970-home Monks Cross Garden Village in York moves forward

Barratt David Wilson Homes has lodged plans to build 170 homes on land west of the A1237 and south of North Lane, in Huntington.

The developer’s application stated the wider Monks Cross Garden Village would promote healthy lifestyles, feature high-quality landscaping in a community-led scheme with its own distinctive character.

Plans lodged with City of York Council come as part of the third phase of the garden village which was approved after the then Conservative Government stepped in in 2022.

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It followed an appeal from the developer to the Planning Inspectorate and it was ruled the council had taken too long to decide on the application.

The latest plans feature 170 homes, including affordable ones, along with landscaping, street scene features and electric vehicle charging points.

A new community hub, shops and a country park are also planned as part of the garden village which is being led by Redrow Homes and Bellway.

They come after the council’s planning committee approved Redrow Homes’ application in October for 314 homes as part of the first phase of the garden village.

The developer’s agent Jennie Hambridge said Redrow Homes had the necessary strategic experience to deliver the development which forms part of the first phase of the Monks Cross Garden Village.

Huntington’s Liberal Democrat councillor Chris Cullwick said the development was set to be the biggest locally for decades but concerns about the mix of homes and access remained.

Three objections were lodged from homes close to the site, calling for their impact on local transport infrastructure and health services to be assessed before construction goes ahead.

Huntington Parish Council also objected when the plans were first lodged, raising concerns over plans for access to the site to come from North Lane.

A phasing plan for the Monks Cross Garden Village, in Huntington, York, could look (Image: Redrow Homes/City of York Council’s planning portal)

October’s planning committee meeting also heard that either a new primary school would be built to serve the homes or contributions would be made to expand existing ones.

It came it response to concerns over spaces for children in local schools once families move in to the development.

The developer’s agent Ms Hambridge said they would work with the community to address any concerns about transport and access, including during construction.

Those plans covered the northern part of the site, with the latest Barratt David Wilson application proposing homes in the south central of the wider development.

Developers said they would follow the principles of garden villages, which include making it easy for pedestrians and cyclists to get around and use public transport, in the wider scheme.

They said: “Just as the original garden cities embraced strong vision and
engagement from the earliest stage to create a strong sense of
community, Redrow and Bellway are committed to doing the same.

“Great homes are one of the most important ambitions and a lasting
legacy of the garden city movement.

“Redrow and Bellway’s approach and philosophy is also rooted in delivering homes of the highest quality as part of carefully-planned communities.”