Plans to convert World War Two-era Linton Camp into major Yorkshire Dales tourist resort are approved

The tourist resort on the site of Linton School Camp will be one of the largest development schemes built since the National Park was established.

Developers Natural Land hope to start work on the hotel, spa, gym, bar, restaurant and nine holiday lodges in mid-2021.

The firm announced its intention to finalise plans for the extensive scheme after the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority’s planning committee voted in favour of the proposal, despite hearing there was strong local opposition to it.

Residents called on members to consider the authority’s first purpose to protect landscapes and reject the proposal, saying it was too large, would neither conserve or enhance the area in Wharfedale and would 'destroy its tranquility'.

The meeting heard while many residents’ objections related to concerns over increases in traffic, North Yorkshire County Council highways officers said the road outside the site was very under-used and with the development traffic would only increase to about ten per cent of its capacity.

But member Richard Foster, who is also leader of Craven District Council, questioned the highways officers’ findings, saying many of the roads around the proposed site were single track.

He said many Dales hospitality businesses were struggling to recruit staff and the hotel complex employees would need to drive to the site from nearby towns and villages. Mr Foster added the complex would be seen from great distances.

He said: “This is a major development in open countryside and ought to be turned down.”

However, the meeting heard the complex had been designed to ensure the buildings’ landscape impact was minimised.

Members were told the scheme would be a vast improvement to the derelict huts of the former school camp and that the site had been deteriorating for several decades.

The authority’s development management champion Jim Munday emphasised the planned development, which has features such as wild flower roofs, was 'well considered and well designed'.

He said the scheme would lead to substantial biodiversity enhancements and that concerns the leisure complex would do little for the local economy were unfounded.

Mr Munday said: “You can’t have visitor attractions, but no visitor accommodation whatsoever.”

After the meeting, a Natural Land spokesman said the firm wanted to work with the local community to help address concerns such as over traffic.

Linton School Camp, on the road between Burnsall and Grassington, was originally conceived as a residential centre for schoolchildren from urban areas. However, it opened in 1940, when there was a need to provide wartime accommodation for children who had been evacuated away from cities. The National Camps Corporation instead agreed to accept 228 children from 43 schools in Bradford.

It was run as a residential school for children with special needs from 1957, when Bradford Council bought the site. Arund 90 children with behavioural difficulties were pupils, and some were invalids suffering from conditions such as asthma who were expected to benefit from the fresh air.

They were taught skills such as sewing and knitting, and even ballroom dancing so they could participate in the annual Christmas dance.

The school closed in 1986 and apart from a being used as a Scout campsite on a few occasions, has been largely derelict ever since.

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