A NEW housing development with more than 120 new homes and new office buildings is set to get the go-ahead next week.

Plans to demolish the former Papyrus works in Newton Kyme, close to Tadcaster, and build 128 new houses and nine office units, were submitted to Selby District Council last year.

The housing, which will include 21 two-bedroom apartments, 89 four-bedroom houses, six three-bedroom houses, five five-bedroom houses and seven two-bedroom houses, will go before the council’s planning committee next Wednesday.

In a report by planning officers, and submitted for the consideration of the committee, the development is recommended for approval.

The report said the developers, Redrow Homes, “have offered 32 affordable units with tenure being split between 51 per cent shared equity and 49 per cent social rent”, meaning a quarter of the housing units delivered by the scheme would go towards improving the number of affordable homes available in the Selby district. No information is yet available as to how many jobs could be created by the scheme.

A number of planning applications have been submitted for the site since 1974, for, among other things, new administration offices, office and storage buildings extensions, car parking and a new access road, as well as the demolition of the old paper mill.

Following consultation with local residents and authorities, a spokesman for Tadcaster Town Council said: “Members welcomed the plans as they would greatly improve this derelict area”, while just 12 responses were received from members of the public.

"Some raised concerns over extra noise and traffic caused by the development, while others welcomed the 128-home design over a previous 140-home submission. One resident wrote: “The development needs to be done as soon as possible, it would be nice to see the factory go”.

The planning officer’s report also said the development would also require contributions to be made by developers for primary school provision which, based on the scheme, would be a contribution of £435,072.

The scheme will be decided by the council’s planning committee on Wednesday.