York planners are backing the approval of 107 homes to be built in a Green Belt location on the edge of the city.
The application from Jomast Developments and GBL Projects concerns a site east of New Lane, which will come before the planning committee of City of York Council next Thursday.
The site is currently farmland, and to its south is the site of the proposed new children’s centre for the Island charity, which received planning approval in May.
The application says all the homes would be ‘affordable’ with a range of tenures and offering a mix of 2,3 and 4-bed homes up to 2.5 storeys in height.
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An indicative layout includes a nature zone of the east side of the site, a village green on the north side of the site, drainage infrastructure (pumping station and attenuation tank), and a sub-station.
There would be multiple pedestrian and cycle connections into the existing route to the immediate north of the site and a 3m wide shared cycle lane and footpath on the east side of New Lane.
A report prepared for the committee meeting says York has a need for 592 affordable homes a year and the site’s 107 homes would be “much needed.”
However, Huntington Parish Council opposes the scheme, saying it is in the Green Belt, would represent overdevelopment, it has an open aspect to the cemetery, it would harm the landscape and the area lacked infrastructure.
Natural England also objected saying the proposals “could have potential significant effects on Strensall Common Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).”
Public consultation led to 20 contributors and 13 objections.
People accepted a need for affordable housing but not on the Green Belt.
They also said the scheme would generate too much traffic, Huntington lacked infrastructure and it had minimal open space. The scheme would increase the size of the suburb by a quarter.
However, the York and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce were supportive, saying the scheme would deliver much-needed affordable housing in a suitable location.
Council planners have recommended approval, with a final decision to be made by the secretary of state.
They said the site was in a sustainable location and the scheme would provide affordable housing for which there is an identified need.
The harm to the Green Belt would be limited. The scheme met the Huntington Neighbourhood Plan is respect of housing need, housing mix, design principles, active travel and biodiversity.
Their conclusion added: “The benefits of the scheme are considered to clearly outweigh the identified harms.”
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