A public examination will take place in Harrogate this week for the 4,000-home Maltkiln new settlement.

A government-appointed inspector will examine North Yorkshire Council’s development plan document, which guides how the scheme would be built.

The council has a major say in Maltkiln as it’s the largest allocation for housing in the already agreed Harrogate local plan.

Planning permission has not been approved yet but the scheme would be built near the villages of Cattal, Whixley, Green Hammerton and Kirk Hammerton.

The council says the document “sets a clear and ambitious thirty-year vision” for Maltkiln.

It includes details of the site’s boundaries, how the homes would be developed alongside local transport infrastructure and how it will combat the effects of climate change.

During the examination, the inspector will hold public sessions where interested parties can make representations about the plans.

The inspector will look at whether the plans have been properly consulted with local residents and whether the developer and council have met a host of objectives on matters like biodiversity and transport.

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Following the hearing, he will publish a report recommending whether or not the council can adopt the development plan, if it’s legally sound and if any modifications are needed to make the homes deliverable.

The examination will begin today (September 17) at the Civic Centre in Harrogate and is scheduled to last all week.

Key players like North Yorkshire Council, the developer Caddick Group and local parish councils will read out statements and respond to questions from the inspector.

Also speaking will be a representative of the Dent family, previously one of the site’s major landowners. However, they withdrew after talks with the council broke down in December 2022.

Whether Maltkiln can move forward without Caddick owning 42 per cent of the intended site will be a key issue for the inspector to mull over.

North Yorkshire Council has said “as a last resort” it would be prepared to use compulsory purchase orders (CPO) to force a sale.

In its statement that is due to be read tomorrow, the council said it is working with government housing agency Homes England and specialist consultants on preparations for the CPO being used.

More information about the hearing including a timetable for the week is available here – https://www.northyorks.gov.uk/planning-and-conservation/planning-policy/planning-policy-your-local-area/harrogate-planning-policy/new-settlement-maltkiln-development-plan-document/new-settlement-maltkiln-development-plan-document-hearing-information