National Highways demands further delay to Haxby North development

National Highways has called on the council not to make a decision on the Haxby North scheme until after August, claiming its developers haven’t done enough to support the use of ‘sustainable transport.’

The demand follows an earlier recommendation from the London-based agency last August for a delay until this February, 2024, claiming it has concerns over road safety in the area.

In January 2023, David Wilson Homes, Barratt Homes, and the Vistry Group submitted plans to City of York Council to build 800 homes, 30 per cent of them affordable.

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Just before Christmas, plans were revised downward to 760 homes, plus a school, on the 33ha site between Usher Lane and Moor Lane.

Now, National Highways is calling on the developers to draw up detailed travel plans on the use of public transport, walking and cycling, adding they have not maximised the accessibility of such activities in their plans.

They also want details of collissions on roads in the area.

They also say the scheme “is not consistent” with the draft local plan and it needs to consider the impact of the nearby Haxby Station on traffic flows.

The demand from National Highways follows health bosses saying they will need at least £760,000 to provide new healthcare facilities, otherwise the homes and their new residents would impose too much pressure on existing healthcare services in the area.

Liberal Democrat Councillor for Haxby and Wigginton Ward, Andrew Hollyer said: "Concerns over the impact of the development on local transport infrastructure is one of the main issues local residents have raised with us. 

"The issues raised by National Highways over the 'lack of accessibility of and within the site by walking, wheeling, cycling, public transport and shared travel', and the need to take account of the wider transport impacts of the development are serious omissions and must be resolved.

"It is disappointing that since National Highways first raised some of these issues in 6 months ago that there are still outstanding as not having been addressed satisfactorily in the application."

A spokesperson for the developers said: “We are working closely with the local authority and national highway authorities.

"Further detailed junction assessments have taken place which analyse potential traffic generation across the local area, and this work will be submitted as part of a package of documents to City of York Council soon. Our additional work will help inform discussions with local and national highways around potential mitigation works.

“National Highways often ask for planning applications to not be granted until they have had further time to assess the proposal. National Highways has also requested further information which our project highways consultants are investigating.

“We have held productive discussions with the local and national highways departments and will continue to do so through the planning process”.