Views are being sought on a development plan for Hambleton which will aim to protect the district from “speculative developers” and inappropriate Gypsy sites.
Hambleton District Council’s cabinet has approved publishing its draft Local Plan later this month, so that representations regarding its soundness and legal compliance can be made over a six-week period.
The meeting heard the production of the document had taken five years so far and would set out how much land should be provided to accommodate new homes and jobs that are needed up to 2035 and where they should be located.
The plan will also consider the need for new homes and jobs alongside the need for shops, community facilities, transport, open space, sport and recreation, health and education, while protecting special features of the largely rural district, which stretches from near York in the south to the outskirts of Middlesbrough in the north.
The authority’s portfolio holder for planning, Councillor David Webster said: “There has been considerable community involvement for comment throughout the whole process. Some may be disappointed in the allocations procedures, but over 500 sites were suggested for allocation, and obviously not all of them were needed.”
Members said getting the Local Plan right was vital as it would guide decisions, including those by Government inspectors considering appeals, on whether or not planning applications should be granted.
Councillor Isobel Sanderson added: “I appreciate this is just going on to the next stage of this plan, but I do think it should be truly emphasised just how important it is that Hambleton District Council has a robust plan which when challenged by speculative developers will stand up to scrutiny by inspectors.”
Since the last Local Plan for the district was launched in 2010 there has been concern over the number of successful appeals, including at Great Busby, Tame Bridge and Potto, against the council’s refusal of plans to change land to Gypsy sites.
The council’s planning committee chairman, Councillor Peter Bardon highlighted how the plan included policies and proposals on the needs of travellers and gypsies.
He said: “Can we have some assurances that our new policies and proposals will be more robust than those we already have, because on appeal we have been found wanting? This is an opportunity to realign those policies.”
Cllr Webster said: “This is an area that is being taken very seriously. We had a gypsy and traveller assessment, which determined how many sites were required. We are advanced on that and I can’t see how we can improve on that.”
The authority’s leader, Councillor Mark Robson added: “This Local Plan puts us in a very good position if we are challenged, unlike some neighbouring authorities. You don’t have to look very far from this authority to see authorities that don’t even have a Local Plan.”
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