Wildlife fears over holiday cottages

A scheme to convert old farm buildings into holiday accommodation is being recommended for a the go-ahead today despite a storm of complaints about the impact on local wildlife.

Planning consent is being sought to develop Boulby Barns Farm, at Boulby, into holiday cottages. Numerous conservation objections have been received but the North York Moors National Park Authority will be recommended to vote yes today.

Objectors include landscape painter Len Tabner, who has lived in neighbouring High Boulby for more than 40 years and says the reason he had bought up so much local land was to protect it and turn it into a nature reserve.

He says the original farm and two cottages had operated successfully as a smallholding without causing anyone any problems for more than 20 years.

He added: “All the neighbours are completely against it. It is a very sensitive area which has been treated as a nature reserve. A lot more human activity would be totally detrimental.”

A spokesman for the developers said the development would be contained in existing walls. “There is an existing paddock to the rear that will contain any public activity.”