Plan for 130 homes backed despite objections

Plans for up to 130 homes in a North Yorkshire market town have been recommended for approval despite objections from the local council and residents.

Planning officers have backed the development on agricultural land off Chapel Hill in Boroughbridge ahead of a North Yorkshire Council meeting next week.

The scheme, submitted by Barratt David Wilson Homes, would include 52 affordable properties.

Although the site lies outside the town's development boundary, a council report said the proposal should be approved because of the authority's shortfall in housing land supply.

Boroughbridge Town Council has objected to the plans, raising concerns about infrastructure, traffic, pressure on local services and the number of homes already approved in the town.

A further 14 objections were submitted by residents, who cited concerns over drainage, school capacity, sewage infrastructure, the loss of agricultural land and potential impacts on wildlife.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, concerns were also raised about the effect of the development on the nearby Aldborough Roman Town scheduled monument.

Despite the objections, planning officers concluded the impacts of the scheme could be addressed through conditions and legal agreements.

If approved, the developer would be required to contribute almost £840,000 towards education provision, including primary school places, special educational needs and disabilities support and early years services.

A further £408,000 would go towards community facilities, open space and the maintenance of on-site green spaces, while £260,000 would be contributed towards improvements to local bus services.

The plans are due to be considered by North Yorkshire Council's Harrogate and Knaresborough area planning committee on Tuesday.

Officers acknowledged the proposal would result in the permanent loss of Grade 2 agricultural land and some harm to the landscape. They also concluded it would cause a "low level of less than substantial harm" to the monument's setting.

However, the report concluded those impacts were outweighed by the benefits of delivering new homes, including affordable housing, infrastructure investment, improved public transport links and at least a 10% biodiversity net gain.

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