Harrogate Borough Council has approved plans for Northern Energy to relocate to Marton-cum-Grafton.

The company is currently based In Hampsthwaite and has had its headquarters in the village for more than half a century.

However, officials at Northern Energy tabled a proposal to the council in February 2021 to move to Limebar Lane, one kilometre from the village of Marton-cum-Grafton and next to the A168.

The plans include 10,000 square feet of office space, a vehicle depot, LPG and oil storage tanks and a new car park.

In documents submitted to the council, the company said it had outgrown its current site.

The firm, which has an annual turnover of £27 million, supplies more than 50 million litres of oil and liquid petroleum gas across the UK each year.

However, the proposals were met with strong objections from local parish councils.

Both authorities said the development is inappropriate and would have “unacceptable consequences”, such as loss of agricultural land, increase in traffic and the proximity of the site to local residents.

Arkendale, Coneythorpe and Clareton Parish Council wrote to the council to object in “the strongest terms”.

It said:

Meanwhile, Marton-cum-Grafton added in its response that the development was “not of exceptional quality” and “does not enhance its immediate setting nor is it sensitive to the defining characteristics of the local area”.

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