Council decide ‘enough is enough’ for Killinghall housing developments

tis. The Killinghall Village sign. 1204074aa.

Harrogate Borough Council’s (HBC) planning committee voted unanimously to refuse plans for 88 homes off Crofters Green on Tuesday (September 29).

As Harrogate Borough Council has reached its five year supply of housing, in part due to plans to build 600 homes at Penny Pot Lane near Killinghall and two other plans to build 62 and 82 houses in the village, it was in a stronger position to turn down proposals than it has been in the past.

Killinghall Coun Michael Harrison (Con) spoke on behalf of villagers and said: “Most people see the village just as they drive through it, people don’t realise how much of a rural community it is or the wide ranging views it enjoys.”

HBC planners have already given the green light to 78 houses at Picking Croft Lane and 62 houses at Cautley Drive.

Coun Harrison said they had been difficult decisions for the village to take however even if HBC had its five year housing supply, he believes the Crofters Green plan would still not be suitable.

“It is 88 houses from a cul-de-sac, that is concerning.”

Parish Coun Anne Holdsworth said: “We feel perfectly justified in saying enough is enough, an additional 88 homes would be that step too far.”

Lib Dem group leader, Coun Pat Marsh (Hookstone) said: “It is about time we did something to defend this village.”

Coun Andrew Goss (Lib Dem, Woodfield) said: “This plan would clearly be a case of development creeping into the countryside.

He added: “It would make the traffic more severe, it is severe now, when will it become sever enough to do something about it?”

Conservative Coun Ian Galloway (Bishop Monkton) agreed and said: “Harrogate is becoming a car park.”

In March the council announced it had met the five year supply of housing needed to robustly refuse unsuitable planning applications, though their figures have not yet been tested at an appeal hearing.

HBC is working on a new local plan for the district after the last draft was scrapped following government critisism.