Villagers ‘will fight on’ after homes project is approved

New plans for the High Mill Farm development were approved at Scarborough Council’s planning committee last Thursday.

While members of the Scalby Village Trust have accepted that the project will go ahead, they have vowed to scrutinise all future proposals under the scheme in a bid to protect their village from an “unsightly” development.

Chairman of the trust Caroline Pindar said: “We are now trying to make the best of a sow’s ear. The site has got planning permission and now the village trust is trying to make sure that the community is not left with a stone around its neck.

“We are still going to put plans under scrutiny and we will be going through them with a fine tooth comb.”

Mrs Pindar said the trust was disappointed that the plans were passed, as members believed there were still questions to be answered before moving on to the next stage.

Councillors were unhappy with changes that had been made to the master plan following a public consultation, which included the alteration of the location of houses and industrial units and more open space.

However, last Thursday they agreed the problems, which mainly centred around access to the site, had been redressed and the amended plan was approved.

The chairman of Scarborough Council’s planning and development committee, Jane Mortimer, said: “They have altered the plans in line with what the village trust wanted which is a more open gateway of houses. Councillors weren’t happy with the access to the Cinder Yards and this has now been moved.

“They have listened to us and the concerns of the trust and the issues have been resolved to the committee’s satisfaction.”

Meanwhile, further upheavals in the village are set to take place over the next six weeks as Northern Gas Networks carries out gas works on Scalby Road and High Street.

Work to replace 815 yards of ageing metal pipe with plastic pipe started last week and temporary traffic lights will operate at various locations as the £84,000 project progresses.