Plans to build a major housing development at Water Lane in Knaresborough look set to be refused for a second time.
Harrogate Borough Council officers have recommended that councillors turn down a fresh application for 170 homes on the site at a planning meeting next week.
Landowner Geoffrey Holland previously had a plan for 218 homes rejected in October 2019.
The new proposal would see a mixture of one, two, three and four-bedroom houses built. A total of 68 homes would be allocated as affordable housing.
However, council officers have raised concern over inadequate access at the site, which they could cause “potential road safety issues”.
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Officials also said the number of homes in the application was a “relatively significant uplift” on the 148 allocated under the council’s Harrogate district Local Plan 2014-35, which outlines planning in the district until 2035.
Although the site is earmarked for housing in the plan, council officials said the “resulting layout is not considered to reflect the edge of settlement location or the principles of good layout design”.
In a report due before councillors, the authority said:
“The application has failed to meet these requirements, as set out in detail in this report. The submitted details would not create a well-designed, carefully mitigated scheme.
“The application is therefore recommended for refusal.”
86 letters of objection
The proposal has received 86 letters of objection, with none submitted in support.
Among the concerns raised by residents were the loss of outdoor space and the lack of adequate access to the site.
Tracy May, a local resident, said in a letter to the council that the development would impact on a “peaceful area”.
She said:
“This is an area in Knaresborough that is used extensively by local residents for recreation and yet more our outdoor spaces are been given over to development.
“This will make this peaceful area very busy and impact on local leisure facilities.”
Councillors on the planning committee will make a decision on the plan at a meeting on Tuesday.
