New housing in North Yorkshire market town branded as a potential 'flooding risk'
Alarmed residents opposed to plans for 46 new homes in the ancient market town of Masham say councillors still have time to vote against what they regard as a “flooding risk” at a crunch planning meeting.
Councillors on North Yorkshire Council’s Skipton and Ripon area planning committee will debate the application for land off Swinton Road on Tuesday, March 3.
Officers are advising a ‘yes’ vote to the controversial proposals even though the plans are opposed by Masham Town Council and many local residents.
Opponents of the plans have a wide range of concerns over flooding and drainage and the impact of the new housing development on the character of the market town, the environment and traffic.
They argue that flooding in Masham is not theoretical and that, during periods of heavy rainfall, surface water already affects roads and surrounding areas.
They say the proposed site slopes toward existing properties, which is already raising significant anxiety for Swinburn Road residents.
What residents say
“Water does not negotiate with planning conditions. If drainage systems fail, it will be residents who live with the consequences.”
“The site slopes toward homes that are already vulnerable during heavy rain. That cannot simply be conditioned away.”
“It is widely acknowledged that Masham’s sewage system is full.
“Drainage infrastructure is only as secure as its enforceability. Once built, it cannot be undone.”
Residents are also deeply concerned about highway safety and traffic capacity, saying surrounding roads at the proposed site are narrow, constrained, and already under pressure.
They claim that there is simply no room for additional traffic without increasing risk to pedestrians, cyclists and existing road users.
There are further concerns relating to ecology and biodiversity after a dead otter was recently found on Swinton Road.
Otters are a European protected species and a material planning consideration, and their presence requires careful assessment, avoidance of harm, and appropriate mitigation.
Residents believe that the housing application does not adequately comply with several key Development Plan and national policy requirements.
1. Flood Risk and Climate Change (Local Plan Policy CC1 & National Planning Policy Framework)
Development must not increase flood risk elsewhere and must be safe for its lifetime, taking climate change into account.
Residents question whether sufficient evidence has been provided to demonstrate that surface water runoff will genuinely remain at greenfield rates during extreme storm events.
2. Sustainable Transport and Highway Safety (Local Plan Policy TI1)
Policy requires development to provide safe and suitable access for all users and not have an unacceptable impact on highway safety.
Concerns remain about cumulative traffic impact on Swinton Road, pedestrian safety in a town without formal crossings, and the absence of robust cumulative modelling reflecting existing heavy vehicle movements.
3. Landscape Character and Settlement Form (Policies GS2, GS3 & NE4)
The Local Plan seeks to protect settlement character and ensure development respects the form and setting of towns.
Residents argue that extending built form into open pasture at the defined western edge of Masham undermines the clear transition between town and countryside.
4. Infrastructure Capacity and Sustainable Development (Policy GS1 & National Policy)
Sustainable development requires infrastructure to be available and deliverable at the time development is occupied.
Residents question whether foul drainage capacity, surface water systems and local road infrastructure are demonstrably secured prior to permission, rather than left to post-consent resolution.
5. Biodiversity and Environmental Protection (Policy NE3)
There are concerns that the loss of open grassland and hedgerows, even with mitigation planting, represents a permanent change to the ecological character of the site.