Objections over hours visitors can tour Emmerdale set

ITV wants to increase visiting hours at Stub House Farm, off Harewood Estate and increase the number of coaches permitted to enter the site, so it can accommodate more people.

But people have raised concerns about the volume of coaches passing through Weardley village.

Coun Ryan Stephenson, for Harewood, held a public meeting in the area last week for people to air their views.

He said the proposals would be a “nightmare” with the existing coach route.

He told the Yorkshire Evening Post: “Residents are very concerned that it is not working now in terms of the traffic route and it will only make it worse if they increase the number of tours coming through.”

He said he was asking for an alternative route to be put forward for coaches to get into the site.

The proposals involve increasing the number of coaches accessing the site from two per hour to three and extending the tour operating hours by two hours during April to September, with the last tour at 6pm and people off-site by 8pm.

Planning documents submitted to Leeds City Council said the tours would continue to take place on Saturdays and Sundays only, except for two, fortnight production breaks in August and December.

They state: “The tours of the film set have proved more popular than anticipated and are bringing great economic benefits to the area through increased tourism. The tours are almost always fully booked.”

A total of 12 objections have been lodged.