Flaxby Park appeals decision to refuse 350 ‘eco lodges’ near A1

The owners of the former Flaxby Park Golf Club have appealed a decision by Harrogate Borough Council to refuse its plans for 350 ‘eco lodges’ and a hotel on the site.

The borough council turned down the proposal in March on the grounds that it would cause an “unacceptable” impact on the environment. The site is close to junction 47 on the A1(M).

Now, Flaxby Park Ltd has taken the decision to the government’s Planning Inspectorate – the body which deals with planning disputes.

In documents submitted to the inspectorate, planning consultants Lichfields, which has lodged the appeal on behalf of the developer, said the reasons for refusal were “unfounded”.

It said:

“The appellant will show that the council’s reasons for refusal are unfounded and that there are no technical issues arising from the proposed development, which cannot be addressed by appropriately worded conditions or Section 106 planning obligations.

“The appellant will therefore submit that planning permission should be granted for the development proposed by the appeal without delay.”

The proposal includes plans for 350 holiday lodges along with a hotel, outdoor swimming pool, spa and sports area as well as a pub/cafe, farm shop, gift shop and activity hub.

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The scheme would be built on the former Flaxby golf course, which has been closed since 2014, off the A59 York Road.

In March, council planning officer Kate Broadbank said the development would have a negative impact on the district’s natural environment as well as harming views from the nearby Temple of Victory, which is Grade II* listed.

Ms Broadbank wrote:

“The scale and layout are considered to have an unacceptable adverse impact upon the district’s natural and historic environment.

“In addition, the application site is not considered to be accessible to local services nor is it demonstrated that an acceptable connection to public utilities can be achieved.”

An aerial computer generated image of the proposal. The A1 (M) is to the east and the A59 is to the south.

An aerial computer generated image of the proposal. The A1 (M) is to the east and the A59 is to the south.

A government planning inspector will make a decision on the appeal at a later date.

History of the site

In 2008 The Skelwith Group bought the site from farming family the Armstrongs for £7m. It published plans for a 300-bedroom five-star hotel on the site that it touted as the future “jewel in Yorkshire’s tourism crown”.

But the plans never materialised and in 2016 the company went out of business.

Flaxby Park Ltd, a company made up of businesswoman Ann Gloag and regeneration specialists Chris Musgrave and Trevor Cartner, bought the 260-acre golf course site from administrators in 2016.

Its original proposal for the site was to build 2,750 homes and a rail link at Goldsborough. But these plans ended after the council chose the Cattal and Green Hammerton area as the site for a new settlement in the district instead.

In October 2020, the developer challenged the council’s decision in the High Court but was unable to overturn it.

Government rejects Harrogate working men’s club flats plan

The government has rejected plans to convert a former Harrogate working men’s club into flats.

The National Reserve Club, on East Parade, formally closed in July 2021 following a unanimous resolution by members. It was also known as ‘The Nash’.

The organisation had been registered as a working men’s club since July 11, 1913, when it was known as the Harrogate Battalion National Reserve of the West Riding of York Club.

ID Planning, which submitted a plan to convert the club into flats on behalf of Ashleigh and Caroline Wells, took Harrogate Borough Council to appeal after it refused its conversion plan in May this year.

The council said there was insufficient evidence that the building could no longer be used as a community facility.

But the developer said in a statement to the government that the reasons for rejection were “unfounded”.

It said:

“Based on the assessment provided, it is considered that the reasons for refusal of the planning application given by Harrogate Borough Council are unfounded and the proposed development accords with all relevant local and national planning policy.”

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Robert Walker, a government planning inspector, said in a decision notice that he could not conclude that continued use of the site as a community facility would cause “planning problems”.

He said:

“I recognise that there are residential properties nearby, including flats in the appeal building.

“However, the appeal site is located close to the town centre in a mixed area on a busy street. It is not in a quiet residential area. 

“Such a location and relationship to upper floor flats or other nearby residential properties is not unusual. 

“Moreover, the former working men’s club operated on the site for a considerable number of years and no substantive evidence has been provided of problems from its past use.”

Mr Walker added that there had not been “sufficient evidence provided to justify the permanent loss of the existing community facility”.

Government rejects plan for new townhouses in Ripon

The government has rejected plans to build new townhouses and apartments in Ripon city centre.

Spinksburn Ltd had tabled a plan in November 2019 to build four apartments and four townhouses on land off North Street in the city.

The site, which used to be retail units, was demolished to make way for Marshall Way and has remained undeveloped since.

The work include the partial removal of buttress on a Grade-II listed building to join the two buildings.

However, the developer lodged an appeal in August 2021 to the government’s Planning Inspectorate after Harrogate Borough Council had failed to make a decision on the proposal two years later.

In a letter written by the developer’s lawyer said:

“Our client has therefore instructed us to submit the appeals for non-determination because the council does not appear to have the resources to be able to determine the applications and there appears to be no end in sight.

“My client is extremely concerned that determination of the applications is being allowed to drift and there are no means by which to secure the determination of the applications besides the appeal process if the council does not have the necessary resources.”

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However, Fiona Cullen, the planning inspector who oversaw the appeal, has decided to reject the proposal.

In a decision notice, Ms Cullen said she was “unable not conclude” that the proposal “would preserve the special interest of the listed building”.

She said:

“I am mindful of the key role played by the delivery of housing in achieving sustainable development and recognise the Government’s objectives to boost the housing supply and grow the economy. I also note the framework’s support for housing and the efficient use of land.

“However, the framework is clear in stating that heritage assets are an irreplaceable resource, and should be conserved in a manner appropriate to their significance, so that they can be enjoyed for their contribution to the quality of life of existing and future generations.”

Ms Cullen added:

“Whilst there are considerations that weigh in favour of the proposal, in my judgement, they are not sufficient to outweigh the harm I have found.”