A small business boss has vented his frustration at planning rules.
Charlotte’s ice cream parlour at Whitley near Mirfield has had improvement plans blocked again.
The rural venue has been told its ambition to create luxury camping facilities is not allowed.
Kirklees refused the application to build wood cabins for tourists as it said it was inappropriate development in the green belt.
Yet just a few hundred yards away, the council is proposing to allow developers to build 4,000 homes on the green belt.
The so called Dewsbury Riverside plan could see 392 acres of green fields and woodland built on by major house building firms.
Charlotte’s boss, Geoff Wraithmell, said he felt “gutted” that he kept getting turned down while big companies were being handed green belt plots.
“Every time I put planning in I get knocked back,” he said. “I feel so gutted.
“I’m between the devil and the deep blue sea.”
The parlour had to wait for more than 12 months for the decision and Geoff said he may appeal.
In 2008 he won a planning battle to keep a crazy golf course on his land and later a children’s train ride and fantasy garden was also approved by the council.
But his plan to build a “dinosaur garden” featuring a sculpture trail for children was blocked.
Overall, Geoff and his wife Audrey, have had five planning applications out of 10 refused over the last 15 years.
The latest proposal knocked back would have seen a disused barn knocked down as the farming family step away from agriculture and try to sell more ice cream and cater for tourists.
Said Geoff: “I got rid of my cows so I’ve no need for a barn.
“We’re trying to move forward, but every time they knock us back.”
He added: “It’s ironic as we get lots of council sponsored school trips to our facility.”
Documents show the proposed new cabins were set to take up less space than the building that would be removed.
The application claimed it would improve the openness of the green belt.
But the decision notice from Kirklees said no special circumstances to allow further development of the tourist attraction had been proven.
And it said the appearance of the camping cabins was significantly different to other buildings in the area, and so harmful to the view of the area.
Clr Martyn Bolt, who represents Mirfield, said he felt some farmers were being held back when they were trying to modernise.
“We’re encouraging farmers to diversify,” he said. “And this kind of thing could potentially bring tourism into the area.”
