Plans unveiled for 190-home Ripon estate with 76 affordable properties in major new scheme

A proposed new 190-home housing estate on the edge of Ripon would include 76 ‘affordable’ properties, the developers say.

Housebuilder Keepmoat Homes is preparing a planning application for land east of Harrogate Road (A61), on the southern edge of the city.

The proposals would see around eight hectares of fields developed for housing, with further land used for landscaping, biodiversity improvements and earthworks.

The development would include a mixture of two, three, four and five-bedroom properties, with 40 per cent designated as ‘affordable’ housing.

Plans also include public open space, a children’s play area, pedestrian routes and a new vehicle access from Harrogate Road.

The proposals have been revealed in documents submitted to North Yorkshire Council requesting a decision on whether a full environmental impact assessment (EIA) is required before a planning application is made.

The developer’s consultants, Johnson Mowat, argue the scheme would not have significant environmental effects requiring a full assessment.

However, the documents acknowledge the development would permanently remove agricultural land and significantly change the appearance of the site.

A landscape assessment identifies the land as having medium to high sensitivity to development, with major to moderate effects expected initially, reducing as landscaping becomes established.

The site is also close to Quarry Moor Site of Special Scientific Interest and Local Nature Reserve.

Council officers previously raised concerns about the potential impact on the protected site when an earlier proposal for 150 homes was considered.

The latest scheme includes public open space, walking routes and a children’s play area intended to reduce pressure on the nature reserve.

The documents also consider the cumulative impact of the development alongside a separate scheme for 390 homes being brought forward by Taylor Wimpey nearby.

The developer argues that environmental mitigation associated with both schemes would prevent significant harm to Quarry Moor.

A further issue is the presence of gypsum deposits beneath part of the land, which can create ground stability concerns.

The proposed layout would avoid building homes on the affected area, instead using it for open space.

The documents reveal that North Yorkshire Council provided pre-application advice in June.

The application says council officers recognised the benefits of additional housing, including affordable homes, because of the shortage of available housing land.

However, they also stressed further work was needed to address landscape and ecological concerns.

The developer is proposing a new right-turn junction from Harrogate Road, sustainable drainage measures and landscaping to soften the development’s impact.