A planning application for a new residential development to the south west of Harrogate has won the backing of the Borough Council’s planning committee.
Banks Property put forward proposals last year for a new housing scheme on a 6.5 hectare site at Castle Hill Farm off Whinney Lane in Pannal Ash.
The scheme will provide up to 130 new family homes, as well as areas of informal green space and new pedestrian links, and will bring a range of tangible benefits to the area, including new jobs on the site during its construction and contributions towards meeting local affordable housing needs and local education provision.
Banks Property held three community drop-in sessions at which dozens of local residents examined the details of the development and gave their ideas on how it could support local priorities for community improvement.
And Harrogate Borough Council’s planning committee has now resolved to approve the planning application in line with the recommendation of their planning officers.
Part of the family-owned Banks Group, Banks Property develops brownfield and greenfield for commercial and residential property schemes using a ‘development with care’ approach, and has successfully undertaken a wide range of projects across northern England and Scotland since the late 1980s.
Lewis Stokes, community relations manager at The Banks Group, says: “Having had a recommendation for approval for this scheme, we’re very pleased that the members of the planning committee have now been minded to give their backing to the project.
“The Castle Hill Farm site, which is allocated in the current emerging local plan, will include up to 130 new family homes and areas of informal green space, and has been designed to bring a range of economic, employment, environmental, supply chain and social benefits to the area.
“There is a clear and increasingly pressing need right across northern England to increase the available supply of quality homes. Our Castle Hill Farm scheme will soon help to address this need for Harrogate, and will also provide people wanting to stay in or move to the area with a greater opportunity to do so.
“Our team has worked hard to share information about the scheme across local communities, and we are grateful to all the local residents who took the time to share their opinions and ideas about it with us.
“Banks Property is actively looking to extend its interests across the Yorkshire region and the Castle Hill Farm scheme will help us build momentum towards achieving this goal.
“We will now look to move this project forward as soon as possible and will keep local communities fully informed as progress is made.”