Councillors have approved a plan that finally paves the way for the 50-home Glasshouses Mill scheme to be completed.

The two-phase redevelopment of the former mill, which is a grade two listed building, has been dogged by delays due to years of wrangling.

Developer Glasshouses 123 started building 32 homes for the first phase in 2016 and the first residents moved in four years ago.

But the developer failed to adhere to certain payments attached to the scheme, which held up work on the second phase.

Glasshouses 123 claimed rising costs caused by unexpected events such as covid and Brexit meant the scheme had become financially unviable unless the payments, which were agreed with the council to offset the impact of development, were amended.

It applied to vary the terms of the agreement to revive the project. A planning officer at North Yorkshire Council recommended the new application be approved and the council’s Skipton and Ripon planning committee today agreed to do so at a meeting in Pateley Bridge.

'Feels like we have been conned'

But councillors did so after including new conditions on car parking and block paving — and they expressed strong concerns about how the long-running saga has been handled, particularly the council’s ability to enforce planning conditions.

Councillor Robert Heseltine, a member of the Conservatives and Independents group who represents Skipton East and South, said it was “disturbing” that planning conditions previously agreed were not enforced and that it appeared councils had “abandoned” democratic control over planning issues.

Cllr Heseltine added it “beggared belief” that the council was unable to insist on any affordable homes as part of the scheme because of the concerns over financial viability. He added “it feels like we have been conned all the way down the line”.

He declined to take part in the vote, in which the other three councillors backed the latest version of the scheme.

Threat of appeal

Cllr Andy Brown, the Green Party representative for Aire Valley, said the committee was in “an impossible situation”.

He acknowledged “numerous concerns” by residents living in phase one homes, such as the state of a culvert, remained unresolved but said if the committee voted to reject the scheme its decision was likely to be overturned by the developers on appeal.

Referring to the two new conditions, Cllr Brown — who chaired the meeting after committee chair Cllr Nathan Hull stood aside because he knows the applicant — said:

Andrew Totten, of Glasshouses Mill Owners’ Association, raised concerns about the culvert failing in October 2023, leaving residents with a £30,000 repair bill, parking during phase two work and flood defence.

Graeme Holbeck, an agent for the applicant, said “everybody realises this project has been far from plain sailing” but it would be a “fabulous restoration project when it is completed”. He added concerns about unfinished phase one work were “relatively minor”. 

Section 106 wrangling

The main issue delaying the scheme was the payment of Section 106 monies to the council.

Developers sign Section 106 legal agreements with councils to mitigate the impact of the development. In this instance, Glasshouses 123 was obliged to pay around £135,960 towards education, £51,758 towards open spaces and £63,170 towards village halls.

The payments were due to be triggered when a certain number of homes were built.

But although phase one has been completed and 30 homes are occupied, the first two instalments of Section 106 monetary contributions were not made.

The Section 106 agreement also required the provision of a village shop prior to the occupation of the 31st home on the site but this has not happened.

Under the new agreement, Glasshouses 123 will pay £139,359 towards education services before the first house in phase two is occupied.

It must also pay £61,800 towards open spaces and £63,170 towards the village hall prior to the 10th phase two house being occupied.

The obligation for a village shop was removed under the new terms.

The revised agreement also allows for extra homes, which should help make the scheme more financially viable. 

Andy Hough, the council case officer, said in his report that was approved by councillors:

The Stray Ferret spoke to Chris Hawkesworth, a director of Glasshouses 123, after the meeting, and to Mr Totten, of Glasshouses Mill Owners’ Association.

Look for an article soon on their reactions to today’s planning committee verdict.