The Maltkiln settlement is a development by the Caddick Group, and is the designated new settlement in the local plan.
A landowner has now pulled out from selling his land for this development, reducing the overall number of houses that can be built.
- A new settlement that was up to 4,000 homes
- Previously a 300-acre site
- Provision of employment land, schools and a local centre
- Significant local infrastructure improvements
- Near Cattal and Green Hammerton, between Harrogate and York
Two new settlements were put forward at the time of the local plan, the green-field site of Flaxby, near the A1 junction from Knaresborough, and the Caddick/ Maltkiln development.
Harrogate Borough Council gave the new settlement to Caddick.
The Flaxby Developers, Flaxby Park Ltd argued in the examination process that the Maltkiln land was not secured. The land was not deliverable, and that was a key consideration when selecting a new settlement, however it was overlooked at the time.
We have asked Harrogate Borough Council, and Caddick how many acres and how many houses the scheme has now been reduced by. Harrogate Borough Council have said that they don’t know, and the Development Plan Document (DPD) is a framework document, and needs pausing while options are considered.
Caddick have declined to say how many acres or number of houses this reduces the scheme by, but have said that they will still build 3,000, meeting the DPD requirements.
The local group “Keep the Hammertons Green action group” have handed over to Kirk Hammerton Parish Council and Green Hammerton Parish Council.
A spokesperson for Kirk Hammerton Parish Council, said:
Kirk Hammerton Parish Council, and other local parishes have always questioned the deliverability of this scheme, including in our response to the recent DPD consultation. It’s now clear that the proposals were simply not viable.
The process has been rushed through without proper consideration – HBC were more concerned with getting a planning application approved by 31 March 2023 than getting it right, and this has now come home to roost.
Kirk Hammerton Parish Council will be urging the new North Yorkshire Council ‘unitary council’ to get a grip on this and defer the whole thing until it takes over and produces a revised and updated housing strategy for the whole of North Yorkshire.
The Caddick Group have issued a statement in respect of the Maltkiln settlement, near Cattal:
As with most large and complex developments, the proposed new settlement at Maltkiln involves several landowners and we have been working with them for a number of years. It is regrettable that one of the landowners has now expressed their intention to withdraw their support for the development.
However, we continue to have positive relationships with the other landowners and we remain confident that development can progress in accordance with the policy objectives of Harrogate Borough Council’s Development Plan Document for the new settlement.
The Maltkiln site was established as the preferred option by Harrogate Borough Council based on its location, accessibility and relative freedom from constraints.
In parallel with the Council’s DPD process, we have undertaken thorough community and stakeholder consultation as part of defining our proposals to deliver much needed new housing and associated amenities for this part of North Yorkshire.
We intend to continue a positive dialogue with all the landowners in the vicinity of our site and any updated proposals will be publicised after we have discussed with the Borough and County Councils how the amended site area may best be developed in accordance with the proposed DPD.
A Harrogate Borough Council spokesperson said:
We have been notified that an area of land previously available and included in the proposed new settlement boundary has been withdrawn and is no longer available for development. As a result, submission of the proposed new settlement DPD to the Secretary of State for independent examination has been paused while options are considered.
Typical of HBC no planning (excuse the pun.) this development is in the wrong place, the site at Flaxby always was the correct site. Next to A1 close to the incinerator for heating the school etc. road layout already done. No disruption on A59.
That’s another fine mess that HBC has left. Flabby was a “no brainier” as a site with its proximity to the A1 and railway and should have been chosen first time round! Are there any issues with the Flaxby site that HBC are not telling us!
Flaxby was always the right site for a new town. 4 lane access road from A1M & roundabout built.
Ability to build a new Rail Station.
Better than ruining the Hammertons –
2 historical sites. HBC should have
been their protector & custodian rather
than permitting developers to exploit these
Villages & Brown field sites.
NYCC owned some of the land due to be
sold to the Developers apparently.
Interesting. This was always a dodgy-looking deal. NYCC are one of the landowners. HBC chose this site over all the others, despite Flaxby obviously being the better option. Coincidentally, at the time, 16 HBC Councillors also had seats on NYCC. After the Maltkiln site was selected, the Flaxby developer sought a judicial review in the High Court. HBC was found to have acted illegally in the way the decision in favour of Maltkiln was taken. It had to be taken again, properly, at a meeting of the full Council in Dec 2020. Presiding over all this was our inglorious HBC Council Leader, Richard Cooper, who himself was also a serving NYCC Councillor. At least one of the ‘dual-hatted’ NYCC/HBC Councillors was present at the meeting when NYCC decided to sell the land for development. It stinks. Central Government should formally investigate what happened here before agreeing to any development going ahead. I wonder if the landowner withdrawing is the new North Yorkshire Council, trying to clean-up it’s act? We should be told.