RESIDENTS, shop owners and councillors have raised concerns over plans to build on the former ATS tyre depot in Norton.

An application for 61 apartments, varying from one to four bedrooms, for the site in Commercial Street, was submitted to Ryedale District Council last month.

The plans include undercroft parking, private and communal amenity areas, a management office, alteration to existing vehicular access and erection of a street front commercial unit with one-bed studio above.

However, Vivienne Nicholson, who lives nearby, said: “While I agree the ATS site should be redeveloped, the proposed housing density is far too great.

“It resembles a city centre tower block and would totally dominate and spoil the character of the area.”

District councillor Luke Ives said there was also concern about the lack of parking spaces.

“Parking is already an acute problem in Norton, so a development on this scale without adequate parking would cause a huge issue for the local community,” he said.

“Commercial Street –Norton’s high street – would be worst affected, which means our local shops may be denied potential customers due to the flats’ occupants using the few roadside spaces available.

“Demand would also likely to be placed on other neighbouring streets, such as Wood Street and Langton Road, so the impact is far greater than first thought."

Town and district councillor Di Keal said she urged the developer to significantly amend the application so it is much smaller and more sympathetic to the area.

“Part of this site falls squarely into flood plain so any development needs to be carefully considered on the grounds of public safety and also impact on flood risk through increased run-off from hard surfaces,” she said.

“Other planning applications in Norton have been refused on these grounds in the past.

“There is also a concern that a development of this size will inevitably add to Norton’s problems with sewer flooding as it will discharge foul water into an already over-stretched system that simply doesn’t have the capacity to have further developments linked in to it.”

Lindsay Burr, who owns the site, said the concerns raised were premature as revised plans had already been submitted.

“I am trying to tidy up a derelict site and provide some housing for local people to get their foot on the property ladder. Each unit will have its own parking space,” she said.

“It will provide local jobs and hopefully get Commercial Street busy.”