Contamination concerns delay decision on Harrogate's 53-home Knox Lane site

More than 300 residents had objected to the Knox Lane plans and also paid for their own experts to assess the site which was once part of a railway that transported carriages between gasworks and Bilton Junction.

An agent for the developers Jomast told a Harrogate Borough Council meeting today that the firm had carried out initial ground investigations and was committed to providing more information to council officers who had recommended approval.

However, councillors said they could not support the plans until they had seen the full investigation outcomes for themselves.

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There were also further concerns over flooding, the discovery of badger setts, a lack of public transport connections and that the development of the site near Oak Beck could cause “ecological damage”.

Councillor Robert Windass said much more work was needed on the proposals which he described as “wrong, wrong, wrong”.

He said: “I’ve heard nothing from the developers or our officers that would make me wish to support this application.

“Unless I feel the applicant has done a proper contamination assessment and got a full report when it comes back to this committee, I’m afraid I won’t be supportive.”

The plans first submitted in April 2020 initially included 73 homes, but this was reduced to 53 after local complaints.

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And despite further changes, residents have continued to strongly oppose the development with a total of 313 objections and no letters of support being submitted to the council.

Residents’ concerns are so strong that they commissioned a toxicology specialist to examine the proposals.

Dr Damien Bowen told today’s meeting that he believed “extensive investigations” were needed due to the health and environmental risks of the likely presence of contamination.

He said: “While the potential land contamination is considered, concerns over polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), other toxic metals and their known adverse health effects cannot be dismissed.

“Humans may be exposed to PAHs in the air, water and food, and when such a site is distributed these compounds are distributed into the environment.”

Ward councillor Paul Haslam also argued that these concerns have not been taken seriously enough by the council which he claimed had taken no notice of “compelling” evidence that the plans should not be approved.

“The developer’s hands seemed to have been held throughout this process, whereas residents have been ignored,” he said.

The proposals – which include 30 homes classed as affordable – will be brought back to another meeting of the council’s planning committee in the coming months.