A PLAN to site a large “visually intrusive” rubbish store at the entrance to a unique beauty spot that draws thousands of tourists has been approved.

Members of the North York Moors National Park Authority passed a proposal by the Youth Hostel Association (YHA) after hearing Boggle Hole – a small cove with uniquely curved-out hollows near Robin Hood’s Bay – already faced numerous issues over rubbish.

A planning committee meeting heard existing bin arrangements at the YHA’s hostel at the Site of Special Scientific Interest led to high tide flooding, tourists dumping rubbish and vermin.

Presenting a proposal to site a bin store on the hill above the cove, YHA surveyor Amy Hume said if the bins were located any further down the hill it would perpetuate issues over them being used by the public.

She said: “YHA staff can ensure and will ensure that the bin store is secure, not overfilled or subject to abuse. The YHA will make sure the area is kept clean and tidy.”

However, Ray Clifford, of Fylingdales, said he had “come across a number of closed minds when discussing the youth hostel application”, because the youth hostel generated a lot of money to the area.

He said: “The youth hostel has alienated all those around them, which has resulted in no one willing to sell them any other land which would make a good area for the storage of this rubbish. They are actually visiting their problems on others.

“There are hundreds of visitors each day some times of the year that go down that track, not necessarily to the hostel, to a beautiful area and this storage area would be the focal point when coming up and down the hill, that’s all you will see.”

Member Jeremy Walker said there was no doubt that the bin store was going to be visually intrusive.

He said: “It’s a large area of store. It’s the first thing that people will see as they walk down the hill from the car park - it’s a well-used land an a popular walk and it’s beautiful, so if we can avoid putting new structures in it that would be a good thing.”

The meeting heard the YHA did not need planning permission to put its bins out, so a bin store would serve as a reasonable compromise.

The committee voted to approve the application.

Member Sarah Oswald said she hoped the bin store would “encourage better environmental care of the area”.

She added: “It’s not the ideal solution but it’s the pragmatic solution to what we have got on the ground.”