How Castle Howard sees itself as the catalyst for rural regeneration in North Yorkshire

The plan was unveiled last year but estate bosses say 2023 will be a vital year as the estate faces rising restoration costs amid a backdrop of the impact of COVID-19, climate and biodiversity emergencies and a lack of rural housing and services.

The vision is to see people employed by the estate, live on the estate and spend locally - creating a rural economy akin to how country estates operated years ago.

Combined with a drive to grow and produce more food in the region with a focus on farming, agriculture and improvements to nature, biodiversity and the environment, North Yorkshire, says the estate’s chief executive, could become self-sustainable.

Jasper Hasell is leading the 15 year masterplan. He said: “Looking at your business, or your region or your county as a self sustainable entity is quite an interesting concept these days.

“How do we develop the local economy, live on the estate, work on the estate, get food and produce on the estate and don’t have to go outside if you don’t want to?

“North Yorkshire is looking at that in terms of how it can be a self-sustainable region in terms of economically and carbon. Relying on other parts of the world to provide food or get rid of waste or provide public services is not always the best solution.

“The pandemic has shown that. Geo-politics more recently has shown that. The ability for us to create that eco-system where we are able to operate and not negatively impact the environment is really important.”

However, the estate’s masterplan also shows that there are around 180 people on the waiting list to rent one of Castle Howard’s properties and they get around five new enquiries per week.

It documents statistics that say private rents are unaffordable for farmers in 86 per cent or rural areas, for care workers it is 96 per cent of rural areas and for youth workers it is 76 per cent of rural areas.

Like other businesses in desirable country villages, Castle Howard struggles to recruit and retain staff due to the cost of living and with less younger people living here it also affects other services such as schools, local shops and pubs.

Currently, 80 pence of every pound spent by visitors to Castle Howard goes back into the local economy and the masterplan also features plans to create new, affordable housing working with Ryedale Council, but also to have a new hub in Coneysthorpe, re-use redundant estate buildings for overnight accommodation and event space, expansion of the lodge park and glamping and expansion of the estate’s tree nursery business and Eastthorpe Business Park.

Mr Hasell said: “As an estate we have a unique opportunity to have multi interventions over a wider area to act as catalysts for rural regeneration. As an estate we can intervene in areas and connect them up with business, cycling and walking routes because we own the land in between and create more employment opportunities by creating business and commercial spaces.

“We see ourselves as having a really important role in rural regeneration. People love the idea of coming to work here, it is not hard to get people to come to interview but to rent or buy locally - they can’t get anywhere near the estate.

“If you start losing public services, that economic core goes away. Create local housing, which includes affordable, and enterprise. To set up a small business they don’t have to go to York or Leeds, they can do that here. That drives an increasing number of economic actions and we create a momentum.”