A public consultation has opened on two of the most high profile aspects of local planning policy in the Yorkshire Dales National Park

People and organisations are being asked for their views on local occupancy restrictions, which can be placed on new dwellings to prevent them becoming second homes, as well as on the policies which guide the conversion to other uses of traditional stone barns, known as lathes or cow houses.

The National Park Authority, as the local planning authority for the National Park, began the process of forming a new Local Plan in December 2019.  Once completed, the plan will contain a set of planning policies to cover the period 2023-2040. 

The latest public consultation, called ‘Exploring our options: Local Occupancy and Barns’, is the fourth such consultation to take place as part of the process to create the new Local Plan. It will remain open until Monday 20th September 2021.

Member Champion for Sustainable Development at the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, Carl Lis, said: “Planning policies on local occupancy restrictions and barn conversions have been the subject of hot debate for many years now, as they link to issues around second homes, community sustainability and the conservation of the farmed landscape.   In fact they have come up so frequently in the first three Local Plan public consultations, we have decided to carry out a consultation specifically on these important issues. 

“The consultation is an opportunity for local people and all those with an interest in the National Park to bring forward their considered opinions.  The consultation responses will influence the planning policies that will shape development in the National Park for up to the next twenty years.   I know people care deeply, as I do, about the future of the National Park and the communities that live and work here, so I hope for a good level of response.”

The consultation can be found at this webpage.