‘Free for all’ fear on U-turn in Harrogate planning

COUNCILLORS in one of Yorkshire’s property hotspots are set to make a dramatic U-turn and withdraw a planning blueprint which has been years in the making after warnings that thousands more homes will be needed to cope with demand.
The Stray in central HarrogateThe Stray in central Harrogate
The Stray in central Harrogate

Members of Harrogate Borough Council last month queried the numbers of homes which a planning inspector claimed were needed in the district, and asked for more time to find extra employment land and voted to challenge the planning decision.

However, members are set to backtrack when they attend a meeting of the authority on Wednesday and vote to withdraw the Local Plan and begin putting together a new strategy.

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They will be told the inspector has indicated his concerns remain.

A council report has claimed that in the wake of the exchange of correspondence with the inspector, the withdrawal of the plan is the “inevitable conclusion”.

Inspector Phillip Ware had warned more than 4,500 extra homes could be needed in the spa town of Harrogate and surrounding district up to 2024. Along with nearly 4,000 already planned this could mean building over 8,500 homes across the district.

Opposition Liberal Democrats are calling for the ruling Conservative group to rethink its proposals for a new “eco” town or village which they say would deal with the bulk of the houses needed in the area.

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The council’s Liberal Democrat shadow member for finance and resources, Coun Helen Flynn, said she was concerned there would be a developers’ “free for all” in the three years it would take for a new plan to be drawn up.

She said: “Unfortunately, that’s another month lost from what now is the very urgent task of starting a new Plan – a process likely to last three years.

“In that period, there will likely be a developers’ ‘free for all’, and no effective local control of where people build and how many houses they put up.

“We are urging the Conservatives to have a change of heart about our proposal, and this time start listening to constructive ideas from us and local residents’ groups who give their opinions in good faith.”

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However, Coun Mike Chambers, the cabinet member for housing, said they need to reassess their options and avoid a knee-jerk response.

He said: “We need a sensible approach, a proper balance and to ensure we approach this in a sensible and pragmatic way to sort out some obvious difficulties with the fact that aspects of the plans have been found wanting by the Inspector.

“There will be obvious expectations in some quarters of a developer free for all; it’s important we maintain a proper perspective and judge each application on its merits.”