A LAST-minute attempt to halt ambitious plans to redevelop Malton town centre was made on the day councillors were due to make a key decision.

Ryedale District Council met on Thursday to vote on whether to approve the Local Development Framework (LDF), an important document which sets out what sort of development the council wants to see in the Ryedale of the future.

A strongly-worded letter, which came from the Fitzwilliam Estate at 10am on the day of the meeting, almost caused the decision to be abandoned.

The letter from Pinsent Masons, solicitors for the Fitzwilliam Estate, pointed to “the council’s apparent reluctance to engage in any meaningful or significant way with our client over the future of the Wentworth Street car park”.

It said that the Fitzwilliam Estate was a ‘key partner’ in the decision, and that if the council was to approve the LDF, as recommended by its officers, the council would be “embarking on an unlawful decision making-process liable to be quashed on an application for judicial review”.

The letter urged the council to abandon the decision until it had spent more time in consultation with the Estate.

Coun Robert Wainwright told members that Ryedale District Council’s legal department had spent the day assessing the significance of the letter, and that they had consulted London barristers.

He said the council was satisfied there was no legal danger in approving the LDF.

Councillors were given the letter just 15 minutes before the start of the meeting.

Coun Wainwright said the LDF needed to be approved to avoid a ‘free-for-all’ in planning, with no LDF to refer to.

Coun Howard Keal said: “I am dismayed by this shameless attempt to derail the business of council.

“Attacks have always come from the non-stop negative brigade, who want nothing to change. The reality is that it must.

“A part of that change means bringing a supermarket to Wentworth Street car park.”

Coun Keal said that across Ryedale residents were spending £90 million on shopping outside the district, with three out of four people shopping outside the area for non-food products.

Coun Edward Legard said that he had read the letter and he felt councillors should approve the LDF anyway.

Coun Lindsay Burr said: “I don’t think this is an attempt to sabotage our decision. The LDF is a vitally important decision.

“I have grave concerns that more supermarkets will mean less small shops in Ryedale.

“The people I speak to want to save their local shops.”

Coun Jane Fenton agreed, saying: “Perhaps they should take down the sign saying ‘Welcome to Malton, a Market Town’, and replace it with one saying ‘Welcome to Malton, a Supermarket Town.”

The LDF was also approved, with 13 in favour, three against, and two abstentions.

Following the meeting, Roddy Bushell, Fitzwilliam Estate manager, said he was concerned that the council were ‘rushing ahead’ with plans to build a supermarket on Wentworth Street car park because it was something that could be delivered quickly, and which would raise money for improvements to the A64.

He said this was short-sighted, because it would not help to draw people to the other town centre shops.

Mr Bushell said that although the estate had raised its concerns by writing to council officers and meeting with the chief executive and leading members over the past few months, there had been no ‘effective’ response to these communications.