Two potential plans for housing at Harlow Nurseries in Harrogate have emerged.
The site next to the Pinewoods is owned by Harrogate Borough Council and sells plants, pots and compost to the public.
However, the council’s Harrogate district Local Plan 2014-35, which outlines where development can take place, says 40 homes can be built there. The nursery will relocate if a development goes ahead.
Two options for how it could look were displayed at Pinewoods Conservation Group‘s annual general meeting on Monday by the charity’s chair Neil Hind. Both contain more than 40 homes.
The plans were drawn up by consultants on behalf of the council.
The first option includes 57 homes that are a mix of family homes and apartments.
The second option includes 62 homes and apartments and has less garden space than option one.
Both options include 30% ‘affordable’ homes. The two plans also say the development could achieve net-zero emissions, but don’t give further details on how this might be achieved.
Read more:
- Harrogate’s Otley Road cycle route ‘on budget’ despite problems
- Andrew Jones MP urges Northern to ‘rethink’ cuts to Harrogate trains
In September 2020, the council appointed three external consultants to draw up plans for the nurseries, as well as for two other brownfield sites in Harrogate.
The consultants will be paid with funding secured by the council in 2018.
The council received £200,000 from the Leeds City Region Business Rates Pool and £36,000 from the York, North Yorkshire and East Riding Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).
Impact on Pinewoods
The plans could still change before the final report is published in May.
It would need to be rubber-stamped by councillors before moving to the next stage, which could involve the sale of the site to a developer.
Speaking at the meeting, Mr Hind said:
“My view is there is no point objecting, it’s in the Local Plan, it’s a brownfield site and it’s going to happen. Our role is to ensure it has as little impact on the Pinewoods as it can have.”
Pinewoods Conservation Group’s AGM on Monday evening.
Harrogate Spring Water
The AGM was attended by around 25 people. Also on the agenda was Harrogate Spring Water’s hopes to expand its bottling plant on Harlow Moor Road.
The Stray Ferret reported this week that Harrogate Borough Council has said it would consider selling Rotary Wood to the company, which is preparing to submit a new planning application.
Mr Hind told the meeting that Pinewoods Conservation Group had lawyers on hand to ensure due process on any sale was followed.
