£2m dry ski slope could come to Ryedale (From Gazette & Herald)

£2m dry ski slope could come to Ryedale

NORTHERN Ryedale could get a £2m dry ski slope and snowboard site and a mountain bike course if plans in an ambitious blueprint for the Pickering area become a reality.

The idea is one of a catalogue of schemes put forward in the Pickering Area Partnership's (PAP) new Community Investment Prospectus, published this week with the aim of revitalising the economy and creating new jobs in the market town and 14 neighbouring villages.

The proposal for the dry ski slope is earmarked for a site in either Cropton or Dalby Forest and would include both cross-country and downhill runs as well as other outdoor activities, says the 94-page report.

Its aim would be to retain young people in northern Ryedale and create economic wealth and sustainability.

"By providing sought-after facilities for young people, it is hoped the site would be used and encourage them to be involved in the activities available," the report says. "The economic impact can be measured two fold - the contribution to tourism and the prolonging of the season, and also the jobs which would be created."

It is estimated the cost would be £1m-£2m. Potential partners would be Forest Enterprise, North York Moors National Park Authority, Ryedale District Council, North Yorkshire County Council, Pickering Area Partnership, Boarding Edge of Malton, and Pace Cycles of Kirkbymoorside.

Funding could be on a private and public basis, involving the European Union's Objective 2 scheme, Forest Enterprise, national park, the Government's Single Regeneration Budget, Sport England, Prince's Trust, National Lottery and private businesses.

Bob Clement of Ebberston, the chairman of the Pickering Area Partnership, said the partnership area covers some 342sq km and a population of 11,610.

"The area gives the impression of prosperity. However wages in agriculture and among self-employed people are half the national average and the lack of public transport means that car ownership is essential even though it takes up a disproportionate amount of that income.

"Young people are drawn away by better employment opportunities. The availability of more affordable housing in more highly urbanised areas leaves a high proportion of old people in the countryside," says the report.

While Pickering is the main focus of the report, the partnership also includes the villages of Allerston, Wilton, Aislaby, Middleton, Wrelton, Cropton, Ebberston, Yedingham, Hartoft, Levisham, Lockton, Newton-upon-Rawcliffe, Rosedale East and West, Sinnington and Thornton-le-Dale.

Other projects outlined in the report include the need to provide trades training because of the skills shortages in the area; a new sports pavilion for Thornton-le-Dale (likely cost £104,000); a town plan for Pickering to evaluate the needs and aspirations of the town's residents over the next four to five years; and the development of communication and information technology facilities.

In addition a comprehensive study is envisaged on health and social care provision; the building of a hard surface tennis court for Lockton and Levisham; a project to provide supported housing for homeless young people in Pickering; and the improvement of Pickering's network of historic snickets.

The report also wants to see more detached youth workers in Ryedale to help the homeless and drug users, the provision of a community house in Pickering which could be used as a base for voluntary and charity organisations; and improvement of local transport.

One of the key projects in the report is an agricultural management and marketing advisory company to aid struggling farms.

"The outlook for most farms is bleak and the only hope for improvement is individual and collective restructuring," says the report. "Farms need to co-operate and pool not only labour and machinery but also their buying and selling activities."

The company would offer expert and co-operative assistance to farms in the Pickering area with business planning. It would be a commercial venture in which farmers would be encouraged to invest along with banks, financial institutions and retailers. The likely cost of setting up the project will be between £50,000 and £60,000, adds the report.

More details on p8

Updated: 09:31 Thursday, April 18, 2002