Council to hand over Malham beauty spot to parish

A parish council is likely to take ownership of an well-known Yorkshire beauty spot.

Gordale Scar, Malham, is owned by Craven Council but members of the local authority’s policy committee will be asked to authorise the transfer of its ownership to Kirby Malhamdale Parish Council when they meet tomorrow.

The stunning natural limestone ravine within the Yorkshire Dales National Park is the jewel of the site which is registered as a village green and includes a public footpath up through the scar.

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A report for councillors says the land has been valued at £30,000. But no money will change hands if the freehold interest in the land is transferred to the parish council

Andrew Whelan, Craven Council’s estates surveyor, said: “The parish council approached us wanting to take ownership from us. Our legal department has investigated historical ownership of the land and confirmed that the parish council should have been the registered owners of it historically. When it was registered, for some reason it was registered to us rather than them. It is just a paper exercise to correct the ownership details at the Land Registry. We do not anticipate anything changing.”

Although Craven Council is registered as owner at the Land Registry and in the register of Town or Village Greens, Kirby Malhamdale Parish Council should have originally been registered as the owner.

Phil Dewhurst, clerk of the parish council, said: “It brings absolute clarity to the fact that it is definitely part of Kirby Malhamdale Parish Council. We can then make sure we take the necessary actions to safeguard Gordale for the parish and safeguard our responsibilities.”