Campsite plan splits villagers in Dales

But plans for a campsite have caused deep ructions in the picturesque Dales village of Kettlewell, amid claims it will spoil the landscape and set a damaging precedent.

Clifford and Barbara Lambert, who run two campsites in the village, are planning to retire and want to relocate the business to a nearby field off Conistone Road, which would be managed by their son, Nigel.

Several businesses, including the village shop, back the development, as well as the parish council, but some residents, as well as the Yorkshire Dales Society and the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE), are strongly against a campsite they say will “stick out like a sore thumb” in its scenic surroundings.

At their last meeting, members of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority said they were minded to approve the plans for up to 75 pitches, as being good for tourism and the local economy, against officer recommendations. They are due to make a final decision tomorrow – on the back of a strongly-worded report by their planning officer, who insists the campsite and parking would “severely compromise” the quality of the landscape and “strongly advises” members that by law they need to put the conservation of the landscape first.

Mrs Lambert said: “We have given 10 years of our lives to keeping the campsites open after foot and mouth and decided we couldn’t do it any more because of ill health.

“Our son, who we would love to come and take over the management of the farm and eventually our holiday cottages, would come and live in Kettlewell, with his wife and children, which would be good for the school, which has just been saved from closure. He’s not looking to make a lot of money but he’s looking for a better quality of life.”

She said objectors had circulated baseless rumours, including about a farm building, which is being converted into showers, toilets and an office: “All we have done is put in a planning application and let it ride; we haven’t lobbied a single person. There’s been nastiness about caravans, mobile homes and yurts – but it is just tents and it is definitely a single-storey building.”

Parish councillor of nearly 40 years Jack Heseltine said: “In all my years on the council I’ve never seen this level of upset. I’m for it; if it fails one of the pubs could go and the shop will be in doubt.”

But one villager said: “It hasn’t been nice if you don’t happen to want the campsite; it has split the village and people aren’t speaking to people. People will just ignore you on the street. A lot of people are horrified by the application but too scared to do anything.

“Why have a National Park, if something can get passed which is against every policy?”

Guest house owner Paul Hatton added: “No one disagrees that the campsites will bring business to the village, it is the location of the new campsite that is the problem to everybody; it will stand out like a sore thumb.”

Hilary Fenton, Craven member of the CPRE, said: “We are trying to keep the integrity of the landscape, this is a world important site. It won’t improve the economic and social wellbeing of the place as it will destroy the essential reason why most people come.”