Keep Green Hammerton Green have expressed concern over a planning application hearing for 62 new houses in Green Hammerton – ahead of the planning inspector’s report.
The 62 house Strata Homes application is being heard by the Planning Committee at 2pm on Tuesday 12 March at the Civic Centre. Harrogate Borough Council support the application.
This site is GH2 in the draft Local Plan and was objected to at the recent local plan EIP – Examination in Public.
Harrogate Borough Council are now recommending this application for approval before the planning inspector has reported back his views on the local plan.
HBC Planners are saying that 62 houses isn’t a significant development so can be approved ahead of the report.
Chris Chelton of Keep Green Hammerton Green, said:
Our view -it undermines the integrity of the EIP process, makes a mockery of our honest participation in the EIP process and reflects poorly on HBCs approach to Localism.
HBC also have now exceeded their 5 year housing supply (5.56 years) and should be reigning in these approvals, which have been used to force through many unsuitable sites, such as Green Hills last year.
Now they say they want a buffer so will continue to approve applications such as this. They did this in the Local Plan -a30% buffer in house numbers -but clearly have failed to listen to the planning inspectors criticism and are doing it again, regardless of the damage to villages.The report on this application also says that because HBC policies are out of date they are entitled to still apply the tilted balance of a presumption in favour of sustainable development.
I will be speaking to all these points at the hearing.
Councillor Rebecca Burnett, cabinet member for planning, said:
As the planning authority, we have a duty to determine applications within a certain timeframe so we cannot, even under current circumstances, delay bringing applications forward for a decision if they are ready.
I share the frustrations of the Green Hammerton residents that we cannot put things on hold whilst we wait for the inspector’s feedback, but it is not in our gift to do so.
Planning officers have recommended the site for approval but the decision sits with planning committee members.
It may or may not agree with that recommendation. The points being made by local residents opposing the scheme will be made available to the committee so they can consider them at the meeting.
