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Controversial 200-home Pannal Ash scheme approved

Harrogate Borough Council‘s planning committee has voted to approve Homes England‘s plan to build 200 homes on the site of the former police training centre in Harrogate.

Councillors debated the application for almost three hours today with discussion focused on traffic congestion and the loss of a football pitch on the site.

Seven voted in favour, three against and John Mann, whose Harrogate Pannal ward would be affected by the scheme, abstained.

Homes England, which is the government housing agency, had permission to build 161 homes on the Yew Tree Lane site but wanted to increase this by 23% to 200 homes by building on the pitch.

The planning committee voted in June against a recommendation to approve the application.

Instead it deferred the scheme pending publication of the West of Harrogate Parameters Plan, which will assess transport and infrastructure needs associated with wider plans to build up to 4,000 homes on the western side of Harrogate.

Councillors were told a draft version of the parameters plan would not be published until February 2022.

However, this time they decided to approve the housing scheme, with a representative of Homes England suggesting it would consider legal action if the application was deferred again.

More to follow on this story

‘No justification’ to delay building 200 homes in Pannal Ash

Harrogate Borough Council officers have said a decision to delay a controversial proposal to build 200 homes on a former police training centre site in Pannal Ash was “not justified”.

The council’s planning committee deferred a decision in June on whether to approve the development on the Yew Tree Lane site, pending publication of the West of Harrogate Parameters Plan.

The parameters plan will assess transport and infrastructure needs associated with wider plans to build up to 4,000 homes on the western side of Harrogate.

As reported by the Stray Ferret, the decision to defer was met with frustration by Homes England which told the council in an email it was “extremely disappointing”.

Now council officials have told councillors that the decision had “no policy basis” and urged them to approve the scheme next week.

In a report due before the council’s planning committee next week, they say the parameters plan will not “replace or alter any of the policy requirements set out within the Harrogate District Local Plan 2014-35”.

It adds that the Local Plan, which describes where development is permitted to take place in the district, is the “starting point” for determining any application submitted to the council.

The report says:

“As noted above there is no policy basis for deferring the determination of this application until the West of Harrogate Parameters Plan is concluded.

“There is no reason to delay the determination of this application pending completion of the West of Harrogate Parameters Plan.”

The report goes on to say that the development would make “a valuable contribution to meeting the district’s housing need”.

It recommends councillors approve the proposal at the planning committee meeting on December 7.

Homes England, the government housing agency, has permission to build 161 homes on the site on Yew Tree Lane but wants to increase this by 23% to 200 homes by building on a sports pitch.

Indicative masterplan of the homes on the former police training centre, as included in the planning documents.

The proposal has proved controversial with Harlow and Pannal Ash Residents Association, which said its faith in the planing system was being “severely tested” by the development.

A spokesperson for HAPARA said:

“HAPARA and the Western Arc Coordination Group will discuss our response very shortly, but the last time this went before committee we argued very strongly that any decision on this site before the parameters plan is agreed will jeopardise the objective of a joined-up approach to the developments and infrastructure on the west side of Harrogate and be contrary to the statements and assurances the community have been given by Harrogate Borough Council.

“Members agreed with this view. The new officer’s report is based on a very narrow interpretation of the requirements of the Local Plan which was predicated on the earlier permission for 161 dwellings. The current application is materially different in scale and content.”

Homes England has already appointed property company, Countryside Properties, to build the scheme as part of a £63 million contract.

The contract was awarded in March this year and runs until December 2026.

Homes England ‘frustrated’ by delays to 200-home scheme at Police Training Centre

Homes England has expressed frustration at Harrogate councillors for stalling its bid to build 200 homes at the former Police Training Centre.

The government housing agency has permission to build 161 homes on the site on Yew Tree Lane but wants to increase this by 23% to 200 homes by building on a sports pitch.

Harrogate Borough Council’s planning committee voted in June against a recommendation to approve the application.

The plan was expected last year but has been delayed.

In an email dated June 18 to Harrogate Borough Council, which the Stray Ferret obtained through a freedom of information request, Homes England described the planning committee’s decision as “extremely disappointing”.

It said it was made due to councillors’ “misconceptions” about the role of Homes England.

The email claims these misconceptions were because council officers did not properly brief the councillors who voted on the scheme about what the housing agency does.

It also warned it was considering taking legal action against the council over the decision.

Councillors influenced by ‘misconceptions’

In the email to the council, Homes England stressed its importance in buying stalled sites that have been “subject to market failure” and helping the council meet government housing targets.

The email said Homes England had approached the council about briefing councillors themselves on the role of the housing agency but said this offer was rejected. It says this led to “misconceptions” that influenced councillors’ decision-making.

“Concerns in respect of the Agency’s role in ‘accelerating housing delivery’ are particularly frustrating and in our view could have been satisfactorily addressed at an early stage of the process via stakeholder consultation or a briefing to members from Homes England.

“This approach was suggested to HBC at various stages, but we were advised against direct engagement with members and our understanding was that officers would manage this process on our behalf. It is therefore frustrating that HBC have not addressed these fundamental questions in their role of briefing members on the application.”

Homes England also disputed that the Police Training Centre site should form part of the parameters plan.

“Homes England does not consider any policy basis exists to delay determination of the application until the completion of the WHPP. The WHPP does not form part of the development plan, and has not been consulted upon and is not sufficiently advanced to form a material consideration to any application at this time.

“The Police Training Centre is an allocated site with an extant consent and we were surprised to be in a position whereby the application has been deferred pending the approval of the WHPP, which is likely to take a number of months to complete.

“We’d be grateful if HBC can provide a response setting out their proposed strategy for successful navigating this application through planning committee as soon as possible. In the meantime, we are seeking legal advice regarding our planning strategy, including the merits of an Appeal against Non-Determination.”

What happens next?

The site from above is highlighted in red.

The email to HBC says Homes England has appointed Countryside Properties Ltd to build the homes pending a successful planning application.

A Homes England spokesperson told the Stray Ferret:

“Homes England continues to engage with Harrogate Borough Council, North Yorkshire County Council and local resident groups regarding its outline planning application at the Police Training Centre, which is part of the borough council’s adopted Local Plan.”

A Harlow & Pannal Ash Residents’ Association (HAPARA) spokesperson said the council’s planning committee made the correct decision in deferring the application, pending the publication of the parameters plan.

“Harrogate Borough Council has confirmed during engagement sessions that the geographical extent of the West of Harrogate Parameters Plan does include this site.

“Homes England is taking a deliberately narrow view of the planning framework when it is clear that the public interest is best served by the wider implications for the western arc area being considered, through the West of Harrogate Parameters Plan.”

A Harrogate Borough Council spokesperson said:

“The delivery of new homes and communities is a key corporate priority for us, and we work very closely with Homes England, and other partners, to deliver our housing delivery action plan.

“Councillors receive regular training sessions on all aspects of our housing delivery and strategic sites work to ensure we can all support this plan.”

Housebuilder awarded £63m contract to build 200 homes in Pannal Ash

A property company has been awarded a £63 million contract to build 200 homes on the site of the former police training centre in Harrogate.

Homes England, the government’s housing agency which bought the site in February, has handed the contract to Countryside Properties.

The controversial plans to build homes on the site off Yew Tree Lane have been delayed after Harrogate councillors deferred the proposals until concerns about traffic and infrastructure in the west of Harrogate were addressed.

Countryside Properties, which has offices in Leeds, will be paid £63,814,699 to construct the scheme if it is given the go-ahead. The contract was awarded in March this year and runs until December 2026.

Chris Penn, managing director of partnerships in Yorkshire at Countryside Properties, said:

“Since establishing our presence in Yorkshire in 2019, we have delivered a number of developments across the region that fulfil our ambition to create beautiful homes that collectively form new and sustainable communities.

“This is a vision we share with Homes England and we are delighted to have exchanged contracts for the redevelopment of the site at Yew Tree Lane in Harrogate.

“We look forward to progressing the scheme with Homes England to accommodate the local need for high quality and efficient new homes.”

200 homes plans delayed

Homes England already has permission for 161 homes on the site, but has seen efforts to increase the number halted by councillors.

The latest proposal, which would have seen the number of homes on the site increased by 23 per cent to 200, was deferred by Harrogate Borough Council’s planning committee in June.

Councillors said they wanted to see the publication of the council’s parameters plan, which will assess transport and infrastructure needs associated with wider plans to build up to 4,000 homes on the western side of Harrogate, before making a decision.

The parameters plan was expected last year but has been delayed and councillors heard it could take years to be finalised.

The development has proved controversial with residents in the area, particularly as it could see the loss of sports pitches.

Nick Viles, chairman of Pannal Sports Junior Football Club told the meeting in June he had “serious concerns about the loss of pitches for community use”, which he said went against the ethos of the club.

But Homes England’s planning consultant said the application was compliant with the Harrogate District Local Plan 2014-2035, which sets out the district’s planning strategy until 2035, and that section 106 infrastructure payments by the developer would fund ‘much needed sports facilities’ elsewhere.

The consultant added it was a “viable and deliverable scheme” which, if approved, would begin next year.

The council is expected to make a decision on the plan at a later date.

Controversial plans for 200 homes in Pannal Ash halted indefinitely

A decision on whether to allow controversial plans to build 200 homes in Pannal Ash has been deferred.

Harrogate Borough Council‘s planning committee yesterday voted against a recommendation to approve the development on the site of the former police training centre on Yew Tree Lane.

Homes England, the government housing agency, already has permission to build 161 homes on the site.

But it now wants to increase this by 23 per cent to 200 homes by building on a sports pitch.

Councillors voted by four votes to two against the recommendation to approve the scheme, with one abstention.

They then voted by four to three in favour of deferring a decision pending the creation of the council’s parameters plan, which will assess transport and infrastructure needs associated with wider plans to build up to 4,000 homes on the western side of Harrogate.

The parameters plan was expected last year but has been delayed and councillors heard it could take years to be finalised.

John Mann, chair of the planning committee, said he agreed with the principle of planning on the site but the uplift in houses and the loss of sports facilities meant the application was now “too dense”. He added:

“It is not a good idea to remove children’s playing fields especially as we hear reports that many young people have been badly affected by being cooped up during lockdown.

“Perhaps the last thing we need at the moment is the removal of outdoor space for them to play in.

A statement read on behalf of Pannal and Burn Bridge Parish Council said the parameters plans was essential before making a decision. It added:

“To date there is no information on any infrastructure to cater for the 4,000 houses to be built on western arc of Harrogate

“Our request is for deferment until everyone knows what the parameters plan reveals.”

Nick Viles, chairman of Pannal Sports Junior Football Club said it had “serious concerns about the loss of pitches for community use”, which he said went against the ethos of the club.

But Homes England’s planning consultant said the application was compliant with Local Plan policy and, through section 106 infrastructure payments, would invest in ‘much needed sports facilities’ elsewhere.

He added it was a “viable and deliverable scheme” which, if approved, would begin next year.

But the final vote means the future of the development is now uncertain.

Harlow and Pannal Ash Residents Association tweeted after the meeting:

“We now hope this will accelerate the development of the parameters plan to allow for considered consideration of suitable infrastructure needed.”

Pannal Ash residents’ faith in planning process ‘severely tested’ by rush to approve 200 homes

A residents group has said its faith in the planning system is being “severely tested” over the rush to approve a controversial 200-home development at the former Police Training Centre in Pannal Ash.

An HBC report recommends councillors approve the application on Yew Tree Lane by Homes England at next week’s planning committee.

It was due to be considered last month but was withdrawn from the agenda at short notice.

The withdrawal came after Harlow & Pannal Ash Residents Association said it had received both written and verbal assurances by Harrogate Borough Council officers the application would not be decided until a document known as the West of Harrogate Parameters Plan is agreed.

The parameters plan will assess transport and infrastructure needs associated with plans to build up to 4,000 homes on the western side of Harrogate. It was expected last year but has been delayed.

A HAPARA spokesman said:

“Although the council accept that the parameters plan is a ‘material consideration’ in this application, no definitive plan exists at this time so it is illogical, let alone bad faith, to bring this matter to a decision at this time.

“We cannot understand the rush to judgement on this application, considering the time normally taken for decisions on major developments. Our confidence in the council’s consultation process and indeed the Local Plan process itself, is being severely tested.

“We are writing to all members of the planning committee to urge them to defer the item to a later committee.”

Several residents who objected to the plans were not told about last month’s planning meeting and nobody from the group was invited to speak against the plans.

The council admitted it had made an error and withdrew the item on the agenda.

The Police Training Centre site is earmarked for 161 homes in the council’s Local Plan, which outlines planning in the Harrogate district until 2035. It is called H36. The current application is for 200 homes.

A council spokesman said:

“Although there is no policy requirement for site H36 to prepare the WHPP or wait for its completion, the site is located within the geographical area of the WHPP. As such, work undertaken to date – including discussions with infrastructure providers – is a material consideration in the assessment of this new application on H36.

“Accordingly, the applicants have included provision of a segregated cycleway to link up with other west Harrogate sites and will be making transport improvements/contributions that take into consideration the impact of all of the sites within the west Harrogate area.

“Site H36 is a brownfield site with an extant permission (14/02970/FULMAJ) for 161 new homes and forms part of the council’s housing land supply position. Homes England acquired the site because it had stalled and they are seeking to unlock it as part of their housing delivery role.

“The current application has been with the council since June 2020 and full public consultation has been undertaken, with responses considered as part of the planning application process.

“Our position on the determination of the current application for site H36, in the context of the WHPP, has been explained directly to HAPARA and is set out within the report to members of the planning committee”.

Decision on 200 homes in Pannal Ash delayed after protests

Harrogate Borough Council has postponed making a decision on controversial plans to build 200 homes on a former police training centre site.

The council’s planning committee was tomorrow due to hear the proposal for the site on Yew Tree Lane in Pannal Ash.

However, Harlow & Pannal Ash Residents Association called for the application to be moved after it said several people who objected to the plans were not told about the meeting and that nobody from the group had been invited to speak against the plans.

The council today admitted it had made an error and withdrew the item on the agenda.

It now intends to make a decision on June 3.

HAPARA welcomed the delay but said said no decision should be taken until a parameters plan for the western side of Harrogate is agreed.

A total of 4,000 homes are due to be built on the western side of town, including those at the former police training centre.

The parameters plan, which the council is developing, assesses transport and infrastructure needs associated with the housebuilding. It was expected last year but has been delayed.

The spokesperson for HAPARA said it had received assurances from the council that no new developments would be considered in the area until the plan had been agreed

The spokesperson said:

“Whilst we welcome the postponement from the planning meeting tomorrow we are very concerned that the revised date has been suggested of June 3.

“Although this will give groups opportunity to review the latest reports it is unlikely that the area parameters plan will have been approved by the council.

“It has been agreed by all parties that this parameters plan is a key and critical document needed before any major new developments are considered in the area. As such this application must be delayed whilst infrastructure and other facilities/ amenities in the western arc arc of Harrogate are finalised. Without this we will continue with further piecemeal planning decisions.”

The council told the Local Democracy Reporting Service there had been an “administrative error”.

It said in a statement:

“We would like to thank the people who made us aware of the issue. The opportunity for people to speak at planning committee meetings is an important part of the democratic process.

“The item will now be considered on June 3, which should give everyone interested in the application time to put their views to the committee.”

Residents bid to halt decision on 200 homes in Pannal Ash

A residents’ group has called on Harrogate Borough Council to postpone a decision on a controversial 200-home development just hours before a decision is due.

The council’s planning committee is scheduled to consider tomorrow the redevelopment at the former police training centre in Pannal Ash.

A report to councillors recommends deferring and approving the plans subject to conditions and a section 106 agreement, which covers the infrastructure costs of developments.

However, Harlow & Pannal Ash Residents Association claims several people who objected to the plans were not told about tomorrow’s planning meeting and that nobody from the group has been invited to speak against the plans.

A spokesperson for HAPARA told the Stray Ferret there has been a “severe breakdown” in the planning process and called on the council to postpone a decision to give them more time to prepare.

They said:

“It is clear there has been a severe breakdown in the planning process with seemingly a number of those raising concerns not being invited to speak or being made aware that this application was even on the agenda. This is clear breach of the council’s standing orders.

“We note that the council’s own ecology report was submitted at the last minute that also raised questions on the net loss of ecology regarding this application. This needs further scrutiny.

“We’ve requested urgent confirmation from the council as to what may have gone wrong here and seeking assurance such an omission will not be repeated.

“In this case we feel that the council has no option but to postpone and defer this application to a future meeting so we can review documents as per the normal process and prepare properly for the planning committee.”

Harrogate Borough Council previously approved plans to build 161 homes on the Yew Tree Lane site in 2018.

But a new proposal, submitted in November by Homes England, aims to increase the number of homes to 200 despite concerns about “unjustifiable planning creep” and the removal of a football pitch in order to build more homes.

Parameters Plan

The former police training centre is on Yew Tree Lane.

Following a recommendation from the government’s planning inspector, the council is currently developing a parameters plan for the western side of Harrogate, where 4,000 more homes are mooted including at the police training centre.

The plan will look at transport and infrastructure needs for the area. It was expected last year but has been delayed.

The spokesperson for HAPARA said they received assurances from the council that no new developments would be considered in the area until the plan had been agreed.

They added:

“The parameters plan is still some way away so disappointing that this commitment has not been met without any consolation or discussion.”

The council did not respond to the Stray Ferret’s questions on the matter.

But its report to councillors ahead of tomorrow’s meeting says:

“The potential impact of the development (together with other developments around Harrogate) on local infrastructure and the surrounding road network has been fully considered and appropriate mitigation is proposed.

“The proposals are considered compliant with the overarching policies of the development plan and national requirements. The proposed development will make a valuable contribution to meeting the district’s housing need.”

200 homes in Pannal Ash set to be approved

A controversial 200-home development at the former police training centre in Pannal Ash looks set to be approved.

Harrogate Borough Council previously approved plans to build 161 homes on the Yew Tree Lane site in 2018.

But a new proposal, submitted in November, aims to increase the number of homes to 200 despite concerns about “unjustifiable planning creep”.

Homes England, a non-departmental public body that funds new affordable housing, submitted the latest plans.

The council’s planning committee will next week decide whether to accept the latest plans.

Housing plan is “planning creep”

The application has proved controversial because of the increase in the number of homes from 161 to 200 and the loss of playing fields.

Harlow and Pannal Ash Residents Association has described the plan as “yet another example of unjustifiable planning creep”.

The site boundary of the development on Yew Tree Lane.

A letter to the council from the Harrogate Civic Society said:

“The principle of development of this brownfield site for housing is acceptable. However, there are reasons why this application is not acceptable, either at 180 dwellings or even more so at 200 dwellings.

“There is no current need for a huge increase above housing provision figures in the Local Plan as allocations and commitments plus other housing proposals coming forward are more than sufficient.”

A report due before councillors next week recommends approving the development.

The report says the council recognises concern over the 24% uplift in houses proposed. However, it said this does not mean suitable housing “should be resisted” on brownfield sites.

It says:

“The council can currently demonstrate more than five years housing land supply, but this does not mean that additional housing can, or should be resisted on suitable non-green belt sites.”

Concerns have also been raised about the loss of three football pitches and a cricket pitch as part of the latest plan to build more homes.

However, Homes England has offered the council £595,000 in mitigation for the loss of the pitches in Pannal after discussions with Sport England.

The sum will be paid as a section 106 agreement, which developers pay to councils to mitigate the impact of their developments on the local community and infrastructure.

According to planning documents, Sport England and the Football Foundation said they consider it “unlikely” that the pitch would be actively used. Instead they advised Homes England to consider using the pitch for more housing.

Football club’s fury at plans to axe Harrogate sports pitch for housing

County councillor and Pannal Ash Junior Football Club president Cliff Trotter has described as “absolutely scandalous” plans to remove a football pitch from a housing development in Harrogate.

Government agency Homes England owns the former Police Training Centre on Yew Tree Lane.

It wants to scrap plans for a community football pitch and increase the number of homes on the site from 180 to 200.

The site currently has three football pitches and a disused cricket ground.

It was originally planned that one football pitch would be kept and used by local sports teams, and potentially adopted and managed by Harrogate Borough Council.

But according to planning documents, Sport England and the Football Foundation have said they consider it “unlikely” that the pitch would be actively used, instead advising Homes England to consider using the pitch for more housing.

‘Beggars belief’

Cllr Trotter formed Pannal Ash junior football club in 1978. It now has around 600 boys and girls involved with teams for ages 6 to16.

He told the Stray Ferret it “beggars belief” that the pitch will be removed, as the club is “desperately short” of quality surfaces to play on.

The club has a home at Almsford Playing Fields in Oatlands but the club’s large number of players means it also has to arrange matches elsewhere, such as on the Stray, which can get waterlogged during wet weather.

One club team has to travel as far as Green Hammerton, near York, to play home matches.

Cllr Trotter said:

“We’re desperate for more pitches with all the kids we have.”

Instead of retaining a pitch, Homes England has agreed to pay £595,000 to improve facilities at Pannal Sports Community Park, which opened last year on Leeds Road.

‘Limited opportunities’

However, Mike Orton, a coach for Pannal Ash Junior FC, said that ground is for a different club called Pannal Sports Junior FC, and there are limited opportunities for other clubs to play there.

He told the Stray Ferret that Pannal Ash Junior FC would have made good use of the pitch at the former police training centre and questioned why it is set to be turned into housing. He said:

“Everybody needs a good facility. If Pannal Sports has a great facility then everybody will want to play for them. The opportunity should be spread around all clubs.”

The Stray Ferret contacted Pannal Sports JFC for a response but had not received one by the time of publication.

A Homes England spokesperson said:

“As part of our plans for the development of the former Police Training Centre in Harrogate, Homes England is agreeing to provide funding for sporting facilities, which will form part of a section 106 agreement.

“We will continue to engage with statutory consultees and the local authority on these plans to identify where this funding can be used to meet the local need.”

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Councillors influenced by ‘misconceptions’

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What happens next?

200 homes plans delayed

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Parameters Plan

Housing plan is “planning creep”

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‘Beggars belief’

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‘Limited opportunities’