Housing Archives - Page 17 of 47

Controversial 53-home Harrogate scheme recommended for approval

Council officers have recommended a controversial plan to build 53 homes off Knox Lane in Harrogate is approved next week.

North-east property developer Jomast‘s planning application for the Bilton area was deferred for a second time in February this year.

At the time, councillors requested new reports and information about ground contamination and overhead power lines.

However, a report published today in advance of the Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency planning committee meeting on May 31 has recommended the plans are approved subject to conditions.

Among the conditions is that Jomast would be required to pay £64,000 for healthcare, £140,000 for education and £60,000 for open spaces in the form of a section 106 agreement to compensate for the impact of development on local infrastructure.

The homes would be built off Knox Lane.

The application in the quiet Knox area has proved controversial with residents.

Campaign group Keep Knox Natural has previously called on the council to remove the parcel of land from the Harrogate District Local Plan 2014-35, which outlines where development can take place.

Cllr Robert Windass, a member of the council’s planning committee, previously called for an independent survey into contamination into the site.

Cllr Windass raised concern that a previous survey into the site was paid for by the developer and requested that an independent report was drawn up.

He told a committee in February:

“I will not vote for this scheme until I know that that land is safe.”

Councillors will vote on Wednesday next week whether to accept case officer Andy Hough’s recommendation to proceed with the scheme.

Plan for 50 new homes near Cattal station

A plan has been submitted to build 50 homes near to Cattal station.

London-based Ptarmigan Land North has submitted the proposal to North Yorkshire Council for land south of the station.

It would see 50 homes built, including public open space and potential connections to the railway.

The land near to the station is not included in wider proposals for at least 3,000 homes in the area, known as Maltkiln.

However, the developers said the site could be influenced by the project in terms of appearance.

In documents submitted to the council, the developer said:

“The focus of the proposal is to create a sustainable development within the heart of the new settlement.

“People and vehicles can easily access all areas of the proposal and make good connections to nearby roads and services. Importantly the proposal includes a potential pedestrian link to the station to the north and potential pedestrian link to the south of the site.

“It has attractive features including a series of arrival spaces and a large area of open space.

“The proposal has opportunity to create areas for the benefit of biodiversity and generate new habitats.

“The proposal does not prejudice future development of surrounding spaces. Potential connections to future development could be provided.”

North Yorkshire Council will make a decision on the proposal at a later date.

Plan approved for two more houses on Markington pub site

Plans have been approved for two new houses on a former pub site in Markington.

The proposal, which was submitted by Leeds-based Lotherton Property Services, would see the homes built behind what was the Cross Keys Inn on High Street in the village.

The pub closed in 2016 due to declining turnover and profitability.

It is currently being converted into a house after plans were approved in January.

Now, North Yorkshire Council has given approval for a further two four-bedroom homes built on the site

In documents submitted to the council, the developer said:

“The site seeks to accommodate two detached dwellings, which would generate less vehicular traffic than the previous use.”

The move comes after the developer received permission to convert the Cross Keys Inn into a four-bedroom house.

It said in planning documents that the building had been extensively marketed for sale as a pub.

But it added potential buyers had shown little interest in reopening it for that purpose.

Developers lodge fresh plan to convert Harrogate office block into flats

A developer has lodged fresh plans to convert Simpson House in Harrogate into flats.

Bramhope Property and Investments Limited has tabled the proposal to North Yorkshire Council to convert the the former office block off Clarence Drive into 12 flats.

Documents submitted to the council detail plans to create 12 two-bedroom apartments.

It would see the ground, first and second floors converted.

The move comes after two previous proposals to change the use of the office block to residential were refused in 2022.

Meanwhile, another application by Artium Group was withdrawn in July 2022 amid concern from Harrogate Borough Council officers over the impact on neighbouring trees.

However, in the latest proposal, developers have said the building is already surrounded by residential properties.

It said:

“The ground and first floors of the building have been vacant for several years and the second floor of the building has recently become vacant.

“The building is surrounded by existing residential properties which are previously converted office buildings surrounded by mature trees.”

North Yorkshire Council will make a decision on the plan at a later date.

600-home Harrogate housing scheme to get shop and community centre

North Yorkshire Council has approved plans to build a shop and community centre at the 600-home King Edwin Park scheme on Penny Pot Lane in Harrogate.

The development by Persimmon Homes is one of the largest housing projects to be built in Harrogate for many years.

It’s being constructed in stages with outline plans first given the go-ahead by Harrogate Borough Council in 2015.

As part of the original approval, the developer agreed to build retail and community facilities that residents can use.

Planning documents state the shop will be 201 square metres, which is a similar size to a small convenience store run by national supermarket chains. The community centre will connect to the shop and have a floorspace of 121 square metres.

They will be built to the east of the site where homes have already been put up.

A new footpath link will be created to connect residents living at King Edwin Park.

The developer says it will plant flowers, trees and hedges amongst wildflowers and grassland around the new building.

It will also include 12 car parking bays and 12 cycle spaces. This is higher than what the guidance suggests but it the developer says it wants to avoid shoppers parking on pavements and inconveniencing residents.

Solar panels will be placed on the roof to generate renewable energy.

Planning documents state:

“The single storey design ensures that the retail unit and community centre is accessible to everyone including wheelchair users.

“The proposal would contribute to providing an accessible new community facility and retail unit for existing and future residents of the area including the housing estates located near to but outside of the wider development boundary.”

The Local Democracy Reporting Service asked Persimmon Homes if it has a tenant for the retail unit but we did not receive a response by the time of publication.

‘No more new houses’: Harrogate residents and councillors call on council to remove sites from Local Plan

Residents and councillors who are facing the prospect of thousands of homes being built around Harlow Hill have called on North Yorkshire Council to remove sites from its new Local Plan.

Around 50 people attended the Green Hut on Harlow Avenue last night for a meeting of Harlow & Pannal Ash Residents Association (HAPARA).

Up to 4,000 homes could be built in the Western arc of Harrogate but there have been long-standing concerns that the area’s roads, schools and healthcare facilities will not be able to cope.

Residents were dismayed at the publication of a ‘parameters plan’ document last year that was drawn up by Harrogate Borough Council to identify infrastructure requirements for the area.

Plans for 770 homes and a primary school on land behind RHS Harlow Carr has already been submitted by Anywl Land and Redrow Homes.

On the other side of the road, Homes England has submitted plans to build 480 homes.

The homes would be built in phases meaning residents living in the area could face a decade or more of disruption.

Neither application on Otley Road has been approved yet and residents at the meeting said there was a glimmer of hope that North Yorkshire Council could remove the sites when it develops its new county-wide Local Plan.

Harrogate Borough Council’s Local Plan will be replaced by the document before 2028.

Malcolm Margolis said HBC’s plan was “obviously out of date and needs changing.”

He said:

“I read about 50 local authorities have cancelled their Local Plan and started again. I can’t understand why North Yorkshire cant take a similar approach and revisit all this.”

One woman said:

“The government says we don’t need as many houses as before. It seems sensible to me as a layperson why aren’t these plans revisited and some sites taken out?”

Conservative councillor for Oatlands & Pannal, John Mann, said he will be pushing the new authority to reconsider sites that have not already been granted planning permission.

He said:

“I will be insisting we look afresh at some of these sites that are in the plan and have not yet come forward and I will call for these sites to be revisited.”

However, chair of Haverah Park with Beckwithshaw Parish Council, Derek Spence, said residents would have to be realistic as the new Local Plan is five years away from completion and in that time developers would look to secure planning permission.

Cllr Spence said:

“If they see that door closing what are they going to do? Commercially, they’ll start putting in planning applications. It’s pretty obvious. If you were them that’s what you’d have to do to protect your investment.”

Dispute continues over contamination at proposed Bilton housing site

A developer has reaffirmed that a site mooted for 53 homes in Harrogate has been thoroughly tested for ground contamination — but this has been disputed by a local toxicology expert.

North-east developer Jomast‘s plans to build at Knox Lane in Bilton have been met with opposition from local residents who have raised concerns about the proposals with contamination proving to be particularly contentious.

The application has been before Harrogate Borough Council’s planning committee twice in the last six months.

It was deferred on both occasions as councillors were not not satisfied the land had been thoroughly investigated for toxic materials.

This is because some of the site was previously part of a railway that pulled hoppers and tankers for the gas works in Bilton.

Asbestos was used for installation on steam trains and there are also concerns that tar from coal could still be toxic, posing a threat to future residents.

Knox Lane

However, the developer’s agent, Stephen Courcier, told councillors at a meeting in February that testing for contamination took place across the whole site, including the proximity of the former railway tracks, and showed no “significant levels” of contamination.

But councillors weren’t convinced and ordered the developer to undergo more testing before a decision was made.

After the meeting, Mr Courcier sent an email to the council that has been published on the local authority’s planning portal. It says there would be “no benefit” to further sampling.

He wrote:

“The railway line and its immediate locality were subject to seven exploratory excavations. Therefore, the consultants have advised that the former railway line has been comprehensively assessed.

“Nevertheless, the consultants have produced the attached note that clearly highlights the extent of the testing carried out in proximity to the former railway line and their findings.”

Mr Courcier confirmed to the Local Democracy Reporting Service on Friday the developer’s position on the contamination report had not changed since the email was sent on March 31.

Railway lines

However, a local toxicology expert who lives in the area said he was not satisfied with where the samples were taken from on the former tracks.

Dr Damian Bowen said:

“The land contamination report advises that the proposed development site, including the former railway has been comprehensively tested. Samples taken for contamination analysis however do not target the area of the former railway lines.

“Instead, testing was conducted either side of the embankment, across the open field. Furthermore, analysis was not conducted for all samples taken. The developer has provided no justification as to the inadequacies of the testing strategy. You certainly can’t find anything if you’re looking in the wrong places.“

The email from Mr Courcier to the council also asked if a quick decision could be made on the plans.

He suggested North Yorkshire Council’s first Harrogate and Knaresborough planning committee this month was a potential option.

However, this request was made too late in the day to be considered for the meeting on April 25, according to the council.

North Yorkshire Council’s assistant director of planning, Trevor Watson, said:

“We can confirm that a submission was made on behalf of the applicant on March 31.

“This was received too late to be considered at April’s Harrogate and Knaresborough planning committee meeting.

“Once the submission has been assessed by officers, a report will be prepared and presented to the planning committee at a later date.“

Almost half of 4,000-home Maltkiln scheme removed

Almost half of the land allocated for the 4,000-home Matkiln scheme has been removed after a landowner pulled out, the Local Democracy Reporting Service can reveal.

Two sources familiar with the matter told the LDRS that fields that would have formed the development’s ‘village centre’ around Cattal train station have been removed.

They also estimate that up to 2,000 homes would have been built on the removed land.

Harrogate Borough Council said in January that one of the landowners had pulled out, without saying which parcels of land were affected. Wetherby-based developer Caddick Group called the decision by the landowner “regrettable” but said it was confident the scheme would continue.

Plans for Maltkiln have been in the works for several years and also include two primary schools. The homes would be built off the A59 towards York near the villages of Cattal, Green Hammerton, Kirk Hammerton and Whixley.

Cattal station is on the York to Harrogate railway line.

Map of Maltkiln, including the removed land.

Last month a meeting was held involving all of the affected parish councils to discuss the proposals. It was also attended by a representative of Caddick Group plus officers from Harrogate Borough Council.

At the meeting, officers confirmed the location of the large section of land that has now been removed from the scheme.

This means the developer will likely have to rethink its village centre because it was due to be located on the land. The Maltkiln website states:

“A new village centre is proposed for Maltkiln, located next to Cattal station with a range of spaces suitable for retail, leisure, health and hospitality uses.

“These will evolve as the community grows and we will encourage local businesses to take up space in the village centre, as well as participating in farmers’ and seasonal markets held in the central village square.”

Since the landowner pulled out, Harrogate Borough Council paused work on a development document that was due to be submitted to the government for approval.

The LDRS understands council officers are now looking at whether a scheme can be delivered in the same broad location while still meeting the aims and objectives of the new settlement, which forms part of the council’s Harrogate district Local Plan 2014-35, which outlines where development can take place.

Kirk Hammerton parish councillor Alex Smith said the situation at Maltkiln was a “consequence of choosing the wrong location for a new town.”

Cllr Smith said:

“They’ve had to spend a long time chopping and changing preferred options, trying to fit a distinct new settlement into a very constrained area. It was time they didn’t have, given that a key land agreement – almost half the proposed area has expired.

“Local residents have endured years of uncertainty over this project even when Harrogate Borough Council claimed to be following due process. The last thing we need now is for them to start improvising at the eleventh hour.”

A Caddick Group spokesperson said:

“As promoters of the Maltkiln settlement, Caddick Group continues to have positive and constructive discussions with all parties. We are confident that we can deliver proposals, which not only meet the housing needs of the area, but also deliver the requirements set out in the adopted local plan and meet the policy objectives of the draft Development Plan Document.

“We are currently working closely with our consultant team to update our proposals, taking into account the revised boundaries. We remain committed to developing Maltkiln and look forward to being able to share our revised proposals in more detail.

“We continue to talk constructively with the current and successor local authority planning teams regarding how best to progress and deliver Maltkiln. Throughout this process, we have engaged with stakeholders and local communities, and as soon as we are in a position to publicise revised proposals, we will do so.”

Developers resubmit plan for new homes in Crimple Valley

Developers have resubmitted plans for new homes in the Crimple Valley.

The application by Square Feet Ltd and Antela Developments Ltd would see the homes built at Almsford Bank Stables on Leeds Road.

Harrogate Borough Council rejected proposals for 35 homes in the area back in November 2022.

However, the developer has now reduced the number of homes to 17.

It includes 10 self or custom build homes and seven affordable houses.

The council had previously refused the plan on the grounds that the site was not allocated for housing under the Harrogate district Local Plan 2014-35, which outlines where development can take place.

It added that the plan “would result in harm to the character and appearance of its surroundings”.

However, the developer said in its planning documents that it had submitted a “wide range of technical and assessment works” in support of the proposal.

It added:

“It is concluded that there are no technical reasons relating to these matters why planning permission should not be granted.”

The development has long been opposed by local residents as part of the Save Crimple Valley group.

The group has argued that the site is “unsafe” for such a scheme and urged the council to reject the plan last year.

The previous scheme was met by more than 240 letters of objection.

A decision on the new plan will be made by the new North Yorkshire Council at a later date.

Minister: no plans to house migrants at ex-airfield near Harrogate district — for now

The government has no current plans to house migrants at a former RAF base on the edge of the Harrogate district, Immigration minister Robert Jenrick has said.

The government scrapped plans last year to house 1,500 asylum seekers at Linton-on-Ouse after a fierce backlash from local people and politicians.

The former airfield is nine miles from Boroughbridge, 13 miles from Knaresborough, and even closer to Harrogate district villages such as Great Ouseburn, Little Ouseburn and Nun Monkton.

Immigration minister Robert Jenrick told the Commons yesterday the government was now considering housing migrants at at Catterick Garrison in Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s constituency.

Ex-military bases in Essex, Lincolnshire and East Sussex are also being assessed for suitability as part of plans to cut down on hotel use.

Former Home Secretary Priti Patel, who was behind the Linton proposal, said the proposed Essex site “is no different in rurality and village size from a former site, Linton-on-Ouse”, adding:

“Why is it deemed appropriate for asylum seeker accommodation for single men to be placed in a rural village in Essex, where there is no infrastructure and no amenities, when it was not appropriate for somewhere like Linton-on-Ouse?”

In response, Mr Jenrick said:

“We do not have a current plan to proceed with the Linton-on-Ouse proposition, but the sites I have announced today are just the first set that we would like to take forward, because we want to remove people from hotels as quickly as possible and move to this more rudimentary form of accommodation, which will reduce pull factors to the UK and defend the interests of the taxpayer.

Labour shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper described the announcement as “an admission of failure” on asylum policy.

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Railway lines

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