Consultation on new 3,000-home settlement for Harrogate district extended

A consultation on a new 3,000-home settlement in the Harrogate district has been extended amid concerns some residents weren’t aware of it.

Harrogate Borough Council’s consultation, which opened on October 19, asks for views on three possible sites for the development in the Green Hammerton and Cattal area, close to York.

The preferred option is on land south of Cattal train station.

A report says the scheme would offer a 21st century village lifestyle with convenient links to Harrogate, York and Leeds.

But so far the consultation has generated nine responses, which are overwhelmingly opposed to the development.

One describes it as “a desecration of a beautiful unspoilt area” and “environmental vandalism”. Several say the Flaxby site, which the council discarded, would be better.

The consultation was due to close on December 11 but will now run until January 22.

Chris Eaton, from the Keep Green Hammerton Green action group, told the Stray Ferret local groups had asked the council to extend the deadline because some residents had still not received a leaflet informing them the consultation was taking place.

Cllr Richard Cooper, leader of the council, pledged last month it would be a “genuine consultation”, adding it was “critically important” for the council to get it right.

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Cllr Tim Myatt, the council’s new cabinet member for planning, said the extra time would ensure all residents and community groups had their say.

He said:

“We are listening to the community and following feedback have decided to extend the consultation so that everyone has had enough time to fully review the plans.

“We want this new settlement to be something which will serve the needs of new and existing residents. By extending the consultation and gathering further feedback we can ensure that residents and community groups have had time to provide a full response.”

3000-home Green Hammerton consultation goes live

A public consultation into controversial plans to 3,000 homes at Green Hammerton and Cattal has gone live.

Harrogate Borough Council is inviting people to have their say on the new settlement, which would change the rural villages forever.

The concept framework for the development says it would offer a “21st century village lifestyle” with convenient links to Harrogate, York and Leeds.

It says:

“Green Hammerton / Cattal is a new distinctive garden village making the most of a vibrant rail hub and village centre, and set in a tranquil landscape of farmland and woodland, wetland and gardens.”

Planning consultants Gillespies produced a report for the council setting out three possible sites for the development, including a preferred option on land south of Cattal train station.

Besides 3,000 houses, the plans include two new primary schools, employment space and retail units.

This month, Chris Eaton, from the campaign group Keep Green Hammerton Green, said it had “grave concerns” about the consultation because the council had not engaged with stakeholders in drawing up its plans.

He claimed the council chose its preferred option without meaningful input from residents.

Cllr Richard Cooper, leader of the council, pledged it would be a “genuine consultation”, adding it was “critically important” for the council to get it right.

The consultation runs until December 11.

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The three proposed options for the new settlement are below:

Option One

This option focuses on the area north of the railway line between Cattal and Hammerton train stations and incorporates the village edges of Green Hammerton and Kirk Hammerton.

Option One – ‘Central focus’

Option Two

This option focuses on the area north of the railway line around Cattal station, with the majority of the development located south of the A59.

Option Two – ‘North of Cattal station focus’

Option Three

This is the preferred option and focuses on the area around Cattal station, expanding towards the south and southwest of the railway line.

Option Three – ‘Cattal station focus’

Judicial review looms after 2,750-home Flaxby development refused

Councillors took an hour this afternoon to refuse an application for up to 2,750 homes on the former Flaxby golf course, near Knaresborough.

Harrogate Borough Council’s planning committee rejected the plans because they contravene its Local Plan, which chose Green Hammerton and Cattal as the location for a new settlement instead of Flaxby.

The Flaxby proposals also include a retirement village and two primary schools, as well as retail and office space.

The developer, Flaxby Park Ltd, is challenging HBC’s decision at a judicial review, which will take place at the High Court in London this month.

Cllr Robert Windass questioned why the planning committee had been asked to decide on Flaxby now, just weeks before the judicial review. He said the council should postpone any decision until after the judicial review takes place.

But his request was rebuffed by HBC’s chief planner, John Worthington, who said the planning committee and the judicial review were “two very separate processes”.

Cllr Christine Willoughby, who spoke representing Knaresborough Town Council, said the development would have a negative impact on the market town.

She said:

“The town council objects to this application as there would be a serious detrimental impact to health services, educational and recreational services of Knaresborough. Any economic benefit [to Knaresborough] would be small.”

Alex Smith, a member of the public, urged councillors to defer the Flaxby decision until the Green Hammerton development plan document was more fully developed.

He said the Flaxby development was “more sustainable” than Green Hammerton, which he said would require significant infrastructure investment. He said:

“We have a disused golf course and an existing dual carriageway here, now and ready to go. Why discard that site now?”

Eight councillors voted to refuse the plans. Two abstained.

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The judicial review will take place on October 27, 28, and 29 at the High Court in London.

Flaxby Park Ltd has claimed the council’s decision to choose Green Hammerton was based on “flawed information of a scant, conflicting and contradictory nature”.

A judge will decide whether the decision was lawful and followed the correct procedure.

If found to be unlawful, the decision on where to place the new settlement may have to be made again.

Meanwhile, HBC is pressing ahead with plans for Green Hammerton and last week rubber-stamped a public consultation that is expected to take place later this year.