Councillors to visit site of rejected housing proposal (From Gazette & Herald)

Councillors to visit site of rejected housing proposal in Slingsby

10:01am Wednesday 31st October 2012 in News

A SITE in a Ryedale village where two previous attempts to build a house on it have been rejected is to be visited by members of Ryedale District Council’s planning committee after further arguments over the merits of a new application.

The proposal involves the demolition of an existing former commercial workshop and stables and the building of a three-bedroom house with parking and amenity areas on land adjacent to a cottage in Railway Street, Slingsby.

Chris Wilson, from the parish council, said the two previous applications and an appeal had been refused and their views over the latest proposal had not changed.

The majority of residents opposing the plan lived nearby while those who supported it were some distance away.

Steve Barker, on behalf of the applicants, said they were a young family who wished to live in the village and had sunk their life savings into the site.

Coun Robert Wainwright agreed the latest plan was more sympathetic to the rural situation but still felt a house on the site was not acceptable.

Officials had recommended refusal because it was not considered to preserve or enhance the character of the conservation area.

But Coun Lindsay Burr said it was not often she went against an officer’s recommendation but the house would be within the developments limit and would replace an unsightly building.

“I don’t think the current building enhances anything and is very ugly in a conservation area,” she said.

She felt the new house would be in keeping with the village and “would be more aesthetically pleasing than what we have now”.

The committee agreed by a majority it would be best to conduct a site visit before making a final decision.