Ryedale Plan under scrutiny (From Gazette & Herald)

Ryedale Plan under scrutiny

1:57pm Wednesday 12th September 2012 in News

A PLAN setting out the future shape of Ryedale came under scrutiny at a public inquiry headed by a Government planning inspector.

The Ryedale Plan is being scrutinised in detail by critics and supporters at Ryedale House under the supervision of inspector Stephen Pratt.

Mike Skehan, clerk to Malton Town Council, said the neighbourhood plan was a “mystery” and had not fully taken into account the views of the public. But the inquiry also heard from that while the council had done “a good job” there needed to be a stronger link between housing and employment.

Another witness also wondered why there was insufficient expansion of doctors’ surgeries in the area.

Jill Thompson of Ryedale District Council said they did not perceive the need for a significant amount of new surgeries but that did not mean to say that practices would not want to expand.

On the question of housing, she referred to the plan which states that addressing the imbalances in the housing stock and housing market “will only be realistically achieved through the delivery of new homes”.

“In the current economic climate, this continues to present a challenge, although the attractiveness of Ryedale will mean that the area is in a good position as the housing market recovers,” she said.

The plan also points out that although the population of the area was increasing, it was also ageing with the proportion of people aged 75 and above set to increase “significantly” over the next two decades.

The district was also experiencing, consistent with national trends, a “progressive decline” in the average household size.