Housing plan ‘would harm local economy’

PLANS for a major new housing development between two villages look set to be rejected over fears they may harm the economic development of the East Riding.

St Modwen Developments Ltd is seeking outline planning permission to build up to 510 homes, a 50-bed care home, 20 sheltered apartments and 16 dormer bungalows for the elderly at Melton Park, between Melton and North Ferriby.

But the proposals have been met with strong opposition from residents, local schools, councils and others.

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The properties would be built on three parcels of land covering nearly 38 hectares to the south of the A63, but a report recommends the scheme is turned down as the land has been set aside for employment use.

The area has a housing shortage, particularly of “affordable homes” and one and two-bedroom properties, but the proposed site is not deemed suitable for residential development.

Hull Council, Welton and North Ferriby parish councils, and North Ferriby Primary School are among the objectors, while South Hunsley secondary school says it would need at least £1.32m from the developers to increase capacity to cope with the expected number of new students it would have to cater for.

There have also been 291 individual letters or emails raising a variety of concerns over the project, and a further 960 letters of objection have been delivered by the Save Our Ferriby Action Group.

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The latter fears North Ferriby “will cease to exist as a village” if the scheme goes ahead.

The report, by Alan Menzies, East Riding Council’s director of planning and economic regeneration, concludes: “To replace some 35 hectares of an important strategic employment site on the east-west multi-modal corridor with residential dwellings would seriously undermine the competitiveness and economic growth of the East Riding.”

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