Spofforth villagers have no say on housing development - Yorkshire Post Letters
From: Nigel Moore, Spofforth.
A DEVELOPER and a housing association want to build an urban, low-cost, social-housing estate and have targeted our historic village of Spofforth.
The plan is to increase the population of the village by up to 25 per cent without providing extra health, education or other services, and there is little employment available locally.
We understand outline approval was obtained after the councillors were misadvised about land supply, and the reserved matters application should have been deemed invalid as it was a different proposal.
Our MP submitted comments in support of our objections. The councillors at Harrogate refused the application on behalf of local residents, and the wider community. The refusal was a victory for democracy and a great relief to us all.
However, following an appeal, an unelected government-appointed inspector has now decided that our community and our elected representatives are all wrong, that the development should proceed, and we, the people, have no say!