COUNCILLORS on the Ryedale District Council planning committee have approved a huge programme of landscaping at the new Ravenswick Hall, near Kirkbymoorside.

Committee members gave the thumbs up to a new man-made lake, boating house and deer park, among a raft of new parkland developments, at their meeting last month.

As part of phase two of Ravenswick Hall’s construction, the 76-hectare site will see the creation of a 185 square metre palm house, as well as moon lakes, kitchen garden, brick and stone bridges and two timber bridges over the adjacent River Dove.

RDC planning officers, recommending approval of the new developments in a report prior to the meeting, said: “The proposed development would introduce traditional features that complement the parkland estate and would complete the country house development.”

The old hall, which was constructed in the early 1900s, was demolished last year. Now, a new home, labelled the first of its kind in 200 years, is being built on the same site.

According to the planning application agents: “Ravenswick Hall is a property in the English country house tradition.”