17/05234/EIAMAJ Item No
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Case No. 17/05234/EIAMAJ Item No. 01 Location: Flaxby Golf Club, York Road, Flaxby, Knaresborough, North Yorkshire HG5 0RR Proposal: Outline planning application for comprehensive development of the site to provide a new settlement comprising: Buildings/floor space for up to 2,750 residential units (Use Class C3) inclusive of up to 12,077 sqm of floor space for a retirement village (Use Class C3 and/or C2); . Up to 2,000 sq.m of retail floor space (Use Class A1); Up to 1,700 sq.m of floorspace for financial and professional services, restaurants and cafes, drinking establishments, and hot food takeaways (Use Classes A2/A3/A4/A5); Up to 5,200 sq.m of floorspace for non-residential institutions, including education (2 no. primary schools), nursery/crèche, health facilities (Use Class D1); . Up to 8,500 sq.m of leisure facilities and community building(s) (Use Class D2); Up to 6,000 sq.m / 120 bedrooms hotel (Use Class C1); Up to 2,500 sq.m for offices (Use Class B1); Open space / landscaping/outdoor sport/recreation facilities); . Car Park and railway halt at former Goldsborough Station; Infrastructure (including roads and utilities); and Site preparation and associated works. Applicant: Flaxby Park Ltd & Messers R, M, J And N Alton SUMMARY The proposal sits outside of a defined settlement within the settlement hierarchy and therefore comprises open countryside where there is stricter control over development, the scheme is thus contrary to the provisions of GS2 and GS3. Furthermore, it sits outside of the broad location for growth at Green Hammerton/Cattal within which a new settlement will be allocated, contrary to policies GS2 and DM4 The proposed development will impact on the landscape character and setting of a number of designated heritage assets, principally The Temple of Victory (Grade II* listed building), Allerton Castle (Grade I) and Allerton Park (Grade II Registered Park and Garden) and associated heritage assets together with the wider landscape. It is considered that the harm to the significance of the heritage assets is ‘less than substantial’ (NPPF para 196). In line with the NPPF (para 193 and 194), in 17/05234/EIAMAJ 1 considering the impact of the proposed development on the significance of the heritage assets, great weight should be given to their conservation. As such, it is considered that the public benefits of the proposed development would need to significantly and demonstrably outweigh the harmful impacts identified (NPPF para. 196). In assessing public benefits regard has been taken of the statutory duty under Section 66(1) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 and the approved Local Plan. Given that there is a policy objection in principle to the development, there are no public benefits that would outweigh the harm to the impact of the development on both heritage assets and wider landscape character. Similarly there are no exceptional circumstances to warrant the significant loss of agricultural land. Furthermore it has not been demonstrated that the development would not have a harmful impact upon the adjacent classified road network. In the absence of justification for the proposed development, refusal of the application is proposed. RECOMMENDATION: REFUSE 17/05234/EIAMAJ 2 17/05234/EIAMAJ 3 17/05234/EIAMAJ 4 1.0 PRELIMINARY MATTERS 1.1 Access to the case file on Public Access can be found here:- view file 1.2 This application is to be presented to the Planning Committee as the scheme represent a major planning application of District wide importance of greater than 50 dwellings and thus falls outside the delegated work system 2.0 MAIN ISSUES 2.1 The main issues are: • The sustainability of the development having regard to the adopted Local Plan Policy and associated social, environmental and economic issues. These are assessed against the land use principle of the development with particular focus upon heritage, landscape and highway issues. 3.0 ASSESSMENT 3.1 Site description 3.2 The application site extends to some 173.97 hectares (429.9 acres) in size and comprises the former Flaxby golf course and agricultural land to the north of York Road. It is located at the intersection of the A1(M) and A59, 6 miles east of Harrogate and 3 miles east of Knaresborough. The Leeds-Harrogate-York railway line runs south of the site beyond the A59 and adjoins the Site at the former Goldsborough station. 3.3 The golf course (112.71 hectares / 278.51 acres) closed in 2014 and has been vacant and unused since then. The 27-hole golf course and associated driving range represents a part developed site; it is a man-made and engineered environment laid out to provide a golfing facility and associated infrastructure. 3.4 The land falls gently from west to east and north to south. It is a prominent physical feature of the site that a ‘bowl’ is formed in the landscape including the golf course and agricultural land north of York Road, which then rises to a ridge at the north of the site. A number of woodlands are located within the Site, notably Flaxby Covert adjacent to the southern boundary, and Mill Hill and Tate’s Plantation at the north of the Site. 3.5 The main existing access to the site is at its western boundary from York Road. The former Goldsborough station is also accessed from York Road. 3.6 A roundabout on the A59 has been constructed at the southern boundary of the site in association with an implemented planning permission for the golf course which permits the construction of a new country house hotel, car park and highway works at the Site. An arm to this roundabout leads to the Site 17/05234/EIAMAJ 5 boundary and was intended under the consented planning permission (see site history) to create a new access road through Flaxby Covert to the site of the hotel at the centre of the golf course. 3.7 The site is located 6 miles east of Harrogate and 3 miles east of Knaresborough, both of which are defined as ‘Main Settlements’ in the Draft Local Plan, recognising that they provide the greatest range of jobs, shops, services and community facilities in the District. St James Retail Park is located 2.5 miles west of the site along the A59 providing a range of retail and employment services and facilities. An existing bus stop at Flaxby village provides services every two hours between 07:58 and 17:58 to Harrogate (approximately 40 minutes travel time and Knaresborough (approximately 24 minutes driving time). 3.8 The A1(M) is located to the east of the site. Junction 47 at the south-east corner of the Site provides direct access to the A1(M). The A59 runs adjacent to the southern boundary of the Site and an existing roundabout provides direct connection. 3.9 Whilst currently undeveloped land, the Adopted Local Plan identifies a Strategic Employment site to the south, on the opposite side of the A59. A planning application for a business park has been approved at outline stage under planning reference 16/05647/EIAMAJ on 15 September 2017 with a subsequent reserved matters application for phase 1 of the development approved under 18/04571/REMMAJ. 3.10 The existing village of Flaxby is located beyond the Site to the west. Flaxby is a small village of approximately 40 dwellings. Flaxby provides some existing employment opportunities at the Morrison’s depot and Chippindale food factory. 3.11 Coneythorpe is located to the North West and contains a public house. Coneythorpe is covered by a Conservation Area status. The village of Goldsborough is located approximately 1 mile to the south west of the site. 3.12 The Temple of Victory (a Grade II Listed Building) and Allerton Castle (a Grade I Listed Building) are located to the east of the site on the opposite side and beyond the A1(M). The Castle grounds comprise 22 Listed buildings and structures in total varying from Grade II and Grade II* in designation. The adopted Harrogate District Local Plan designates a ‘Park or Garden of Historic Interest’ and ‘Site of Importance for Nature Conservation’ associated with these heritage assets. The adopted Local Plan also designates a Conservation Area at Coneythorpe 0.9 miles to the north-west of the Site, this includes a Grade II listed Cottage Farm. 4.0 PROPOSAL 17/05234/EIAMAJ 6 4.1 The applicant seeks outline consent for the development of a new settlement , comprising the following forms of development: Buildings/floor space for up to 2,750 residential units (Use Class C3) inclusive of 12,077 sqm of floorspace for a retirement village (Use Class C3 or C2); Entrance lodges (Use Class C3) (4 units); Up to 2,000 sq.m of retail floor space (Use Class A1) in the village centre (convenience store and small shops); Up to 1,700 sq.m of floorspace for financial and professional services, restaurants and cafes, drinking establishments, and hot food takeaways in the village centre (Use Classes A2/A3/A4/A5); Up to 5,200 sq.m of floorspace for non-residential institutions, including education (2 no. primary schools), nursey/crèche, health facilities (Use Class D1); Up to 8,500 sq.m of leisure facilities for indoor sport and recreational use, community building(s) (Use Class D2); Up to 6,000 sq.m / 120 bedrooms hotel in the village centre (Use Class C1); Up to 2,500 sq.m for offices (Use Class B1); Open space / landscaping (including outdoor sport/recreation facilities); Car Parking (approximately 350 spaces) and a rail halt at Goldsborough Station; Infrastructure (including roads and utilities); and Site preparation and associated works.