Redacted Mr Turton

Place Shaping and Economic Growth P.O. Box 787 Harrogate HG1 9RW 30th May 2019 Dear Sirs, Client: Mr. Robin Turton Re: Land west of Woodland View, Shortsill Lane, Flaxby, Knaresborough Further Sustainability Appraisal Work (FSAW) With reference to the above please note that we have been engaged to promote the land. I enclose official copy entries of the register in respect of the extent of Mr. Turton’s land (NYK368828). I note that under the FSAW, the land has been designated within the broad location for growth at Flaxby (OC16), with the potential for 288 houses. I can confirm that it is available for residential development in its entirety, or alternatively a combination of both light-industrial/commercial development and residential development. With regard to the FSAW, we disagree with the conclusions reached, and submit that OC16 should be selected as the broad location for growth, instead of Green Hammerton/Cattal (OC12), for the following reasons: Rail Station – I understand Flaxby Park Ltd has secured the land to re-instate the former Goldsborough Railway Station, and has designated £8.4m for it in their viability assessment. The railway station would be ideally located to serve the above land. The Network Rail correspondence (EXOTH019) suggests a feasibility study should be undertaken, and I would suggest that it is premature for the FSAW to regard it as ‘highly uncertain’ that it could be re-instated. Whilst the FSAW correctly identifies that OC12 has two operational rail stations, I understand there is work being undertaken to establish whether these should be amalgamated to form one station, and in this eventuality the residents of the new settlement would be in no better position than had a new rail station been built at Flaxby. Primary Schools – Flaxby is within the catchment area for Goldsborough primary school, and although this is at capacity, there are three primary schools in Knaresborough that have spare capacity (St John CofE, Aspin Park (Academy) and St. Mary’s). There is also a new primary school planned at the Manse Farm development (2 miles away), and also the two within the Flaxby Park Ltd scheme. OC16 is better placed to provide parents with primary school choice than OC12. Agricultural Land – although all the land at OC12 and OC16 is designated as Grade 2 Agricultural Land (very good), a large part of the land at OC16 is a redundant Golf Course, that has been landscaped to such an extent it would be financially unviable to return it to agricultural use. Proximity to Knaresborough/Harrogate – OC16 is closer than OC12 to Harrogate (5 miles away) and Knaresborough (3 miles away) to better make use of the shopping facilities, secondary schools, leisure facilities etc with shorter bus times and car journeys. OC12 is about equidistant to Harrogate and York, and about 10 miles away from both, and 8 miles away from Knaresborough. Employment Opportunities – OC16 is closer than OC12 to employment opportunities, whether in Knaresborough/Harrogate or the approved Flaxby Green Park commercial development with up to 3,000 jobs being created. Access to A1 – OC16 has better access to the A1, and Flaxby Park Ltd has already engaged with Harrogate Borough Council in relation to its improvement. Airport - OC16 has better access to Leeds Bradford Airport being 5 miles closer than OC12. Local Opposition – OC12 has attracted 626 comments within the Local Plan process, which are almost unanimously negative and many suggest OC16 should be the new location for growth. Whereas the Flaxby Park Ltd application (17/05484/OUT) which forms a large part of OC16 received 242 comments, 159 of which were in support of the application, and only 83 objections. For these reasons we believe that OC16 should be chosen over OC12 as the broad location for growth. Should you require any further information please do not hesitate to contact me and we look forward to being kept informed of the progress of the sustainability appraisal work. Yours faithfully, Ben Holmes In-house Solicitor Solicitors Regulation Authority Identification Number: 362876 Enc: Office Copy Entries for NYK368828 (Register and Plan) www.holmesplanning.co.uk Registered Address: West House Farm, Birstwith, Harrogate, North Yorkshire HG3 3AW Holmes Planning Limited. Company Number: 07442174 . VAT Registration Number: 105 8476 12 .

Load more