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08
Jan
New speed camera proposed for 210-home plan on county border
A new speed camera and an extension of a 30mph speed limit have been proposed as part of major plans to build 210 homes on the edge of Wetherby.
The 13-hectare site lies within the former Harrogate district – so legally in North Yorkshire – but in practice would form an extension of Wetherby, which is in West Yorkshire and served by Leeds City Council.
The land, to the north of the A661 road between Harrogate and Wetherby, abuts the edge of the Spofforth Park residential development by Bellway at Ingbarrow Gate.
Hallam Land Management, which is based in Sheffield, submitted the proposal to North Yorkshire Council in June 2025.
The plan has proved controversial and attracted hundreds of objections from residents who are concerned about the impact on traffic and the character of the area.
Now, according to a draft head of terms which has been published on the North Yorkshire Council planning portal, a range of contributions are set to be requested to mitigate the affects of the scheme.
Speed camera and speed limit
According to the head of terms, a financial contribution to North Yorkshire Council has been requested for a new speed camera on Spofforth Hill — though the sum is not included.
The draft agreement also includes a plan to extend the current 30mph speed limit on Harrogate Road near to the entrance to the housing site.
Meanwhile, Leeds City Council is expected to receive financial contributions towards highway improvement schemes in Wetherby and upgrades to two bus stops on Harrogate Road with shelters and real-time passenger information.
Meanwhile, should the plan be approved, the developer would also be expected to pay £996,975.00 towards primary education provision and £712,994.10 to secondary school education.
However, it is unclear which authority this would be payable to. The sum is also not expected to be fixed until the plan reaches the reserved matters stage.
The proposed development would be on the edge of Wetherby, but falls within North Yorkshire.
366 objections
The move comes as the plan has so far received 366 letters of objection from residents.
One objector, Janet Simpson, said the only outcome of the new scheme would be the "death of Wetherby".
Many objectors said the proposal would see residents rely on Wetherby for roads, schools and amenities rather than North Yorkshire.
Meanwhile, Leeds City Council has also raised concern over the scheme.
In a letter to North Yorkshire Council in July 2025, the city council said the site would primarily affect Wetherby’s housing need rather than North Yorkshire’s.
The letter said:
Although the land in question sits outside Leeds Local Planning Authority area, it is very closely sited to one of the districts major settlements (Wetherby) and as such Leeds City Council wishes to raise significant concerns in relation to this site being considered in isolation and not within the wider context of current and future planned development within the area, and the impact on local infrastructure.
The letter added that the scheme “would primarily contribute to meeting the housing needs” of Wetherby despite being in the Harrogate district.
The council said that the town had already seen housing expansion with developments at Spofforth Hill and Sandbeck Lane.
A visual of the homes from a bridleway off Harrogate Road, as included in the plans.
It added that it was aware that North Yorkshire currently had no five-year land supply and it was “unclear” how this would be dealt with.
North Yorkshire Council is currently drawing up a Local Plan, which will designate where new houses can be built in the county and give it reasons to refuse applications which fall outside the plan.
Lichfields, acting on behalf of the applicants, points out that there is a presumption in favour of sustainable development set out in the National Planning Policy Framework.
It says that, since the Harrogate District Local Plan published by Harrogate Borough Council has not been updated since that council’s abolition in 2023, it is out of date and permission should be granted in the absence of other overriding considerations. It concludes:
...the adverse impacts of the granting of planning permission do not significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits. The proposals therefore accord with NPPF paragraph 11(d) and planning permission should be granted.
North Yorkshire Council will make a decision on the plan at a later date.
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