VILLAGERS held a demonstration at the weekend against plans to develop an early 18th Century hall at the heart of their community.

An application has been lodged with Richmondshire District Council to divide West Hall in Middleton Tyas into three, and to replace outbuildings with two new four-bedroom properties and create a new access onto a lane.

Villagers say the scheme amounts to “desecration of the conservation area” and fear that the new access will lead to parking restrictions outside the community-run village shop and so jeopardise its future.

The Yorkshire office of Historic England has written to the council saying it has concerns about the “over-development of the site”, and the local councillor says that the scheme is symptomatic of pressures being felt in many Richmondshire villages.

However, the architect says it is a “positive scheme” that will provide houses for local people and guarantee the future of a historic centrepiece listed building.

Stephen Hill, speaking on behalf of villagers, said: “This is the centre of the village, and West Hall is in its most visible area, and we think it is desecration of the conservation area to have modern buildings put into an historical area of some importance.

“More importantly for the village community, we are very concerned about the entrance onto Kneeton Lane which will be almost opposite our successful shop and post office. If we lose the parking area, we will lose customers.”

Cllr Angus Thompson said: “What is being proposed is totally out of character. The people in the village have enormous concerns about yet another example of over-development. Historic England has concerns about the two substantial detached houses at the heart of the conservation area and the proposed access is causing considerable concern.”

On Tuesday, Cllr Thompson attended a meeting in neighbouring Moulton about plans for nine dwellings opposite the Black Bull pub.

“The planners at Richmondshire must pay attention to the overdevelopment of these picturesque, historic villages,” he said.

However, Richmond architect Matt Ball, who has drawn up the Tyas scheme, said: “We have had heritage and planning consultants involved and their work has dispelled any concerns about significant loss to the site.

“It is not a green field site, it is perfectly developable land, and, in dividing the hall into three, it will be putting it back to how it used to be.

“This is a large listed building in large grounds which is hard for one family to run and so this comes down to a longevity issue. If the building is to be kept as it is, then progress has to be made to retain it, and this is a logical way to allow it to remain and continue to be loved.”

The application is due before the planning committee on February 5.