AN isolated field barn in the Yorkshire Dales is to be turned back into a basic "camping barn" after it was converted into a fully furnished holiday home without permission.

The Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority (YDNPA) today approved a retrospective planning application for “Tim’s Barn” off Beggarmans Road at Gayle, near Hawes.

The planning committee was told by the barn owners’ agent, Andrew Cunningham, that the internal fixtures and fittings would be stripped out, and external railings, flagged areas and gravel drive removed.

He said his clients, Mr and Mrs T Crick, were “keen” to work with the YDNPA to ensure that the barn offered only “very basic overnight accommodation for walkers”.

A recommendation for approval was moved by North Yorkshire County Council representative, Cllr John Blackie, who is also the chairman of the local parish council, Hawes and High Abbotside.

He told fellow members of the committee that the field barn owners had tried to “run rings” around the authority and “undermine its credibility”.

“It was the talk of the town in the Upper Dales,” he said. “This was a barn which had permission to be converted into a ‘stone tent’, but which was being advertised as a five star holiday cottage.”

He said there were “no sour grapes”, however, and that he wanted to support the new application, on the condition that the internal fixtures and fittings would be removed before the camping barn could receive any bookings. This proposal was agreed and the application, when put to a vote, was approved unanimously.

The camping barn – which will have no vehicular access – will be required to operate in accordance with a management plan, which states that it will be available for booking in advance by groups seeking short-term basic accommodation.

People staying at the camping barn will need to bring their own cooking equipment and sleeping bags and mats. The accommodation will be marketed at schools and with walking groups.