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04
Jun
New homes expected in Copt Hewick despite wave of objections
A developer has earmarked land in a village near Ripon for new homes despite dozens of objections from local residents.
Shadwell Developments Ltd, which is based in Leeds, wants to build five homes on land off Back Lane in Copt Hewick despite the site not being included for development in the Harrogate District Local Plan.
The company described the proposal as a “modest and proportionate” addition to the village.
But it received 38 objections, including one from Hewick and Hutton Parish Council.
North Yorkshire Council has now given the plan permission in principle, meaning a full planning application may be submitted at a later date.
Shadwell Developments said the site benefited from access to public transport, such as the number 83 bus. It added that Holy Innocents Church was also “ focal point within the village” for the community.
The site earmarked for housing in Copt Hewick.
However, Hewick and Hutton Parish Council said the five homes would represent “disproportionate growth” in the area.
It also claimed some of the developer’s claims about the village’s amenities had been “misrepresented”, such as the value of the local bus service which it said only runs “once daily”.
It added:
Quite how such a service can be said to support employment or an appropriate means to access retail provision is unfathomable.
The council also pointed out that Holy Innocents Church stopped holding regular services in 2024 and is now largely run by a group of volunteers.
No five-year land supply
Lisa Adler, case officer at North Yorkshire Council, acknowledged that the proposal was not included in the local plan, which is now out of date amid a huge increase in government housebuilding targets.
She said the council was currently unable to demonstrate a five-year land supply and the site could thereforerepresent “a suitable location” for housing.
Ms Adler added:
This permission in principle application is limited to the consideration of the location, land use and amount of development proposed. In this context, the site is judged to represent a suitable location for housing, particularly given that the council is currently unable to demonstrate a five year housing land supply.
Although the site occupies a sensitive position at the edge of a small village, no undue landscape encroachment is anticipated at this stage as it is positively related to existing residential development.
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