SETTLE traders are once again rallying opposition against plans to expand the retail area at the Yorkshire Dales Falconry Centre.

The Settle and District Chamber of Trade has distributed posters throughout the area asking people to write to the planning inspectorate, which will hear an appeal against Craven District Council's decision to reject the expansion plans earlier this year.

The inquiry is due to be held in January 2002, but any representations must reach the inspectorate before next Tuesday, October 30.

The owners of the Yorkshire Dales Falconry Centre, Chris and Suzanne O'Donnell have applied on two occasions to extend the site. The first application included building a large retail and craft building with a net floor space of 17,500 sq ft, bigger than the soon-to-be-completed Booths supermarket at 16,000 sq ft.

It was subsequently refused, prompting the applicants to appeal on grounds of non-determination by the council. However, this was dismissed with the planning inspectorate saying he was not convinced the retail element was a necessary addition to the centre's operation and provided essential support to the main use of the centre as a tourist attraction.

The most recent application to build a bird exhibition facility, residential training centre and hotel, retail area, picnic area and car park extension, sought to justify the need for the proposed retail element, but these plans were also turned down by Craven planners in August. This application included plans for a retail element comprising a tourist shop with a net sales area of 13,450 sq ft and a caf measuring 10,000 sq ft.

Ken Meredith, owner of Settle's Car & Kitchen, speaking on behalf of Settle and District Chamber of Trade this week, urged people to make sure they had their say on the matter before it was too late.

He said: "It is not the development of the site per se, which causes the concern, but the sheer size of the retail and caf areas proposed, and the impact these could cause to the local service centres of Settle, in particular, and Ingleton; such a development flies in the face of all planning policy guidelines."

Mr Meredith went on to say that businesses in Settle would be happy to support the falconry centre as a tourist facility and would actively promote it as such.

A poster being circulated by the chamber of trade says: "The average size of such facilities in similar tourist attractions throughout the country is approximately 1,200 sq ft. It is obvious that the falconry centre's proposals far exceed what has become the 'norm' for such attractions.

"It is clear that many local businesses are suffering at the moment and feel that a development of this size and nature would further threaten the viability and thereby the vitality of the community as a whole."

The owners of the falconry centre declined to make any comment.

Craven District Council's head of planning Duncan Hartley said that despite it being a public inquiry, it was at the discretion of the inspectorate to hear representations on the days of the inquiry, although anyone was welcome to attend.

Anyone wanting to voice their opinions about the application can write to The Planning Inspectorate, 3/25 Hawk Wing, 2 The Square, Temple Quay, Bristol, BS1 6PN.