English Heritage should be urged to consider the long-term management of one of its leading attractions in the North as its popularity is impacting on residents, road safety and a business, a meeting has heard.

The North York Moors National Park Authority's planning committee was told while heritage issues over creating a campsite beside Cistercian monastery Byland Abbey had been ironed out, highways bosses had become increasingly concerned over the amount of visitors parking in the area.

Members of the park authority agreed to grant the tenants of the grade Ii listed Abbey Inn overlooking the 12th century monument credited with inspiring church architecture across the North permission to create a campsite in its garden for three years, in order to assess disturbance levels it creates.

Local residents, including former regional chairman of the National Trust Sir Nigel Forbes Adam, had written to “object in the strongest terms” to the campsite being launched on the former monastic Outer Court of Grade I-listed abbey, near Ampleforth.

In response, Jake Hunt, who started renting the inn from English Heritage last autumn, told the committee: "This is not a raucous or reckless proposal, it's carefully considered, will not damage the land or the area and will make my small business that little bit more viable."

However, the residents had also raised concerns that any additional cars parked at the inn due to the campsite would further aggravate the roadside parking issue in the area.

The meeting heard as English Heritage's car park for Byland Abbey was small the Abbey Inn's car park was used by visitors to the monastery, and shortage of car parking in the area led to cars being parked "willy-nilly."

Members heard the parking concerns were effectively the result of English Heritage renting out the pub, which it had traditionally used for overspill parking at its attraction. Members said the Abbey Inn's tenants "were going to have to suffer the consequences".

Alison Fisher, who worked as a historic areas advisor with English Heritage for more than 20 years, said the park authority needed to hold talks over the long-term management of the attraction "so that it doesn't upset those living nearby".