Plans have been approved for 195 homes in Boroughbridge — despite the local councillor saying the town had taken an "absolute hammering" from new housing in recent years.
Members of North Yorkshire Council’s Harrogate and Knaresborough area planning committee yesterday (Tuesday) unanimously backed a proposed development for land south of Chapel Hill.
The application is part of a wider housing development on land known as Stump Cross, which was previously the site of a poultry farm.
A first phase for 256 homes was approved in 2022.
Planning officers had recommended that the latest application also be granted planning permission, despite concerns raised by Boroughbridge Town Council.
It said there are no green spaces on the second phase of the development and that the town’s infrastructure could not support the amount of new homes proposed.
The council also received 13 objections from local residents.
But Boroughbridge division councillor Robert Windass, a member of the planning committee, backed the plans.
He said:
“Boroughbridge and the surrounding district has taken an absolute hammering with new homes, some of which have been in the (local) plan, many of which have not.
“There has been some disquiet about it in Boroughbridge, but at the end of the day it is a site that needs to be worked on — it needs to be built out now.”
The councillor urged the developer to please local residents by ensuring a road in Chapel Hill, which had sunk as part of the first phase of the scheme and made his van rattle when he went fishing, was repaired.
But he added:
“I’m well in favour of the application and I propose that we accept the officer recommendation.”
Councillor Paul Haslam welcomed the inclusion of an edible garden in the plans, which he described as a “marvellous idea”.
The councillor also welcomed the addition of an attenuation scheme to deal with waste water that would separate foul water from surface water.
Councillor John Mann said:
“I think it’s a well-designed scheme. I think there’s good gaps and spaces between the dwellings, which is nice.
“I like the landscaping. A lot of thought has been given to that.
“I like in particular the trim trail which I think is a super idea. It’s a very good public health facility for local residents.”
Councillor Matt Walker also supported the scheme.
He called for the developer’s contribution of more than £1m towards local education provision to be made as soon as possible.
The scheme will include 78 affordable dwellings, including one, two, three and four-bedroom houses.
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