Revived plans to build eight flats off Stockwell Road in Knaresborough look set to be refused.
Paul Franklin applied to demolish an existing property at 13 Stockwell Road and build six two-bedroom flats and two one-bedroom flats on the site and adjoining land. Parking and landscaping would also be included.
North Yorkshire Council case officer Emma Walsh has recommended councillors on Harrogate and Knaresborough planning committee refuse the application when they meet next week.
Mr Franklin submitted plans to the council last year for nine flats on the plot. But those plans were withdrawn after about 30 residents and Knaresborough Town Council objected, citing concerns the development would be “overbearing and will overlook neighbouring properties”, create parking problems and increase congestion.
The Stray Ferret has followed the issue closely and met residents on site in June last year to hear their concerns and to seek Mr Franklin’s response.
He told the Stray Ferret at the time the scheme would “provide local people a quality and sustainable place to live and enjoy Knaresborough”.
In its response to the consultation on the latest plans, the town council said it “sees no reason to change its objections from the previous applications at this site”.
It added:
“The increase in traffic from this site will have a negative impact on the overall traffic in the area and impact on parking around the St Margaret’s area that already experiences difficulties.”
Ms Walsh’s report said the site is within the development limits of Knaresborough but added the apartment block would be “visually cramped due to the limited width of the site, between St Margaret’s Road and St Margaret’s Gardens”.
It said:
“The development would appear as a visually incongruous addition to the street scene which does not respect the pattern of development.”
The land where the flats would be built.
The report also cited concerns about how close the building would be to neighbours’ homes on St Margaret’s Road and St Margaret’s Gardens as well as “an unacceptable impact on highways safety”.
The report concluded:
“The scale, form and massing of the development would fail to adequately safeguard the character of the street scene.”
Twenty-seven letters of objections were sent to the council.
Councillors on the Liberal Democrat-controlled planning committee will decide whether to accept Ms Walsh’s recommendation when they meet at the Civic Centre in Harrogate on Tuesday, May 7.
