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Mar 2024

Last Updated: 05/03/2024

Concern over 34-acre 'prime development opportunity' near Boroughbridge

by Flora Grafton

| 05 Mar, 2024

A Kirby Hill resident has raised concerns after a 34-acre plot of land described as a potential housing development opportunity was listed for sale.

The arable land, located east of Leeming Lane in the village near Boroughbridge, has been advertised for sale by property consultants Carter Jonas.

The land is not currently allocated for development under the existing Harrogate district Local Plan 2014-35, which outlines where development can take place.

But Harrogate Borough Council, which devised the plan, ceased to exist last year and successor authority North Yorkshire Council is drawing up a revised Local Plan.

The new council has said drawing up a new plan is likely to take another four years and is expected to issue a call for sites, in which landowners can request their land be included, shortly.

Carter Jonas has marketed the site as a “prime residential development opportunity” in its sale brochure.

It said:

"There is potential for long-term promotion through the Local Plan review or future local plans for release from the green belt.

“We anticipate that land lying in the Harrogate district now part of North Yorkshire Council will be subject to a 'call for sites' during March/April 2024 as the council consider potential new opportunities.”

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But this prospect was not welcomed by Kirkby Hill resident Nicola Lee, who expressed concerns about the potential loss of arable farmland and the impact on the carbon footprint.

Ms Lee added:

“This area — Boroughbridge, Langthorpe, Milby and Kirby Hill — has had six massive housing developments over the past five years that I am aware of, and over 1,000 houses have been built. But there are no extra schools, doctors or dentists being built and the waiting times have gone from one week to over four weeks to get an appointment with the GP.

“The drainage is also Victorian, it has not been improved and there has been in the past few days raw sewage pumped out of the drains (as they cannot cope) into the fields around Milby, which goes straight into the river."

She also said:

“My house backs directly onto that land and we paid a premium for the view — £10,000 more than the same house opposite without the view. It will also cause disruption to my life having to put up with excavators, workmen, diggers, scaffolding, noise, dust etc."

Council has 'no current plans' for Kirby Hill

The Stray Ferret contacted North Yorkshire Council to ask about the status of the new Local Plan for North Yorkshire, including whether the Kirby Hill site may be included.

The council's corporate director for community development, Nic Harne, said:

“The current Harrogate Local Plan runs until 2035. However, we are in the early stages of preparing a new Local Plan for North Yorkshire which will replace it. The aim is for this to be adopted in 2028 and run until 2045.

“The ‘call for sites’ is part of this work and seeks the submission of locations to be considered for allocation in the new Local Plan.

“This is not solely about housing but can include employment, retail, leisure as well as identifying areas for renewable energy generation, open space and areas for biodiversity.

“We are aiming to start this process over the next month.

“There are no current plans for Kirby Hill. If it is submitted for consideration in the North Yorkshire Local Plan it will be assessed along with the expected large number of sites across the county."

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Concern over 34-acre 'prime development opportunity' near Boroughbridge

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Council has 'no current plans' for Kirby Hill