Harrogate Borough Council have refused planning permission for a temporary traveller site near Knaresborough – 29 January 2013
The applicant had applied for the change of use of land of a field opposite Merryvale Cass Lane in Calcutt, for the siting of two caravans for five years.
The reasons for refusal given were:-
- The retention of the residential caravan and touring caravan and associated operational development on the site is inappropriate development within the green belt for which there are no very special circumstances to justify such retention. The proposal would therefore conflict with the Government’s National Planning Policy Framework and the Planning Policy for Traveller Sites. The proposal would also conflict with policy SG3 of the Core Strategy of the Harrogate District Local Development Framework.
- The retention of the residential caravan and touring caravan and associated operational development would materially harm the character and appearance of the Nidd Gorge Special Landscape Area and therefore conflicts with saved policy C9 of the Harrogate District Local Plan and the Harrogate District Landscape Character Assessment February 2004 and policies SG4 and EQ2 of the Core Strategy of the Harrogate District Local Development Framework.
Speaking under the Councils opportunity to speak scheme were:
- Councillor Andrew Willoughby (Knaresborough Town Council)
- Mr Harding (Objector)
- Mr Pollitt (Agent)
A spokesperson for the applicant said that a refusal would render them homeless and that one of the applicants had a medical condition requiring surgery in the local hospital.
The permission was refused as a unanimous decision by the planning committee.
