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Feb 2022

Last Updated: 09/02/2022

Environment

Developer appeals Knaresborough 170-homes refusal

by John Plummer

| 10 Feb, 2022

A developer behind a 170-home plan for Knaresborough has taken an appeal to the government after Harrogate Borough Council twice turned down the proposal.

A developer has appealed a council decision to reject plans for 170 homes in Knaresborough after seeing the proposal twice refused.

Landowner Geoffrey Holland’s application would have seen homes built on Water Lane in the town.

However, Harrogate Borough Council rejected the latest proposal after planning officers said the scheme had a number of “fundamental” issues.

Proposals for 218 homes near Meadowside Academy were first rejected by the borough council's planning committee in October 2019.

Mr Holland then scaled back house numbers for the scheme to 170 in his second push for approval, but saw this turned down in August last year.

Now, the developer has taken the decision to the government’s Planning Inspectorate.

'No demonstrable adverse impacts'

In a statement of case, Cunnane Town Planning, which has lodged the appeal on behalf of Mr Holland, said there were “no significant or demonstrable adverse impacts that would arise as a consequence of the development”.

However, Kate Broadbank, the council’s planning officer, told the meeting in August 2021 that the scheme had a number of issues to resolve.

She said:

“One of the site allocation requirements is the provision of a circular recreation route – and this has been provided around the edge of the site.

“However, it is considered to be unsatisfactory, as it is a narrow path between the site boundary and side elevations of dwellings, meaning it is not very well overlooked and would not provide a safe, attractive route.

“The same situation occurred around the open space and children’s play area where houses backed onto this.

“The applicant has tried to overcome this by turning some houses around to face onto the path and play area, however, this has led to an issue with rear gardens now backing onto the streets.

“On the whole, the scheme is considered to lack character or a sense of place.”

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The site is allocated for more than 148 homes in the Harrogate District Local Plan 2014-2035, which outlines development in the district until 2035. This means development will happen once councillors are satisfied with detailed plans.

The latest proposals included a mix of one and two-bedroom apartments, as well as two, three and four-bedroom houses.

A total of 81 of these properties would have been classed as affordable.

More than 80 residents had lodged objections against the plans, which did not receive a single letter of support.

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Developer appeals Knaresborough 170-homes refusal

'No demonstrable adverse impacts'

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