Plans for 38 homes in Ripon refused over impact on £1.4m listed building - and sink hole worries

Harrogate Borough Council's planning committee took just over an hour to turn down the proposals yesterday, Tuesday, saying it had concerns about the number of homes being proposed and the impact on a nearby protected property which dates back to 1835.

There were also worries over a sink hole at the Springfield Close site - but planning officers said it is not dangerous.

James Mortimer, owner of the nearby Prospect House, told councillors the development would “substantially" harm his £1.4million property, despite officers saying it would not be an issue.

He said: "The development of the site fails to provide any unique public benefit and substantially harms the setting of Prospect House and its coach house, a curtilage listed asset.

"The applicants have failed to mitigate even less than substantial harm and this application should be refused".

Controversial plans for 120 homes in Knaresborough set for final green light

Coun Pat Marsh also spoke out against plans from Newett Homes which she said were full of too many “compromises”.

She said: “Rather than reaching for quality, we are saying, ‘that is just acceptable’. It is too dense a development in that particular area and I can not support it".

Coun Stuart Martin added: "I have to agree with what Coun Marsh has just said - I think there are too many compromises in this.

"Okay, it is in the Local Plan and the principle of development has to be accepted on that site, but I do not think this application is the right one."

The application was unanimously refused.

By Jacob Webster, Local Democracy Reporter

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