The site lies outside any settlement listed in policy H1 of the North York Moors Local Plan and within a small cluster of properties lying within the countryside immediately to the north of High and Low Hawsker, where new housing development is only permitted where it is proven to be essential in that particular location to meet the needs of persons working in agriculture or forestry or other esential countryside activities. No such special justification exists in this case and therefore the proposal is contrary to policy H4 of the North York Moors Local Plan, policy H4 of the North Yorkshire County Structure Plan and the guidance contained in Planning Policy Statement Note 7 which seeks to restrict the spread of residential development in the countryside.
The proposal would consolidate the sporadic form of development along Hawsker Lane to the detriment of the character of this part of the National Park and the wider landscape, contrary to policy H4, BE6 and GP3 of the North York Moors Local Plan, which aim to ensure the special qualities of the NAtional PArk are conserved.