Most of people of Hellifield either continue to campaign against this monster holiday camp or have expressed support for those groups campaigning to stop it.
The developer continues to lobby the agencies that can help the people to protect their countryside.
The national park state that the site is difficult to see from the park that borders the holiday camp site yet images prove this is not the case.
Local people who know and love the area continue to campaign with extensive knowledge but perhaps, most importantly, a love of their area.
The press continues to endorse Craven as a great place to live (unless of course you've been under threat of development for decades).
We have a shortage of affordable housing in this country but no identified shortage of holiday camps.
Thousands of birds will have to be redirected to a new habitat - the colonies of great crested newts will be relocated
The vast majority of local people do not want this development and yet it marches on, year after year.
It will soon be in the hands of a planning committee to decide.
A small group of people will decide on the future of a thriving village - one that still has a beating heart and sense of community.
Local people will have five minutes to present their case. Five minutes to campaign to save an area that, if this planning application is approved, will change it forever.
FIVE MINUTES.
But the work goes on long before it get's to a planning committee
When you lobby hard to save something, you're faced with criticism and scorn from those who really don't care.
You're faced with doors slammed in your face and our democratic system really doesn't seem fair and democratic.....
A retired planning inspector who lives locally, recently announced that when this application is approved, they will organise a judicial review.
Well that is only IF it can be proven that something went wrong in the consultation and decision making process.
But - it's been going wrong for decades - the infamous road to nowhere, built using a quarter of a millions pounds worth of subsidies and yet now in the owner ship of a private individual.
The large house on the road to nowhere built for a manager of the site and no longer part of the scheme.
That modern house sits in a conservation area where you need permission just to erect a satellite dish. That modern house granted planning permission in quote "an area where planning would not normally be granted" un quote
Then there is the issue of culverting of watercourses without authority and enforcement action to force the developer to manage those water courses - the same developer who is apparently going to protect the remaining wildlife.
The site was granted permission in the 90's to create a railway heritage centre to complement and enhance the historic Hellifield Station and the world famous Settle Carlisle line.
Then it was going to be a rural environment centre to promote and enhance the agriculture and agricultural heritage of the Dales.
Now it's about to become a holiday camp with parking for around 600 cars, hundreds of lodge homes (hasn't Hellifield got more than it's share of these prefab homes), hotel (there is a good one down the road at Coniston), swimming pool - SAVE SETTLE POOL please, cinemas (two) which will probably show films such as Calendar Girls promoting the beauty of the area that massive sites like this destroy.
CPRENorthYorkshire will not be withdrawing their objection to the principle of this development on this precious landscape.
We will not withdraw our objection that in terms of size and scale it will dwarf Hellifield and remove the individuality of two separate villages.
We will not withdraw our objection stating and ilustrating that the harm of this proposal outweighing any perceived benefits
See below for more information:
Same developer this time in Salterforth- recognise a pattern?
Planning Permission 13/10/0568P for the erection of a holiday village comprising 55 lodges, site reception building incorporating shop, café, health spa and manager’s accommodation, alterations to vehicular access, landscaping and tree planting at Park Close Quarry Moor Lane Salterforth
http://www.cravenherald.co.uk/news/16388579.residents-vow-to-start-judicial-review-process-if-controversial-leisure-park-plan-is-passed/
http://www.cravenherald.co.uk/news/8726733.Residents____dismay_at_holiday_village_plan/