Great Yorkshire Showground hotel decision delayed

A decision on whether to build a hotel on the Great Yorkshire Showground has been put on hold after councillors requested more information on the plans.

Roomzzz Aparthotel, in conjunction with landowner the Yorkshire Agricultural Society (YAS), wants to build a 98-room hotel on a 1.3 acre site, which currently serves as a car park, near Sainsbury’s on Wetherby Road.

Officers recommended the plans for approval, however Harrogate Borough Council’s Planning Committee deferred the decision until they received information on matters including air quality, design and highways issues, together with clarification on any implications arising from the former tip nearby.

Committee chairman Coun John Mann said: “Members gave full consideration to this application both at the site visit in the morning and at committee in the afternoon. In committee, they heard evidence from interested parties and considered the case officer’s report. Having asked questions, and considered all the facts, they came to the conclusion that they needed further information in relation to a number of matters before they could make a decision on whether or not to grant planning permission. Therefore, the committee resolved to defer their decision until this further information was available and to reconsider the application at a future meeting.”

The proposed building is L-shaped, incorporating 55,000 sq ft of space, with the shorter length set back around 30 metres from Wetherby Road, and the longer length facing the access road through the showground site.

Two objectors, Martin Harrison and Nick Hancock, spoke at the meeting and raised concerns over traffic congestion and the size and appearance of the building.

NIgel Pulling, chief executive of the YAS, said: “It’s a major application so therefore the committee wants to make sure they fully understand the implications of it.

“We are still very positive it will be passed in due course.

“An awful lot of work has already been done and a lot of discussions have taken place and these are just some of the finer details being checked. Having said that, a lot depends on conversations about the information required, but hopefully it will be relatively straight forward.”