park, and protect communities from unsustainable development. We have listened and responded to many of the concerns people expressed in the consultation last year. The further, detailed information provided by the councils, utility companies and others showed that some of the 33 sites were not suitable for development, and others needed to be refined to reduce the development footprint."

He added: "I would encourage all interested parties to respond to our latest consultation. These sites will deliver around 370 dwellings – and, crucially, many of these will be affordable housing. When added to planning permissions that have already been granted, this will go a long way towards meeting the 750 target between now and 2040.

"It has not been possible to get an even spread of sites across the national park. There are fewer sites in the north because fewer options for development were put forward by landowners there.

"Sites in the north also tend to be smaller because the constraints around landform, landscape and flood risk are greater. We will now be working closely with the housing authorities and housing associations to identify future ‘exception’ sites for affordable housing in the north of the national park."

The authority intends to publish the draft local plan early next year. In addition to housing development sites, it will include policies designed to shape development in the national park.

The consultation is open until Tuesday October 29. Go to: www.yorkshiredales.org.uk/localplanconsultation7