Plans resubmitted to council for new children’s nursery at farm near Boroughbridge

Ben and Emma Mosey hope to create 74 full-day places for pre-school age children with the setting based around the curiosity and forest school approaches, which encourage independence through outdoor learning.

The Minskip Farm site is already a diversified agricultural operation with the owners hoping to create a family-friendly visitor experience which is “safe, fun and educational for children”, according to planning documents.

According to the application, there is a high demand for early years places in the area because there are 229 nursery-aged children in Boroughbridge but only 85 spaces.

However, the council previously listed four reasons for refusal including the site being outside of development limits and the applicants failing to show how the nursery would diversify their farming business.

A fresh application submitted to the council attempts to address the reasons the council opposed the plan and it includes more details on the local need for a new nursery, accessibility, sustainable design and how it will diversify the farming business.

The design has also been scaled back to reduce its impact on the landscape and now features reduced parking and hardstanding.

Documents state: “Overall, the resubmission demonstrates that the proposed children’s nursery will meet an acute need in the area, and will provide a high quality and unique play and learning environment for children which aligns with and makes the most of the existing family-friendly diversified activities at this small farm, and is suitably accessible given its farm location.

“The visual impact of the amended scheme will not be adverse in the context of the extant access and parking consent, existing built up farm and diversified activities.

“In addition technical concerns relating to highways and sustainable design have been addressed.”

North Yorkshire Council will make a decision on the plans at a later date.