A POPULAR attraction’s plans for expansion have been given the go-ahead by National Park planners.

The Ryedale Folk Museum at Hutton-le-Hole on the North York Moors is a major draw for tourists and currently wants more covered exhibition space.

The expansion is needed for its wealth of old farm machinery and a large, newly-acquired collection of memorabilia of rural life.

The local parish council had objected to the proposal, citing its size and impact on the landscape, but the National park’s planning committee have now given the scheme their approval.

Planning officers said in a report: “The museum is one of the National Park’s key visitor attractions which both bolsters the local economy and provides an insight into the way lives were lived in the park centuries ago.

“The scheme will facilitiate the expansion of this popular museum to provide further opportunities for visitors to increase their awareness, understanding and enjoyment of the special qualities of the National Park and its cultural heritage.”

They insisted the scheme will not have an adverse impact on the surrounding countryside or the village itself.