A meeting to decide whether a plan to create an outdoor activities holiday centre for 500 children close to people’s homes was acceptable was dramatically halted – due to the noise of two youngsters playing nearby.
Villagers who have been battling PGL’s proposals at North Yorkshire Police’s former headquarters at Newby Wiske, near Northallerton, told Hambleton District Council’s planning committee the interruption illustrated the misery that they would suffer on a daily basis.
Two councillors agreed with the residents and said the large-scale scheme was wholly inappropriate for the small and quiet village.
However, nine of the 11 committee members agreed that a noise management plan and enforcement action by the council would prevent residents having to endure unacceptable noise.
They said the public benefits of the scheme outweighed its negative impacts and passed the scheme for the second time.
The same committee passed a similar scheme in 2017, but its decision was quashed followed a High Court challenge by residents.
After the meeting, campaigners vowed to continue battling PGL’s ambitions, which include installing climbing and abseiling towers and extending the lake for water sports.
David Stockdale, of Newby Wiske Action Group, said: “I am disgusted with the way the councillors have acted. There were 607 objections listed against this and seven applications from the public were in favour of it. I think that speaks volumes.
“It’s quite obvious to anyone that the proposed development has no place in Newby Wiske. How councillors can go to a site visit and apparently walk around with their eyes closed I have no idea, but that appears to be what has happened.
“We will need to take legal advice and look at what our various options are. This has not gone away, it will not go away because if they carry on with what they are doing it is going to devastate the village.”
Earlier, the action group’s barrister John Hunter said the adverse effects of the holiday centre would all be borne by the local community, while its benefits would be enjoyed by people living further afield.
He said while it was accepted the PGL scheme would hit the heritage asset and Newby Wiske conservation area, police and crime commissioner Julia Mulligan had not explored alternative options such as a residential development before agreeing to sell the land to the holidays firm.
Mr Hunter told members William Rutson, the businessman who developed the hall and estate in the 19th century, would be “turning in his grave” if he saw PGL’s plans for “extremely large and prominent structures” for the activities.
He also questioned whether the PGL centre would create 109 jobs as had been forecast and highlighted concerns over up to 34 coach movements a day through the narrow lanes surrounding the village.
However, agent for PGL Matt Faulkner dismissed claims the scheme would create traffic issues in the village, saying the holiday centre would generate significantly less traffic for much of the year than the police base had.
Referring to residents’ noise concerns, he said children at the site would be supervised at all times.
Mr Faulkner said: “PGL offers a fantastic opportunity for the development of young people, benefitting the local economy, creating over 100 jobs and securing the future use of an important heritage asset.
“The proposals will provide young people with access to sport and activity holidays that will help them to fulfil their potential while delivering investment in a heritage asset and maintaining it in a single ownership to protect it for enjoyment for future generations.”
A PGL spokesman said no decisions had yet been made on when it was hoped to launch the centre.
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