HANNAH BRYAN takes a look at the long road to the planning inquiry for the Kirkdale Road application.

FOR more than two years now, members of Kirkbymoorside Town Council and residents have opposed plans to bring a large housing development in the town.

Originally the application, submitted by Gladman Developments Ltd was to build 210 homes, which would include affordable housing and 50 apartments for older people on land off Kirkdale Road. Members of the town council made their opposition to these plans clear from the beginning; that they were worried about the potential negative impacts the size of the development would have on the town.

At the time though, Ryedale District Council was said to have a shortfall of 545 homes with a need for 256 affordable homes a year and the development, if granted, would go some way to meeting that, the developers said.

Later that year the plans were rejected by officers at Ryedale District Council before they came before planning officers again in June 2013 and were rejected for the second time. Ryedale District Council's head of planning Gary Houseden said at the time that the company had already lodged an appeal with the Government planning inspectorate after the previous decision by the committee to veto the plan.

Three months later in September Gladman was given the green light to build 210 houses and 50 extra-care apartments on land at Westfields despite the earlier schemes being refused. Planning officers at the council said that the four matters for which they had rejected the earlier scheme had been dealt with.

At the time these included concerns that there was not enough affordable housing or landscaping planned or enough land set aside for expansion at the primary school. There were also worries over the archaeology of the site.

However the decision to grant permission caused much controversy after Kirkbymoorside district councillor David Cussons, who spoke out against the plans, pressed the wrong button on the electronic voting system and approved the plans.

Following the meeting Kirkbymoorside town councillors began looking at ways they could have the decision overturned.

When October arrived it was announced that Ryedale District Council would hold a special meeting to discuss the plans but at the meeting moves to revoke the decision were vetoed and councillors were told that it could potentially cost between £3-5million to reverse the original decision.

At the end of 2013 two local residents, Brian Hewitt and William Shaw, submitted an application to Leeds High Court to bring judicial review proceedings in order to challenge the council's decision to grant planning permission.

Following that, the developers submitted a revised scheme for 225 homes and removed residential care facilities from the plans and this was then voted on at a meeting in February 2014.

This time, councillors voted by way of a show of hands and were met with cheers from members of the public at the packed out meeting as they voted to turn down the plans. An appeal was then launched by Gladman and in October the date for the public inquiry was announced.

 

We feel let down by council

TOWN councillors have reacted angrily to Ryedale District Council’s defence against a proposal for 225 houses in their town and calls have now been made for council officers to step down.

Members of Kirkbymoorside Town Council said they are disappointed with the district council’s defence at the public inquiry into a planning application proposed by Gladman Developments.

The inquiry, chaired by a government inspector appointed by the Secretary of State, finished in just two days at Ryedale House, in Malton, despite being expected to last about four days.

Councillor Sarah Ward, who spoke at the opening of the inquiry last Tuesday and attended both days, said the representations by the council and its defence against the proposals had let the town and residents of Kirkbymoorside down.

She said: “I feel very disappointed that the council’s poor record in terms of Gladman applications has continued and I feel very let down for the town and its residents.

“I have already had one email from a concerned resident calling for the resignation of the council’s chief executive and head of planning.”

The original proposal, which would have included 225 houses on land off Westfields, was rejected by councillors at a planning meeting in February but the developers subsequently lodged an appeal. At the opening day of the inquiry, Ryedale District Council’s expert witness Robin Newlove was questioned by the inspector, council officers and Gladman representative Paul Tucker, QC.

The second day of the inquiry saw the developers withdraw their planning application for the access to the site. The original application was for outline planning permission for the whole site, but detailed planning permission was being sought for access to the site. Coun Ward said that after the inspector expressed concerns about the safety surrounding access, permission was withdrawn. This means that if the inspector overturns the decision to reject the planning application, access to the site will still need to be decided.

Kirkbymoorside mayor Councillor Chris Dowie said she was also disappointed in how the council had defended the case.

She said: “I am deeply disappointed at the way in which the people representing Ryedale District Council defended the justification of their planning committee decision.”

The planning inspector is due to visit to Kirkbymoorside today and will be accompanied by representatives from Gladman, the council and both Coun Dowie and Coun Ward.

Neither party will be able to put forward arguments during the visit. A decision is expected within writing a few weeks following the site visit.

Have your say about Gladman Development's housing plan for Kirkbymoorside