Picture courtesy of the Stray Ferret
Maltkiln - A revised consultation plan
March-2024
It was recently announced by the Wetherby-based developers, Caddick Group, that a public consultation will take place between 2pm and 8pm on Tuesday, 7th May at Kirk Hammerton Village Hall. It presents a good opportunity to learn more about the plans for this huge new settlement, further details can be found at: www.maltkilnvillage.co.uk/.
An article about this can also be seen on the “Stray Ferret” website.
The revised Plan document for this new development was submitted by North Yorkshire Council on 27 March 2024. The headline figures are that there will now be at least 3,000 new homes and a new community of over 8,000 residents, located only a few miles north-east of Wetherby. The Development Plan submission documents can be viewed on the Council’s website.
The next stage in the process is that there will be an Examination of the Plan by an Independent Planning Inspector in late 2024. This will be arranged by the Planning Inspectorate.
If this goes ahead, this huge development, only a 10-to-15-minute drive from Wetherby, will undoubtedly have major implications for our local area. Such a large settlement is likely to result in around 4,500/5,000 additional cars, placing further strain on our already congested local roads and parking. BW will be closely monitoring the situation over the coming months and report further when the dates of the Planning Inquiry are known.
March-2024
It was recently announced by the Wetherby-based developers, Caddick Group, that a public consultation will take place between 2pm and 8pm on Tuesday, 7th May at Kirk Hammerton Village Hall. It presents a good opportunity to learn more about the plans for this huge new settlement, further details can be found at: www.maltkilnvillage.co.uk/.
An article about this can also be seen on the “Stray Ferret” website.
The revised Plan document for this new development was submitted by North Yorkshire Council on 27 March 2024. The headline figures are that there will now be at least 3,000 new homes and a new community of over 8,000 residents, located only a few miles north-east of Wetherby. The Development Plan submission documents can be viewed on the Council’s website.
The next stage in the process is that there will be an Examination of the Plan by an Independent Planning Inspector in late 2024. This will be arranged by the Planning Inspectorate.
If this goes ahead, this huge development, only a 10-to-15-minute drive from Wetherby, will undoubtedly have major implications for our local area. Such a large settlement is likely to result in around 4,500/5,000 additional cars, placing further strain on our already congested local roads and parking. BW will be closely monitoring the situation over the coming months and report further when the dates of the Planning Inquiry are known.
Maltkiln - A potential development of 4000 new homes
Dec-2023
Better Wetherby had hoped that this proposal would be shelved. However a recent press article suggests that it may raise its head again. Better Wetherby will be closely following this, we believe that a 4000 home 'village' on the doorsteps of Wetherby will produce an intolerable strain on our community, and will be attempting to ensure that North Yorkshire/Harrogate liaise and consult with Wetherby and Leeds on this development - unfortunately we have seen in multiple instances that this co-operation has not happened.
Feb-2023
Better Wetherby are aware of a delay in the consultation process as highlighted in our January newsletter. We suspect that the developer wishes to continue with this development and will monitor the siituation over the following months. A more recent update was published in the Wetherby News/Harrogate Advertiser.
7-Dec-2022
Better Wetherby have formally submitted their objection to the outline planning application for this development. You can read our objection letter here on our website - we would encourage everyone to make their views (supporting or objecting!) known to HBC on their portal (19/00017/EIAMAJ). Bear in mind that the developer has stated that Wetherby provide convenient leisure, shopping, schools etc. yet their has been no studies to assess the actual impact of this development on the residents of West Yorkshire. Furthermore Harrogate BC appear to have failed in their duty to co-operate with Wetherby and/or Leeds and have not even notified them that there is a possible development that may impact upon their infrastructure. It is also noteworthy that HBC intend reducing the number of 'affordable homes' on this site from the currently recommended 40% to only 20%, this reduction may then become the 'standard' for future development in Harrogate.
News Update 25-November-22
Better Wetherby have identified a serious data breach by Harrogate BC on their consultation site, we are currently corresponding with HBC to understand how this breach could have occured - see articles in Stray Ferret and Yorkshire Post for further details (also available via our 'BW in the News' page).
We suspect that this breach MIGHT be a result of HBC's desire to 'rush' this development through prior to responsibility for plaanning matters being handed over to North Yorkshire in a few months time.
We also have recently become aware the there is an open outline planning application for this development on the HBC portal (19/00017/EIAMAJ). We find it difficult to understand why this had been submitted prior to the completion of the consultation process, and all comments need to be submitted by 23-Dec-2022. Furthermore, to our knowledge, there has been no notification (Councils have a 'duty to cooperate') with either Wetherby or Leeds as to their views on the development, despite documents specifically identifying Wetherby as location of one of "The nearest major employment, education, retail and leisure facilities" ; and also that Wetherby has the closest secondary school!
As detailed in our latest Newsletter, Better Wetherby have only recently been made aware of this proposal, currently open for consultation on the Harrogate BC website
There is an opportunity for members of the public to comment on the scheme, however this closed on 25th November.
Comments/ responses can be made, by the deadline of 25th November, directly onto the HBC portal, or in writing using a comment form (available on the HBC website or from most libraries in Harrogate district). You may also send comments to [email protected]
BW believe that this development may have a considerable negative impact on Wetherby, in the shape of additional traffic, emissions and strain on already overstretched services, such as surgeries and schools.
> Cattal is less than 5 miles from the centre of Wetherby, around 10 minutes by car.
BW’s concern is that much of the pressure from this scheme will fall, once again, on Wetherby with the development generating some 6,500 additional cars. Equally of concern is that HBC is apparently preparing to ditch its own policy on Affordable Housing provision from 40% of new developments to 20%, that this will then form a requirement for all new developments which opens the floodgates across the area.
BW’s have also recently sent a press release expressing our concerns regarding this development.
We have also formally submitted a consultation response highlighting a number of areas of concern, including:
- A failure by HBC to consult Wetherby or Leeds resident/councils of these plans. HBC were criticised on this aspect during the 2019 Public Inquiry into a proposed development on Stockeld Park Land
- Premature, not required to maintain housing supply to meet Harrogate Local Plan
- Insufficient affordable housing. Furthermore this would set a dangerous precedent in lowering the requirements for future developments
- Impact on transport.
