Rail shed plan still on track (From Gazette & Herald)

Rail shed plan still on track

A SECOND round of plans by the North Yorkshire Moors Railway to build a large outbuilding to store vintage railway carriages looks set to go ahead.

The railway wants to build a 40-metre long and five-metre high storage shed to house vintage carriages.

The carriages will be stored in the sheds while restorations work is carried out on them.

Initial plans to build the shelter were shelved last month after a wave of opposition from neighbours and Pickering Town Council.

Town councillors are arguing that the structure is inappropriate for a conservation area and would be visually obtrusive for nearby residents.

The firm has now submitted amended plans in a bid to have the project accepted.

But residents and town councillors are still calling on the project to be ditched because they claim proposed building would be obtrusive.

They also claim the foundations of the proposed building would damage the roots of nearby trees causing them to die.

Pickering Town Council's planning committee has submitted a letter objecting to the plans.

"The committee does not accept that the proposed development should be accepted because it would strengthen the tourist appeal of the railway," said town clerk Andrew Husband.

"The committee sympathises with residents of Park Street, Castle Bank and Castlegate whose properties overlook the railway and who would see the proposed structure.

"It is sited in the flood plain of Pickering beck. The Environment Agency is working with Pickering residents through a flood forum to look at flood protection measures for the town."

Members of Ryedale District Council's northern area planning committee will discuss the matter on Tuesday.

Councillors are being recommended to approve the plans with the condition that work will be restricted to daytime hours to ensure residents are not disturbed by excessive noise.

Updated: 10:33 Saturday, June 29, 2002