The Harrogate District Chamber of Trade has hosted a meeting of a number of developers, between them with plans for large new developments and a business development in the East side of Harrogate, along the A59 towards York.
This is a summary of the main points put forward by each of the developers. Most of the developers attended the meeting with a small team from project directors, PR officers to transport specialists – it’s worth remembering how big business this is, a development of 3,000 homes would net at least £1billion in house sales.
Flaxby Green Park – delivering a flagship gateway business park
Flaxby Park Ltd – a new settlement at the former Flaxby Golf Course
Maltkiln Village – a new settlement around Cattal railway station
Hammerton – the Harrogate Borough Council preferred option for a new settlement
The meeting had been put together by ex-chamber president, Brian Dunsby.
Brian opened the meeting and thanked the speakers for their support of the meeting.
Each developer was given time to present their development before further questions were put to them.
Rupert Visick of Gent Visick Property LLP spoke on behalf of Forward Investment Ltd.
- 580,000 sqft business development with outline planning permission
- This is the woodland area of land on the right as you approach the A1(M) from Knaresborough
- Will become the most significant area of employment in the area
- Will keep much of the woodland
- Working with a leading ECO architect for a development that blends into the environment
- Will use pre-fab build, cutting edge
- Will include a creche facility
- Will be funded incrementally to help cover the high initial cost if infrastructure
- Bus service expect to be expanded to cover
- Achieve not just a business park but a way of life
- August 18 -full planning submitted
- January 19 – secure full planning permission
Matt Johnson, Flaxby Park Ltd
- Will develop high quality mixed use
- This is the old golf course area on left as you travel to the A1(M) from Knaresborough
- Have previously developed the largest science park in Europe and Samsung site in North East (Wynyard Park, along with other current housing developments in the south
- Have full ownership of the site (they are not related to previous company that was looking to develop the site and went into liquidation)
- 2,750 homes. 2 to 5 bed houses and appartments
- Some affordable and self build
- Will include a primary village centre, retirement area, leisure, shops, doctors, primary school
- The only housing development that will stimulate the Harrogate economy – Green Hammerton developments will be absorbed by York
- Area should be considered a brown field development
- Being an ex-golf course it already has landscaping and drainage
- Wynyard Park gives an existing model for what will be built
- Have been significant expressions of interest by local and national builders, retirement and health care operators – they say they are ready to go
- £1million has already been spent n development and previously £4m on an access roundabout
- This is a deliverable solution
- Feel it has been dismissed by Harrogate Borough Council as a solution
- Plans for a development of a park and ride near station
- Network Rail see no blockers to develop a new railway station
- Bus service to be expanded
- Will develop a way of life
James Hall, partner at Barton Willmore spoke for Maltkiln Village
- A development around the Cattal Railway station
- Emerging local plan sets a requirement for growth, this site has that
- Land to be developed by Oakgate Group, part of Caddick
- Vision of high quality new homes, with some classed as affordable
- Will use existing community infrastructure
- Is well connect, but can be improved
- 166 hectares of sustainable land
- Could deliver of the construction with Caddick
- Will have some mixed land use with sports, primary school, allotments
- 5 hectares to be used for employment
Jon Kenny spoke for CEG, as the Development Director for Hammerton
- CEG largest supplier of land to UK housing
- They have analysed all growth options and this development is not constrained
- Can use some existing infrastructure
- Plans to build 3,000 houses/ 174 hectares
- Identified by Harrogate Borough Council as a preferred site
- Would require the relocation of local nursery, Johnsons of Wixley,
- Bus service to be expanded
- The development will embrace the existing community of Green Hammerton and be respectful to them
- Will use garden village principles
- Outline plans have been submitted, build could start in 2021
It was an interesting meeting with a great deal of information presented by each of the developers.
As an editor’s comment, they do seem to now be stuck in a situation where HBC want a new settlement development that can expand, but that makes it more difficult to sell any development to locals. Also, the meeting didn’t tackle the question of how much North Yorkshire County Council will financially benefit from a Green Hammerton Development, due to charges on the land. We have questioned NYCC on this in the past and they say that the money that would go to them from land charges is confidential, but they would get the best value for the council.
See https://www.harrogatechamber.co.uk/ for further details on the Harrogate District Chamber of Trade. The next meeting is on the 9 July
