Anwyl and Redrow have made an application to Harrogate Borough Council to build 770 new houses on a site off Otley Road on farm land around Windmill Farm/ Beavers Horse shop.
Zero Carbon Harrogate has noted the application lodged with Harrogate Borough Council last week, and is concerned about the significant adverse environmental implications of this large peripheral development. In an initial response to the application.
Windmill Farm
Jemima Parker, chair of Zero Carbon Harrogate, said:
Zero Carbon Harrogate has sought to engage productively with Anwyl Land to ensure that this large site, which will contribute to the carbon emissions of the town, is made as sustainable as possible, particularly with regard to transport and energy use.
To date Anwyl Land has chosen to draw on our local expertise. We believe that much more could be done to futureproof this community of 700 homes for a low carbon world.
In particular, we note that the energy statement was compiled prior to the current energy crisis. It makes no sense to be building houses over the coming years with gas central heating, and without the highest standards of insulation to minimise household fuel bills.
Furthermore, every opportunity should be taken to install solar panels on the roofs of the new homes, and apply the best passive design principles in accordance with Local Plan policies.
A spokesperson for Anwyl and Redrow said:
Anwyl and Redrow are pleased to be bringing forward this strategic housing site forward at a time of increasing housing demand. The project as submitted provides for 770 new homes (of which 40% will be delivered as affordable dwellings), a new primary school, a local shop and large areas of well connected greenspace.
The two companies have worked closely with the Council over the last two years on the wider masterplan for the new housing sites to the west of Harrogate. The timing of this application fits well with that Masterplan work and the developers look forward to working with the Council to ensure this site delivers the high environmental standards now expected of developments of this scale.
Yesterday Friday 12th August we drove on the western perimeter of Harrogate from Harlow Carr to Knarsborough. It was a very long journey of stop-start congestion. Roads I used to regularly cycle would now be impossible to cycle safely. The Masterplan for the destruction of Harrogate is clearly well underway, and why two years ago we moved away. It is extraordinary that we have a government imposing on towns their own destruction through enforced vehicle use for decades to come. Every single one of these new homes will be attended by one, two possibly three cars heading off to work places, schools, shopping centres and leisure. When the Netherlands revised its road to car dependency and turned to mass cycling provision the world was not so nearly heading to environmental catastrophy.