Planners back low-cost homes despite opposition by villagers

Controversial plans to build new homes within a village conservation area have been backed by council officers.

Skipton Properties wants to build 20 homes, which would be rented through a registered social landlord, on pasture land south west of Acre Road at Cowling.

But the plans have come under fire from Cowling Parish Council which objects to houses on the site. It says the development would adversely impact on the conservation area and that in a public meeting in 2009, 100 per cent of residents did not want housing on the site, which is in open countryside.

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The parish council also says there are empty homes in the village and the district council should ensure these are brought back into use.

Craven Council has received 12 letters from people objecting to the development, which would also include an area of public open space.

The homes would form a continuation of a recently built housing development and would be detached, semi-detached, and terraces of two storey dwellings, bungalows, and two-storey flats.

Critics feel there is "no demonstrable need" for additional housing, affordable or not, and fear the development will lead to a rise in traffic on an "already busy" road.

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A report to be considered by Craven Council's Planning Committee on Monday says: "Comments have also been submitted about the lack of facilities in the village; that a hill top site is unsuited to the elderly, that the local school cannot accommodate any additional children, the bus service is poor and that there are few employment opportunities in the village."

It says Strategic Housing has agreed with the registered social landlord that the development should be split into six three-bed houses, three two-bed houses, six two-bed flats and five two-bed bungalows.

Alan Perrow, chair of Cowling Parish Council, said: "According to the developer's own survey people don't want flats but 30 per cent of these are going to be flats.

"According to the developer's own survey only 8.3 per cent want three-bedroom houses. That equates to five three-bedroom houses in a five-year period - of which four have already been built on an adjacent site.

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"That means that only one is required in the next five-year period according to their own survey.

"Yet they are proposing to build six.

"Over 50 per cent of the houses proposed are not wanted by the people of Cowling.

"Skipton Properties say it is similar in density to adjoining areas. It's not.

"The two adjoining areas are 32 and 32.5 houses to the hectare. This proposed development is 45.5 houses to the hectare, which is nearly a 50 per cent increase."

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However Craven Council officers have advised committee members to approve the plans.

The report says: "The scheme is considered to be acceptable in all respects with the exception of the impact on the character and appearance of the conservation area and open countryside.

"The impact on the conservation area and open countryside is less than the scheme previously dismissed on appeal, but is not considered to overcome all concerns raised by the Planning Inspector.

"In reaching a final decision on this application there are however other material considerations that need to be taken into account. In particular, the application proposes 20 affordable dwellings to be delivered through a registered social landlord.

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"Strategic Housing is able to demonstrate a significant need for affordable housing provision in the parish and has also commented that only four affordable homes have been provided in the ward since 2005.

"On balance, it considered that the opportunity to provide this affordable housing within the ward should be taken and therefore it is recommended that the application should be approved."