Councillors set to reconsider Brayton 204-home development
A meeting will be held
Plans for a 204-home development on farmland near Selby are set to be reconsidered by councillors next week.
North Yorkshire Council’s Selby and Ainsty area planning committee deferred a decision on an application earlier this year.
Members will reconsider the proposal on Tuesday after asking for further information when it was first debated in May.
The application seeks full planning permission for 204 homes, together with associated roads, open space, landscaping and drainage infrastructure.
Planning officers are once again recommending approval, subject to the completion of a Section 106 agreement and planning conditions.
When the scheme was previously considered, councillors voted to defer a decision to allow discussions between the applicant, local division member and planning officers over whether changes could better reflect the character of the area.
Members also requested clarification over the quality of the agricultural land that would be lost if the development proceeds.
In response, the applicant has submitted an agricultural land classification assessment and a detailed design statement.
The agricultural survey found that most of the eight-hectare site is Grade 3b land, with around one hectare classified as Grade 3a, which is considered “best and most versatile” farmland.
Officers conclude that while the loss of this land would cause harm, it is limited and outweighed by the benefits of delivering new housing.
The design statement also addresses concerns over the density and appearance of the development.
It argues the scheme would have a density of just over 30 dwellings per hectare, broadly comparable with neighbouring housing estates in Brayton.
Discussions have also taken place with the local division member, covering issues including parking, open space, bungalow provision and traffic.
Although the council’s urban design and landscape officers continue to express concerns about the overall character and layout of the scheme, they say these issues are not significant enough to justify refusing the application and can instead be addressed through planning conditions controlling landscaping and materials.
Planning officers say the council’s inability to demonstrate a five-year housing land supply means national planning policy weighs heavily in favour of sustainable housing developments.
The proposal has generated significant local opposition, with 162 objections lodged during several rounds of consultation.
Concerns raised by residents include increased traffic, pressure on schools and GP services, loss of greenfield land, drainage issues, impact on wildlife and fears the development would harm the rural character of Brayton.
Brayton Parish Council also objected, arguing the scale of development was “out of keeping” with the village and warning the nearby A19 junction would struggle to cope with additional traffic from potentially hundreds of extra vehicles.