Plan for new homes in Helmsley unveiled

The blueprint for development in Helmsley includes proposals to earmark six areas of land in the town for new housing.

The Helmsley Plan includes a target that four in every ten new homes will be affordable housing after research showed typical deposits for houses in the town were more than three times the average local household income.

All the affordable housing will be restricted to people from Helmsley and adjacent parishes.

Ryedale Council and the North York Moors National Park Authority have drawn up the plan to guide development between now and 2027.

It was published yesterday following consultation with a range of organisations including Helmsley Town Council.

Chris Parkin, chairman of Helmsley Town Council, said: “We are talking over a period of 15 years probably 10 houses a year although it won’t happen quite like that.

“We are going to have development take place, we have to look at supply and demand and reach an accommodation.

“It is never going to have satisfy everyone but at the end of the day we have to do what we are doing and do it in the most advantageous way for the town.”

Coun Parkin welcomed the decision to include Elmslac Road, an area of award-winning social housing from the 1950s, included in the town’s conservation area.

Land off Elmslac Road is among the areas identified as suitable for future housing as well as areas close to Swanland Road and Riccall Drive.

In addition to conventional housing, the Helmsley Plan suggests the town will need 60 so-called “extra care” homes which are designed to meet the needs of over 55s.

It also includes proposals to make close to two hectares of land available for business use to the south and east of Riccall Drive.

Caroline Skelly, planning policy officer at the North York Moors National Park Authority, said: “I would like to thank everyone who took the time to give their views last summer and assure people that these comments have been carefully considered in the final version of the Helmsley Plan.

“The proposals set out in the plan will enable Helmsley to continue as a thriving market town and community.

“It will allow the town to grow to meet local housing and employment needs but without harming its distinctive character.”

The plan describes Helmsley’s centre as an “essential part of the town’s economy and community” and says new shops should be encouraged to locate in the centre.

Planners will resist any attempt to stop properties in Bridge Street, Borogate, Church Street and Market Place from being used as shops.

And new development will be expected to “respect the views, vistas and skylines that are influenced by the town’s key historic buildings”, the draft Helmsley Plan says.

Local plans are considered to be a crucial part of the planning process. Areas which do not have a local plan or have one that is considered to be unrealistic are more likely to have their planning decisions challenged by developers.

The public now has six weeks to make any further comments on the plan with the two authorities setting a deadline of 4.30pm on March 7.

The full Helmsley Plan can be found at www.northyorkmoors.org.uk. It can also be viewed at: the National Park Authority’s Helmsley office; The Moors National Park Centre, Danby; Sutton Bank National Park Centre; Ryedale District Council’s office in Malton; and Helmsley Library.