Norton: Plans for 645 homes on Beverley Road given go-ahead

The long awaited application on land adjacent to Norton Lodge, Beverley Road, Norton, approved unanimously by North Yorkshire Council’s Strategic Planning Committee at a meeting yesterday (Tuesday).

Officers had recommended the approval subject to 66 conditions.

The plans, submitted by Barratt and David Wilson Homes, and Taylor Wimpey include 645 homes comprising of 12, one bedroom properties, 142 two bedroom houses 272 three bedroom and 219 four bedroom homes with parking and landscaping.

A new link road from Beverley Road to Hugden Way is included in the application along with outline planning permission for the building of a primary school.

The meeting was told the benefits of the scheme outweighed any drawbacks.

Planning officer Alan Goforth, said: “The development will provide a major boost to area’s housing supply including 141 affordable properties. The link rod will relieve congestion in both Norton and Malton and help improve the air quality which has been an issue hanging over the towns for a number of years.

“In addition there will be space for a new school and open space the size of 13 football pitches, while the site will have a positive economic impact, bringing jobs to the area and £2.3m or CIL funding.

The meeting was told the housing would be phased over 10 years with the link road due to be in place by the complement of the first 70 to 100 houses. It would also have a speed limit of 30mph.

Mr Goforth added that concerns had been raised by the Environment Agency, Education Authority, Sofina, Malton Town Council and some local residents.

“Their concerns include odour, noise, the siting of the school, highways safety and the impact on the sewerage system, however officers consider the development will be of ‘significant benefit’ overall.”

Cllr Caroline Goodwick said that she did not think the siting of the school was suitable due to the ‘noise and smell’.

“I do not believe the location is the right environment for the education of children,” she added.

“I also have concerns over the impact on an already full-to-capacity sewerage system. With over 600 houses, that is at least 2,500 people and around 10,000 toilet flushes a day.

“In addition, people already struggle to get a doctors appointment – something needs to be done to address this.”

Councillors also considered that labour used on the new site should be from the local area and restrictions should be made on lorry movements through Scagglethorpe and Settrington.

It was also agreed that a sustainably strategy should be added to the developer’s conditions to ensure houses were fitted with electric charging points and water butts.

Funding from the CIL should also be used to look at improvements to medical care in Malton and Norton.

Norton Town Council backed the development subject to a number of conditions stressing that the link road is vital in relieving congestion in the town and therefore should be constructed prior to the building of any dwellings.

They said: “The link road should also be wide enough to accommodate the largest HGVs, with the roundabouts capable of being traversed without the need to mount kerbs, or consider mini roundabout types that do not require kerbs.”

A spokesperson for Barratt and David Wilson Homes, and Taylor Wimpey said: “We’ve been working closely with Council Officers for over four years and are very pleased that the scheme has been approved by the Strategic Planning Committee.

“We believe this development represents a well-planned and much-needed investment in Norton’s future. The plans will provide a new link road from Beverley Road to Hugden Way to help ease congestion in the town centre, safeguarded land for a new school, and significant financial contributions including £2.3m of CIL payments towards local services, facilities and infrastructure. We have also worked closely with Yorkshire Water on a site-specific drainage appraisal.

“The development will also make a major contribution towards easing the housing shortage locally and help North Yorkshire meet its ambitious housing targets. It has been allocated for new homes in the Ryedale Local Plan, and our proposals include affordable homes for local people, with a mix of discounted rentals and shared ownership. These homes will be set around extensive public open space which would cover 13 football pitches, as part of an overall package which will deliver 18% biodiversity net gain on-site.

“By working closely with councillors and the wider community, we’ve been able to shape a plan that delivers the greatest possible benefits to local people.”