Planners have given approval for a new driveway in a Wensleydale village despite concerns it would reduce on-street parking and risk the future viability of the community’s only shop.

Members of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority this week backed a recommendation from officers to grant planning permission for the drive at Ghyll Holme, in Main Street, West Witton.

The decision was taken amid concerns in the village that the driveway would remove two roadside parking spaces, which are used by visitors to the Withywood Stores on the opposite side of the A684.

In its response to the application, the parish council said: “We are extremely conscious of the potential impact that this proposal may have on the village shop.  The shop has made its feelings known but we should stress the importance that the shop has within the village. It is an asset of high community value.”

Philip Payne, who runs the shop with wife Lucy, spoke against the application at the planning committee meeting in Bainbridge.  He said: “Removing two parking spaces opposite the shop means the opportunities for passing trade are all but gone.  Passing trade currently equates to 30 to 40 per cent of our trade on a daily basis, which rises to 60 to 70 per cent during holiday periods.  We simply cannot survive on footfall alone. This development will put the future of this shop at risk.”

But the meeting also heard from applicant James Coote, who said he and his wife had two large cars, including an electric vehicle, and wanted to be able to park outside their home, which they moved into in September.  Mr Coote said the roadside parking outside his house was often taken. meaning he had previously had to park almost 250 yards away on occasions.  He added: “We have a 12-metre frontage onto Main Street.  This application is for a 3.9-metre entrance, which is almost the same size as a smart car, and we would remove two large vehicles from being parked there on either Main Street or Church Lane permanently, and also enable us to charge the electric car.”

The park authority received 11 responses from people objecting to the application and five in support.  Cllr Yvonne Peacock proposed that the applicated be rejected on the grounds that it could damage the sustainability of the shop, adding: “We need to keep the few village shops we still have in our dales.”

But committee member Libby Bateman said she supported the application, adding: “The average length of a vehicle is 4.4 meters, I just looked that up, and that gateway is 3.9 metres, so therefore I think that actually they’re going to be a net gain if two of those vehicles are coming off the street.
“You’re only losing less than one space with that 3.9 metres of that gateway.”

Councillor David Ireton said the drive would get two vehicles off the road, keep the pollution down and help the traffic to flow better through the village.  He added: “I do take on board what the shopkeeper’s telling us, but I don’t really see there will be that greater a loss of parking in that straight section of road by introducing off-street parking here.”

The committee voted in favour of granting the application.