Plan to turn B&B in Yorkshire Dales village into holiday let given go ahead
National park authority members have given final approval to change a bed and breakfast into a holiday let.
Members of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority (YDNPA) were advised to reject the proposal for Miresfield in Malham.
Officers said the plans failed to provide housing for locals and would add to the existing stock of underoccupied/holiday accommodation, with the property potentially becoming a second home in the future.
But the planning committee voted in favour of the change of use at an earlier meeting and confirmed their decision when they met this week.
Members rubber-stamped their previous decision after officers confirmed that the applicant had agreed to sign a 106 agreement limiting the property use to local occupancy housing or a holiday let.
Chair of the committee, Ian Mitchell, had proposed that the application be refused.
He said: “I’ve been very clear from the outset that this is a change of use that could eventually end up with this house as a second home. And I’ve never felt comfortable with that change of views, so I’m happy to propose refusal.”
But other members of the committee disagreed.
Robert Heseltine said: “The debate of the committee was quite clear that there was a strong majority that if we could get a 106 agreement signed, that would be satisfactory, and that has been received.”
Mark Corner added: “I think the applicant has gone far enough to satisfy us that it would be used almost as it is now, as a bed and breakfast-type accommodation or local housing.”
The committee previously backed the change of use after hearing from the applicant, Michelle Lorimer.
She told the committee the application had been submitted after her mother suffered serious health problems and she was left with the responsibility of running the business herself while also caring for her daughter.
The change of use application had the support of Kirkby Malhamdale Parish Council, which said it helped meet the demand for increasing numbers of visitors to Malham.
The bed and breakfast is housed in a grade two listed former farmhouse with five letting rooms and is currently classed as a guest house or hotel.