ARGUMENTS for and against a controversial new theme park ride have been aired before a Government inspector who must decide its fate.

The inspector, Paul Morris, held an informal meeting as the first move in his efforts to resolve a long-running planning dispute over the 55-metre high white-knuckle ride at Flamingo Land, Kirby Misperton.

The theme park built the Cliff Hanger tower as part of a multi-million pound seaside theme area, cladding it in distinctive red-and-white stripes to look like a lighthouse.

But planning officials at Ryedale District Council served an enforcement notice on the ride last summer, ordering the cladding and a flashing red light at the top of the tower to be taken down.

Mr Morris met park representatives, senior planning officer Paul Simpson, and members of Kirby Misperton parish council at the council's headquarters, to hear evidence. Mr Simpson said of the tower: "No matter what you do with it, it will still look like a lighthouse structure and I don't think enough appreciation was given to the impact on the surrounding area."

Mr Simpson said they had tried to work with the park, as one of the county's main tourist attractions, while preserving the character of the area.

"It was accepted that there would be some impact, but that impact could be lessened in particular by an open lattice structure."

Thomas Bond, for Flamingo Land, argued that without cladding the tower would be like an oil rig.

He said: "When you look at the actual siting of the lighthouse effect within the Flamingo Land park itself, it needs to have the bright red banding to make it match in with the rest that's there."

Letters from four individuals voicing their concerns, as well as those from the parish council, had been received, said Mr Morris.

Mr Bond said it did not seem many people were objecting to the Cliff Hanger ride.

He asked: "If it was of such fundamental concern, where are all these individuals?

"The red and white banding has been in existence a good twelve months - a long test period - and we still have not had the objections coming forward."

Mr Morris will now tour Ryedale assessing the impact on the surrounding area before he delivers his verdict in around two weeks' time.

Updated: 10:47 Wednesday, March 19, 2003