AN ISOLATED barn in a Yorkshire Dales meadow which had permission for use as a basic overnight accommodation for walkers ended up becoming a “fully equipped and beautifully furnished” holiday home.

Tim’s Barn, in Gayle near Hawes had permission to be turned into the equivalent of a “stone tent” according to a local councillor, but ended up being turned into what has been described as five star accommodation, complete with driveway, a king-sized bed, en-suite bathroom and holiday welcome pack for visitors.

Now the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority (YDNPA) has approved a retrospective planning application from the owners to turn the building off Beggarmans Road back into a basic camping barn.

The barn was advertised on a number of holiday accommodation websites, where descriptions included the barn’s setting in 12 acres of meadow, along with car parking, garden furniture, television and kitchen facilities. It was described online as “fully equipped and beautifully furnished” holiday accommodation.

The YDNPA 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, 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 retrospective planning 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 school and walking groups.