Several derelict buildings including a cricket pavilion are set to be demolished in fields off Otley Road in Harrogate to make way for the 480-home Bluecoat Wood development.
The government’s housing agency Homes England is behind the housing scheme, which would cover 28 hectares of largely green fields. The homes would wrap around horticultural charity Horticap.
A mix of one, two, three, four and five-bedroom houses are proposed for the site. Homes England says 40% of the houses will be allocated as “affordable”.
An outline planning application was submitted last year but is yet to receive final approval.
However the developer asked North Yorkshire Council if it could demolish several buildings on the site and the authority confirmed this month that it can.
It means that five timber buildings associated with a former stables will be demolished as well as a small shed and a stone barn on the site.
A cricket pavilion formerly used by Pannal Ash Cricket Club will also be demolished.
However, under plans submitted by Homes England, the development is set to include a new cricket pitch on the site and the club will return to using it.
Documents state:
“The wider proposals for the Bluecoat Park site include a new cricket pavilion and cricket field, which will provide a new home for Pannal Ash Cricket Club and will allow them to return to the site.
“Alongside the proposed residential development and cricket facilities, a football hub is also proposed. These sporting facilities will provide much higher quality sporting facilities in this area, which will help encourage an active and healthy lifestyle.”
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The section of Otley Road approaching Harlow Hill is set to be transformed by up to 1,500 homes over the next decade.
The Bluecoat Wood site has been mooted for housing for many years and Homes England took it on after a previous plan fell through.
The former Harrogate Borough Council Local Plan, which is still binding, says that the Windmill Farm site on the other side of Otley Road can also be developed.
Plans for 770 homes and a new primary school were submitted last year by Anwyl Land and national housebuilder Redrow Homes. The site also includes space for self-build homes.
But there have been long-standing fears from residents that the services that people rely on will be put under further strain by the new developments.
The Western Arc Coordination Group is hopeful a council-led document called the West Harrogate Infrastructure Delivery Strategy (WHIDS) will go some way to ensuring investment takes place into roads, schools and healthcare before much of the homes are constructed.
But it’s faced a series of delays which has frustrated residents in the group.
Harrogate village cricket pavilion destroyed in suspected arson attackArsonists are believed to have destroyed a cricket pavilion in a village near Harrogate.
Firefighters from Harrogate and Knaresborough were called to Weeton Lane in Weeton at 8.40pm last night to reports of a shed fire.
North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service’s incident log added:
“On arrival this was found to be a wooden cricket pavilion which was completely destroyed. Crews used one hose reel to extinguish the fire.”
The incident log did not give a cause of fire but villagers have reported seeing youths fleeing from the scene.
The cricket club in Weeton folded years ago and the pavilion had fallen into a state of disrepair.
Some frustrated villagers are keen to mount a campaign to restore the site to community use.
Man’s hand burned
In a separate incident later last night, Harrogate firefighters responded at 10.30pm to a smoke alarm going off in a house on Olive Grove in Harrogate.
The incident log said:
“This involved a candle which is believed to have been left unattended, causing smouldering to surrounding surface.
“One male suffered burns to his hand, received treatment from fire crew and will make his own way to hospital. Crew also ventilated property. Burn pack used.”
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