THE owners of a seasonal camping and caravan site in a Dales village have been told its use is not lawful.

John and Tracey Lund were unable to prove that Low Hall Campsite at Low Hall Farm, Kettlewell had been used for camping and caravanning continuously for the last ten years to the satisfaction of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority and have been denied a lawful development certificate.

The Lunds, who bought the campsite in 2021, indicated that the site had been used for more than 60 years and submitted an application on the basis that three fields had been used continuously, between March 1 and October 31, for more than 10 years.

But, while the accepting that historically the land had been used to a limited extent for camping and caravanning the park authority said there was not enough evidence of sustained use.

Kettlewell Parish Council, as reported in the planning officer's report, said there had been increasing and more regular use of the site by an increasing number of caravans and motor homes and also tents and camper vans in the last two years, and that the land was no longer used agriculturally.

In the early 1990s part of the site was used for a limited number of caravans on occasional summer Bank Holiday weekends, said the parish council.

The area ranger said the land had 'historically been used for parking cars, camping and siting caravans' in spring and summer, and more frequently in the past five years or so - but had also been used 'prior to that'.

The park authority found that the parish council and letters from the public showed that use of the site as a caravan and camp site had 'intensified in recent years, specifically following the Covid-19 pandemic, with very little activity prior to this time.

"Previously, the land was used for rallies by exempt organisations and occasionally during local events." stated the report.

Booking records were provided for the 2021 and 2022 seasons, when the new owners took over, but there were no records provided before that time, or financial records or receipts which could show continuous use.

The officer's report stated: "There is unsubstantiated evidence to prove the level and frequency of use has been sustained over the period and whether such use was pursuant to permitted development rights or otherwise."

It concluded: "Based on the information, it is considered that the land in question has been used for camping and caravanning continuously for the preceding 10 years."