Plans for up to 52 homes in a North Yorkshire village are being recommended for approval despite opposition from residents and concerns about pressure on local services.
Cromsdale Estates and William Edward Cundall have submitted an outline application to build on about 3.2 hectares of land adjoining The Pastures in Sherburn, near Malton.
North Yorkshire Council’s Thirsk and Malton area planning committee will consider the proposals on Thursday (August 20th), with planning officers recommending approval.
The scheme has attracted 53 public representations, with 40 objections and 13 in support.
Objectors say Sherburn is becoming overdeveloped and does not have the infrastructure to accommodate further growth. Concerns include pressure on schools, doctors and dentists, increased traffic and congestion on the A64, flooding, loss of agricultural land and impacts on wildlife.
Sherburn Parish Council has raised similar concerns, including the lack of facilities for children and teenagers and pressure on the village school and medical facilities.
The parish council also highlighted concerns about traffic joining the A64 and said bus services were already full.
However, council officers say the development should be allowed despite acknowledging that the site lies outside Sherburn’s development limits, where new housing would not normally be supported.
The report says North Yorkshire Council can currently demonstrate just 0.8 years of housing land supply in the former Ryedale area, against the five years required.
As a result, national planning rules mean the “tilted balance” in favour of sustainable development applies, with officers concluding that the harm caused by the development would not significantly outweigh its benefits.
The scheme would provide 35 per cent affordable housing, equivalent to 18 affordable properties if all 52 homes were built.
Around 1.4 hectares of public open space and a children’s play area are proposed, while the development would also deliver more than ten per cent biodiversity net gain.
The Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board has warned that nearby Sherburn and Rillington Practice does not have capacity for the additional population. A developer contribution of £61,368 towards healthcare infrastructure is therefore proposed.
Officers also acknowledge the development would cause some harm to the setting of the Grade II-listed Brewery House by building on largely undeveloped agricultural land.
However, they conclude this would be at the lower end of “less than substantial harm” and would be outweighed by the benefits of providing market and affordable housing, public open space and biodiversity improvements.
Highways officers, Natural England and the council’s ecologist have raised no objections subject to conditions.
By: Joe Willis, LDRS
