PLANNERS fear a rural craft centre could turn into retail park if owners are given the green light to expand their wares.

They have asked councillors to block a request to increase the number of bought-in goods at a Staxton farm, near Scarborough.

A year ago Allan Hunneybell, of Spital House Farm, was granted permission by Ryedale District Council to create an attraction where visitors could see craftspeople at work.

To attract skilled workers Mr Hunneybell offered a year's free rent of the workshops and an interest-free loan.

The scheme was approved on the proposal to have craft-based businesses making products on site, which would be an attraction in itself, and then the end products would be either sold on site or exported elsewhere.

A limit of 30 per cent of imported goods to be put on sale by tenants was imposed, which Mr Hunneybell now seeks to increase to 70 per cent because prospective tenants say business would not be viable otherwise.

A letter sent to the planning department from agents acting for Mr Hunneybell states that although no advertising for the centre has been carried out there are already more than a dozen craftspeople interested.

They include: a traditional furniture maker; a hand-made greeting card producer; bee products; country folk art; old-fashioned sweets; hand-made teddy bears and stoneware; hand-made jewellery; a potter; hand-carved garden furniture; dolls houses and model toys and leather work.

Senior planning officer Paul Simpson has recommended that councillors refuse the application when they consider it at a meeting on Tuesday.

In a letter to Mr Hunneybell, he wrote: "The policy which restricts retail sales in the countryside is designed to protect important retail centres such as Malton and Pickering. The scenario which I would wish to avoid is units at the centre becoming essentially retail outlets for items bought in."

The idea for a craft centre arose when the bones of medieval hospital patients were discovered during farmhouse renovations.

A North Yorkshire County Council archaeological team deduced the site was an ancient monument known as the Spittell, which they believe was a medieval hospital.

Updated: 11:53 Saturday, January 15, 2005