Maltkiln and Cllr Derek BastimanMaltkiln and Cllr Derek Bastiman

A senior councillor has defended North Yorkshire Council's decision to explore compulsory purchasing land from a farmer in Cattal to build thousands of homes.

The new town, called Maltkiln, would be built towards York near the villages of Cattal, Whixley, Green Hammerton and Kirk Hammerton.

But proposals were plunged into doubt last January when a key landowner who owns fields around Cattal Station pulled out, leaving the council and developer Caddick Group scrambling to rescue the scheme.

With the landowner still refusing to sell, the council’s Conservative-run executive agreed last month to consider using a compulsory purchase order as a “last resort” to ensure that Maltkiln is developed as intended.

A decision on whether it would use the CPO has not been made yet but councillors in Northallerton yesterday afternoon discussed how it might work.

Conservative councillor Derek Bastiman, who has the business portfolio on the executive, insisted the CPO “is not a threat to beat the landowners into agreeing to sell land”.

But Cllr Andy Paraskos, a Conservative who represents Spofforth with Lower Wharfedale & Tockwith, questioned the length of time it might take if used. He said:

Because the scheme is set to be developed over a 30-year timescale, Cllr Felicity Cunliffe-Lister, a  Liberal Democrat who represents Masham and Fountains, warned it could leave the council owning land that won’t be developed for many years.

In response, Trevor Watson, the council’s assistant director of planning, said the CPO process would be quicker than starting from scratch.

He added:

Maltkiln has divided the Harrogate district ever since it was first mooted almost a decade ago.

The defunct Harrogate Borough Council chose the Maltkiln area over the former Flaxby golf course site with the controversial decision ending up challenged in the High Court.

Cllr Robert Windass, a Conservative representing Boroughbridge and Claro, said he had been “totally opposed” to the scheme from the start and that Flaxby should have been chosen as the location instead.

He was the only councillor on the committee to abstain from voting on the Maltkiln development plan document, which will now be debated by Selby and Ainsty councillors on Friday.

Cllr Windass said:

However, Cllr Pat Marsh, a Liberal Democrat who represents Stray, Woodlands and Hookstone, said she was in favour of Maltkiln due to it being close to Cattal Station, which is on the busy York to Leeds line.

She said:

The council is set to submit the Maltkiln development plan document to the Secretary of State for Housing next month.

it will be scrutinised by a planning inspector who will judge whether the scheme is viable or if changes need to be made to the development plan document.

This will take place at a public meeting which the public can attend, similar to when a local plan is examined.

Read more:

• Council may consider selling Harrogate Convention Centre


• Work halts on Harrogate supported living flats