Huge boost planned for Malton area (From Gazette & Herald)

Huge boost planned for Malton area

MULTI-MILLION pound plans have been revealed to give Malton and Norton's economy, social and community life the biggest investment since their beginnings in Roman times.

Consultants brought in by four key organisations - Ryedale District Council, Yorkshire Forward, Malton and Norton Area Partnership and Ryedale Local Strategic Partnership - have produced a catalogue of potential schemes which will transform the way of life in the towns. The projects include:

Building start-up premises for new businesses

Relocate Malton livestock market and devise a mixed use development in its place

Create a community woodland for leisure and tourism use at the Castle site

Residential development at the Sheepfoot Hill

Improvements to Commercial Street, Norton and traffic and transport arrangements in both towns

Increasing capacity and activities of Derwent Training College

Residential, office, restaurant and bar on the site at the rear of Travis Perkins

Amelio Consulting Ltd, which has produced the draft document which the four organisations are being asked to sign up to, says there are several priorities in its vision particularly "the provision of a varied range of sites to encourage and promote economic and industrial growth, well designed and landscaped sites, able to take advantage of the growth opportunities emerging from York".

The company says providing quality, purpose-built, high-tech incubator units will provide new employment.

Sites are needed for housing including affordable homes, and for modern, attractive shops, social and recreational facilities. The aspirations in the vision, which has been labelled the Initial Business Plan (IBP), say: "Malton and Norton have a vision of growing and developing as a dynamic, self-generating, sustainable community. The towns will provide a diverse range of high quality and modern cultural, leisure and community services and facilities that will stimulate and enrich the lives of local people and inspire visitors.''

It adds that bringing the reality to fruition will need a step-change of growth in terms of employment, housing and economic activity. A total of 23 short, medium and long term projects have been listed in the plan.

The IBP is jointly owned by the four organisations, says Amelio. "This means that by signing up to the principles in it, the parties intend to work to together to achieve it.

Improvements to the A64 junctions on the A64 approaches to both towns should be a high priority to rid them of HGVs.

The Woolgrowers site has the potential for a mixed development of homes, light industry, offices, travel interchange and sport facilities including the building of a new access link from York Road to the site.

Completion of feasibility work is the next key step, says Amelio, after which funding issues can be tackled and the projects taken forward. Much of the development will be led in partnerships between private enterprise, Yorkshire Forward and Ryedale District Council.

Upgrading the Malton bypass links with the towns is likely to cost some £2.5 million while site remediation for contamination and demolition at Sheepfoot Hill could cost between £350,000 and £500,000.

A road-rail corridor link for the Woolgrowers site is estimated to cost £5.5 million to £7 million say the consultations, who add that on all the sites earmarked for development, flood alleviation work will account for 10-15 per cent of the development costs.

Roddy Bushell, manager of the Fitzwilliam Estate, Malton's biggest property owner, welcomed the ambitious blueprint.

"It is good to see a positive agenda for Malton and Norton and it's excellent news that the future of the towns is being considered in detail by Ryedale District Council, Yorkshire Forward and the Area Partnership.

"We all need a map to reach our preferred destination. This plan can be Malton and Norton's route map. Malton may have suffered from a lack of direction over the last 30 years and now we have a clear destination set out before us.

"The plan raises some critical issues for the towns in terms of retail, housing need, and transportation.

''I would argue that the traffic improvements need to be carried out early to resolve problems. But I welcome the understanding and ambition shown by RDC that the Malton needs to grow if it is to survive and prosper and serve its community."

Updated: 15:08 Wednesday, February 09, 2005