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16
Feb 2023
1,300-home Ripon housing scheme set to be approved
A scheme to build 1,300 homes on historic army barracks in Ripon looks set to be approved next week.
Harrogate Borough Council officers have recommended its planning committee gives the scheme the go-ahead when it meets on Thursday.
If councillors vote to accept the recommendation, it will see Ripon's population increase by almost 20%, with an estimated 3,000 people expected to occupy the new homes.
Building work is likely to continue until 2035 and 30% of homes would be deemed 'affordable'.
The 85 hectare-scheme would also include a new primary school and sports pitches as well as shops, restaurants and offices that could support up to 678 jobs.
However, there are concern about the impact on health services, the road network and the loss of key sites of military history.
The report to councillors concludes:
Payments for health and schools
Applicants the Secretary of State for Defence and Homes England, a non-departmental public body that funds new affordable housing in England, which are behind the proposal, have agreed to pay a minimum of £907,267 for health care facilities as part of a section 106 agreement developers pay to fund infrastructure costs associated with their schemes.
The agreement would also see the developers pay £2.7 million for primary school education and £1.9 million for secondary school education.
A two-form primary school with a playing field would be built on the site.
A computer generated image of the proposed Ripon barracks site.
Development would take place on the sites of Claro Barracks, Laver Banks and Deverell Barracks, which played key roles in the First and Second World Wars.
The report acknowledges "strong concerns" over the demolition of Deverell Barracks, which according to the non-departmental public body Historic England contains buildings that make it 'one of the best surviving WWII temporary standardised prefabricated sites'.
The report says the developers would 'explore retention of these structures' but adds there are 'significant issues with their re-use' due to the presence of asbestos and concludes there is no 'certainty of retention'.
Part of the current site
The significance of two military bridges on Laver Banks became apparent recently following research by Ripon Military Heritage Group and the report says the applicants have "confirmed a commitment to keep on working together" with the group.
The report says the highways authority, North Yorkshire County Council, "considers there is no defensible reason to refuse the application on highway or transportation grounds" in the wake of proposed highways changes.
Read more:
- NHS objects to planned 1,300-home development on Ripon barracks
- Calls to assess impact of Ripon Cathedral's £6m expansion on cafes and shops
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