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18
Sept
Housing developer quizzed on 320-home proposal in Harrogate
Representatives of a housing developer were last night (September 17) quizzed over its potential 320-home scheme in Harrogate.
Housebuilder Taylor Wimpey last month revealed it was “exploring proposals” to build the homes on a 54-acre plot off Penny Pot Lane – opposite the Queen Ethelburga’s and King Edwin Park developments.
The company has not yet submitted a formal planning application but has revealed it now looks set to seek approval for up to 320 homes, which would range from one to five bedrooms.
Forty percent of the homes will be classed as affordable and a building with “flexible” use will also be developed, Taylor Wimpey has pledged. It also promised to include a “significant green, open space” at the proposed site.
Taylor Wimpey presented the proposals at a Harrogate Town Council planning committee meeting last night, when councillors and members of the public were told the plans are still in the early stages.
However, the company said it is in the process of distributing 3,000 leaflets to nearby residents, which include feedback forms so locals can share their views on the plans.
But people raised concerns over increased traffic, local wildlife and the potential visual impact on the area.
One man, who said he lives near the Penny Pot Lane site, asked Taylor Wimpey to consider the potential increase in traffic from both its own scheme and other housing developments when drawing up the traffic assessment.
Ben Stephenson, strategic land and planning manager at Taylor Wimpey, said:
In terms of the traffic impact, we have already undertaken some modelling to date of the highways network prior to the summer holidays. That was then paused over the summer holidays with everybody being away and has been picked back up around now.
We will have a full suite of modelling of various junctions around the west of Harrogate to inform the development.
In the nature of this application, we have to consider the cumulative impact of all the sites that are already allocated, understand the impact of those first and foremost, and then the additional impact of this site on top of that. Within the transport assessment there will be a baseline assessment showing the current situation now and then the modelling on top of that.
Another resident said the grade-two-listed bridge on Penny Pot Lane would be a “main artery” from the development to the town centre.
But the man said the bridge is “already congested and virtually impassable at certain times of day”. He asked Taylor Wimpey how it plans to make the bridge a “realistic route” for both new and existing residents.
Mr Stephenson said:
It’s obviously a pinch-point we recognise. It will be picked up as part of the modelling that’s ongoing at the minute, so we don’t have any specific plans at this moment in time but it’s something we’re looking at.
The proposed site on Penny Pot Lane.
Visual impact
The same man also feared the latest proposal could impact views from the Birk Crag area, which overlook the potential housing site.
Taylor Wimpey previously lodged plans to build 350 homes at the Penny Pot Lane site in 2018, but they were rejected for several reasons including the visual impact.
The resident asked how the latest plans are an improvement on the previously rejected plans.
Rachel Martin, a planning consultant at ID Planning, told the meeting the latest proposal is a "landscape-led approach".
Taylor Wimpey's Mr Stephenson added:
We’re undertaking a landscaping visual impact assessment, and that’s taking a range of viewpoints around the site – primarily around public rights of way and publicly-accessible areas – to understand what the view is like from certain points. As a result, we’ve scaled back the development to less units and we’ve tried to incorporate green corridors.
That, with structural landscaping along the southern edge of the development, we hope will mitigate the views.
Environment and sustainability
Cllr Chrissy Holmes, who represents the Starbeck ward on Harrogate Town Council but is not part of the planning committee, expressed concerns over the potential impact on the environment and local wildlife.
Mr Stephenson told Cllr Holmes it has already undertaken a range of surveys across the site, looking at species including bats, water voles and a variety of birds.
He added:
Ultimately, the landscaping scheme that will accompany the site will ensure there will be a 10% betterment in terms of habitats on site compared to the current environment. It will effectively leave wildlife in a better position than it is now.
Cllr Holmes also asked how Taylor Wimpey plans ensure the proposed homes will be sustainable.
Mr Stephenson said Taylor Wimpey does not know what the specifications will be yet, as this has not been confirmed by central government, but added it will be a “70% reduction in carbon use and carbon emissions compared to houses built now”.
He added solar panels and air source heat pumps will “most likely” be included in the proposed scheme.
Taylor Wimpey representatives were quizzed by members of the public and councillors.
Infrastructure
Several councillors also raised concerns over the impact the development could have on local services, such as healthcare and education.
In a statement, Taylor Wimpey said:
We will have detailed discussions with the local authority and health service to discuss potential impacts and agree any mitigation required. This will involve looking at how many new primary and secondary school pupils the development will support, and how these impacts nearby schools. We will also look at matters like impact on local doctor surgeries. A financial contribution is likely to offset the impact of the development on local services.
Taylor Wimpey told the meeting it plans to submit an outline planning application by “late October to early November” and hopes to receive a verdict from North Yorkshire Council next year.
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