Plans to create a car park to hold 193 cars and four coaches in the grounds of Skipton Castle have been approved, despite planning officers recommending refusal.

The application from Sebastian Fattorini, owner of Skipton Castle, was a reduced version of plans refused last November when 230 car parking spaces were proposed.

Despite the scaled-down version, Craven District Council officers argued that the removal of nine mature trees and the impact of the car park on occupants at nearby Bailey Cottage was unacceptable.

They also said the site, to the north east of the castle, was outside the development limits of Skipton and its creation would detract from the setting of the castle.

Objector Mark Collier said the car park would create noise and light pollution which could be seen from Skipton Woods and would affect neighbouring properties.

He also said the site was an old jousting field which, if turned into a car park, would result in a piece of history being lost forever.

Coun Ady Green told Monday’s planning meeting that the impact of the car park on the historic site would be too great. He was also against removing the trees and said there were alternative sites.

“There are 55 acres of land coming up for sale in open land from the Carleton end of Skipton that is within minutes of Skipton town. You could have as much car parking as you want,” he said.

Coun Alan Sutcliffe was also against the car park. “It is desecrating a heritage site. If you turn it into a car park, it’s gone forever,” he said.

However, Coun Paul English said the proposals were an “opportunity to take a leap of faith and do something for the town”.

“In 2002, when Skipton became a Renaissance Town, the whole town got talking. What came out time and time again was that there was not enough car parking provision,” he said. “Proposals were put forward to increase parking, but there was never a site that 100 per cent of the people would be happy with to alleviate the problem.

“It’s my view that this site is as near as we will get. We have to look at the long-term view. We may have to lose a few trees, but they can be replaced.”

Coun Carl Lis said he had been on the district council for 22 years and for every one of those years there had been little doubt from people outside Skipton that parking was a problem in the town.

Coun John Roberts said in 2008 the district had commissioned a survey on car parking in Skipton that cost over £20,000. “As a result, the overview and scrutiny committee reported that there was not enough parking and we needed it somewhere else. There were major, major problems that they could not solve. There was no land for sale. These problems still remain and we should carry on with this site,” he said.

The committee voted by five votes to three to approve the plans. A list of conditions will be drawn up to include landscaping, the mitigation of effects on Bailey Cottage and details of access. An archaeology investigation will also be carried out.

Mr Fattorini said after the meeting: “I think the car park will give the town and businesses positive opportunities for the future.”