Plans for 68 retirement flats in Knaresborough have been recommended for approval, despite objections from residents and the town council.
Adlington Retirement Living, part of the Gladman group, wants to build the flats with additional care facilities on land adjacent to the single-track Grimbald Bridge on Wetherby Road, alongside the River Nidd.
The scheme was initially refused by Harrogate Borough Council’s planning committee in February 2021 over concerns that the development was “overpowering” and intrusive.
However, a fresh application by Adlington has now been recommended by council officers to be given the go-ahead.
The developer has made changes to the original plans, including removing four apartments from the top of the building to reduce its height and adding 10 electric vehicle car parking spaces. The housing mix will be changed to regain the lost apartments.
It said the need to provide this type of accommodation for older people in the area was “critical” due to an ageing population.
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Despite the revised proposal, the plan has still been met by objections.
In a letter to the council, Knaresborough Town Council said:
“Knaresborough Town Council strongly objects to this latest application. This new development is still over intensive with poor access.
“The 68 proposed dwellings constitute an over-intensive development of the site due to design, height and massing.”
Councillors on Harrogate Borough Council’s planning committee will make a decision on the plan on Tuesday next week.
Fresh plans for 68 retirement apartments in KnaresboroughFresh plans have been submitted for a major new retirement apartment complex in Knaresborough, after a similar scheme was refused by Harrogate Borough Council’s planning committee earlier this year.
Adlington, part of the Gladman group, wants to build 68 apartments with additional care facilities on land adjacent to the single-track Grimbald Bridge on Wetherby Road, alongside the River Nidd.
Cllr Phil Ireland, who sits on both Knaresborough Town Council and Harrogate Borough Council, criticised the original application for 69 apartments when he spoke at the planning committee in February. He said:
“The size and scale of the development is overpowering. The visual intrusion will be evident to all entering Knaresborough”.
Councillors on the committee agreed and voted overwhelmingly to reject the bid.
Grimbald Bridge is a pressure point for congestion and the original proposals also faced objections from both Knaresborough Civic Society and Knaresborough Town Council on transport grounds.
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In planning documents attached to the new application, the developer said it “strongly refutes” the reasons for refusal:
“The fact that the proposal would introduce a substantial building on the site, does not mean that it would lead to the building being dominant, inappropriate in its setting, or harmful in views, just because it would be visible in parts”.
The developer has made changes to the original plans including removing four apartments from the top of the building to reduce its height and adding ten electric vehicle car parking spaces. The housing mix will be changed to regain the lost apartments.
It said the need to provide this type of accommodation for older people in the area was “critical” due to an ageing population.
HBC’s planning committee will consider the scheme at a later date.
Plans for major retirement development in KnaresboroughCouncillors will next week consider proposals for 69 retirement apartments with care near to St James Retail Park in Knaresborough — but concerns have been raised that it will worsen traffic on Grimbald Bridge.
Adlington, part of the Gladman group, is behind the development which would be built on land adjacent to the single-track Grimbald Bridge on Wetherby Road which passes the River Nidd.
Adlington has built similar developments for retirees across the north of England, including Adlington House on Bridge Street in Otley.
The company said the Knaresborough scheme will follow its ‘extra care’ model which tries to maintain the residents’ independence.
It said in its plans:
“Residents can live with as much independence as they wish, but have care support available to suit their needs with advancing age, without moving to more specialised accommodation.”
The developer wants to demolish a derelict bungalow and house that is currently on the site. The three-storey development includes 22 one-bedroom, 37 two-bedroom and 10 three-bedroom apartments.
Harrogate Borough Council’s planning committee will meet a week on Tuesday (February 16) to consider the proposals, which have been recommended for approval by a council officer.
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Grimbald Bridge is a pressure point for congestion and the proposals include a new, single priority-controlled junction on Wetherby Road.
The development would be built to the left of Grimbald Bridge on Wetherby Road.
However, this has not been enough to allay concerns over traffic and pedestrian safety, with both Knaresborough Civic Society and Knaresborough Town Council objecting on transport grounds.
Knaresborough Town Council called the development “over-intense with poor access”.
It added:
“The scale of the development is overpowering, blocking natural daylight from adjacent properties.”