Bid to preserve character of historic village

The new document has been drawn up for Settrington, near Malton, and has identified a need to preserve the character of the village while also ensuring new development is able to take place.

The Village Design Statement has been published by members of Settrington Parish Council who set out more than 10 years ago to pull together the raft of new policies.

The statement aims to identify the characteristics and features of Settrington that are important ranging from natural landscapes to roads and buildings.

It also suggests a range of design considerations to ensure new development and land management practises protect and enhance the village.

The chairman of Settrington Parish Council, John Harrison, said: “The Village Design Statement should be helpful to residents and an important introduction to newcomers.

“Taken as a whole, Settrington is one of the really fine villages in the area which cry out for a policy of protection to retain their beauty, not only for the present inhabitants but also in the future.”

Parish councillors are keen that the Settrington Village Design Statement is adopted as a Supplementary Planning Document (SPD). This would mean it is taken into account by Ryedale District Council when determining planning applications in the village.

Members of the parish council will also use the document to form a basis for their response to any future planning applications.

In order to be considered for adoption as an SPD, the Village Design Statement needs to meet certain procedural and legal requirements, and Ryedale District Council has launched a consultation on the proposed document.

Comments can be emailed or posted to the district council before a deadline of January 9.