A MAJOR HOUSING scheme is recommended for approval in the grounds of a country estate in York.

Proposals for The Retreat on Heslington Road are due before the Planning Committee of City of York Council, after they were submitted in November 2022, with a revision earlier this year.

The PJ Livesay Group seek to convert the 18th Century former mental asylum and some related building, and erect new homes, giving 120 in total, with communal facilities for residents.

Eight would be 8 1-bed, 45 2-bed, 52 3-bed, 9 4-bed and 6 5-bed.

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The main complex and (with demolition of unlisted structures) and other buildings on-site would be converted. Catherine House and 26 Green Dykes Lane would be demolished and 18 new homes built on Garrow Hill and Garrow Bank.

There would be parking for 220 cars, including 30 for visitors.

The registered park and garden would be accessible to residents, with limited public access to the grounds.

A report prepared for the Thursday committee meeting says in consultation, the Georgian Group and the Georgian Society welcomed the proposals to renovate the historic building.

But Sport England objected due to the loss of a cricket pitch.

(Image: pic supplied)

Other representations saw concern over the loss of land that could be used for sport, calls for a public footpath to be upgraded to a bridleway, and fears the homes would generate extra traffic congestion in the area.

The report noted the buildings on site “are no longer fit for health and clinician purposes” which was why such services relocated to Haxby Road in 2018.

Planning staff also noted government planning policy supports the residential re-use of buildings to boost housing supply.

The benefits of this outweighed any harm to the existing buildings and the new-builds would have little impact on the landscape.

Officers noted advice from Historic England, who said the proposal would improve the heritage significance of the site, helped by the removal of later additions with ‘detract’ from this. Its new viable use would also secure its long-term future.

Recommending approval, their report concluded: “In principle, the proposed residential-lead redevelopment of the site (which is almost entirely vacant) and overall benefit to heritage assets is consistent with all three overarching objectives of sustainable development in the NPPF: economic, social and environmental.

“The benefits of the scheme clearly and convincingly outweigh the identified harm, which is a low adverse impact on landscape and visual impact and less than substantial harm to the character and appearance of the Retreat Conservation Area. Following the appropriate technical assessment, the land is not regarded to be Green Belt.”

However, a final decision will have to be made by the Secretary of State.

The conclusion explained: “The referral is required because the site includes playing fields and there has been an objection from Sport England.”