North York Moors National Park Authority: new headquarters plan reeks of arrogance

North York Moors National Park Authority: the national park is coming in for criticism as being run by hypocrites following its proposed abandonment of its historic Grade II-listed Old Vicarage home to a more cheap and cheerful alternative (photo, Tony Johnson)

The criticism levelled at the North York Moors National Park Authority, that it is the epitome of hypocrisy, appears, on the face of it, to be a legitimate one.

Paid for by the public, a public that it rules with an iron fist when it comes to preserving the heritage and character of the national park – quite rightly, too – it cannot in good conscience abandon its duties to the very same high standards in its own undertakings. Yet, say campaigners, that is precisely what it is doing in abandoning its Grade II-listed headquarters in Bondgate, Helmsley. And it is difficult to disagree.

Again, quite rightly, should one of its residents file a planning application to flee any given listed-for-preservation property within the boundaries of the national park, in order to build themselves a brand new, more ‘fit-for-purpose’ property, those charged with making the decision would inevitably veto the proposal.

This ‘do as I say, not as I do’ approach reeks of an arrogance not likely to be countenanced by the authority in any other circumstances, and it must not be allowed to carry on this occasion, either.

If anything, the North York Moors National Park Authority should be setting the very highest standards in order to support its own expectations of others, affording its own responsibilities the same due diligence it demands of others towards theirs.

That it has now emerged the authority has not made any meaningful investment in maintaining the Old Vicarage in 25 years is tantamount to bringing itself into disrepute. The authority’s chair, Jim Bailey, says it’s about ‘efficiency and value for money.’ With respect, Mr Bailey, cheap and cheerful is not what we want from our historic national parks.