REVIEW OF LOCAL PLAN MUST BE INDEPENDENT, FAIR & TRANSPARENT

Flaxby Park Central Square. General View

Flaxby Park Central Square. General View.

After Harrogate Borough Council was instructed to review its choice of location for a major new settlement, the developer behind plans for Flaxby Park is calling on the council to make its reassessment independent, fair and transparent.

Under Harrogate Council’s draft Local Plan, thousands of homes could be built around Green Hammerton and the A59 would also have to be re-routed. However, independent government inspector Richard Schofield, who is tasked with examining the council’s proposals, has now asked for the locations to be reviewed.

Flaxby Park Ltd, which plans to transform Flaxby’s disused golf course into a new sustainable village community, now says this must be done independently, rather than using the council’s own staff to attempt it again.

Chris Musgrave, from Flaxby Park Ltd, said: “We have consistently argued that the council favouring Green Hammerton as the location for a new settlement, at the expense of Flaxby Park, is based on flawed and inaccurate information.

“The inspector has listened carefully to all of the arguments at the recent Examination in Public and clearly has serious concerns in relation to the selection process, hence his request for the council to reassess the Green Hammerton and Flaxby sites.

“I welcome the inspector’s intervention, which in my view, supports the argument we have put to the council for the past 18 months. We don’t want favours, we just want fairness, and that’s exactly what we now hope to see.

“Indeed, the inspector clearly has concerns or he wouldn’t have asked for the sites to be reassessed. However, if the council is doing the assessment again, they will in theory be critiquing their own work, after they have already publicly stated in the Examination that their opinion about the broad location won’t change.

“I am therefore writing to Wallace Sampson, the Chief Executive of the council to request that he appoints an independent third party, with no connection to the council to perform the review. This will ensure that a fair, impartial and transparent review occurs, which will consider all the information, so it can be accurately weighted and scored.

“I believe that if such a process occurs, then Flaxby Park will come out on top, due to the compelling evidence to support a new settlement on the site.”

In his letter to the council, independent government inspector Richard Schofield, said: “Having considered the submissions from Flaxby Park and Keep The Hammertons Green... it seems to me that the issue of whether additional sustainability appraisal work in relation to broad locations for growth for a new settlement is needed is finely balanced. This being so, I consider that it would be sensible for the council to undertake additional work in this regard.”

Flaxby Park Ltd is owned by internationally renowned businesswoman and philanthropist Dame Ann Gloag OBE, and regeneration experts, Chris Musgrave and Trevor Cartner. The company acquired the disused golf course in 2016. Flaxby Park has been designed by a team of leading consultants, including local, respected architects, Wildblood Macdonald and transport planning advisors, Fore Consulting.

A submitted planning application for Flaxby Park is currently available to view on Harrogate Borough Council’s website. It includes 2,750 high quality homes, a retirement village, two primary schools, a GP surgery, sports facilities and a new village centre. More than 50% of the site will consist of green open space and as part of the scheme, Goldsborough Railway Station will be reopened as a new park and ride station, called Flaxby Parkway Station.

For further information and to view the planning application, visit www.flaxbypark.com or www.harrogate.gov.uk.

HEADLINES

DEVELOPER MAINTAINS FLAXBY IS THE OBVIOUS LOCATION FOR HARROGATE’S NEW SETTLEMENT

SEPT 2019

The development company behind plans for Flaxby Park insists that critical points on Harrogate Borough Council’s latest Sustainability Appraisal swing the ‘finely balanced decision’…   <read more>

ACCESSING AND COMMENTING ON HARROGATE’S LOCAL PLAN

AUG 2019

The consultation into Harrogate Borough’s Local Plan has started and anyone wanting to share their comments must do so by 16:30 on 6th September 2019…   <read more>

COUNCIL U-TURN ON OPPORTUNITY FOR NEW PARK AND RIDE STATION

JULY 2019

Plans to reopen Goldsborough Railway Station and create a much-needed park and ride facility for Harrogate have taken a step forward, with Harrogate Borough Council now acknowledging…   <read more>

FLAXBY PARK DEVELOPER CROWNED WITH OBE

JUNE 2019

The developer behind plans to transform a disused golf course close to Harrogate into an exciting and sustainable new community, has been recognised by The Queen, and awarded an OBE…   <read more>

COUNCILLOR REPRIEVED DESPITE MAKING FALSE ACCUSATIONS

MAY 2019

Flaxby Park Ltd has confirmed it will not make a formal complaint or instigate civil litigation against Councillor Rebeca Burnett after she made a series of defamatory statements against the development company…   <read more>

REVIEW OF LOCAL PLAN MUST BE INDEPENDENT, FAIR & TRANSPARENT

APRIL 2019

After Harrogate Borough Council was instructed to review its choice of location for a major new settlement, the developer behind plans for Flaxby Park is calling on the council to make its reassessment independent, fair and transparent…   <read more>

IT’S FULL STEAM AHEAD FOR FLAXBY DEVELOPER’S PARTNERSHIP WITH ALLERTON WASTE RECOVERY PARK

FEBRUARY 2019

The company behind plans to build 2,750 high quality homes, along with a retirement village, two primary schools, a health centre, sports facilities and a hotel at Flaxby, has revealed plans to use the energy generated…   <read more>

PLANS ON TRACK TO REOPEN RAILWAY STATION FOLLOWING BUILDING ACQUISITION

JANUARY 2019

Plans are on track to reopen a historic North Yorkshire railway station after the development company behind a major new village community at Flaxby, completed the acquisition of Goldsborough’s former station house.…   <read more>

SECOND SHOWCASING EVENT ATTRACTS SUPERB SUPPORT FOR FLAXBY DEVELOPMENT

NOVEMBER 2018

More than three quarters of people who attended the most recent showcasing event for plans to transform Flaxby’s disused golf course into a new sustainable community creating new homes…   <read more>

SECOND SHOWCASING EVENT PLANNED FOR POPULAR FLAXBY DEVELOPMENT

OCTOBER 2018

The developer behind Flaxby Park, which plans to transform Flaxby’s disused golf course into a new sustainable community creating new homes and jobs, is holding a second showcasing event…   <read more>

DEVELOPER SUBMITS FORMAL COMPLAINT ABOUT HARROGATE’S CABINET MEMBER FOR PLANNING

SEPTEMBER 2018

The development company planning to create a major new settlement on Flaxby’s disused golf course has submitted a formal complaint about Councillor Rebecca Reeve-Burnett…   <read more>

OVERWHELMING SUPPORT FOR MUCH-NEEDED NEW HOMES AT FLAXBY

SEPTEMBER 2018

Local business leaders, Harrogate Chamber of Commerce members and residents have all backed the plans to build 2,750 high quality homes along with a retirement village…   <read more>

EVENT WILL MAKE THE CASE FOR MUCH-NEEDED NEW HOMES AT FLAXBY PARK

SEPTEMBER 2018

The developer behind Flaxby Park, which plans to transform Flaxby’s disused golf course into a new sustainable community creating new homes and jobs, will be showcasing…   <read more>

OPEN LETTER URGES HARROGATE BOROUGH COUNCIL TO RECONSIDER PLANS FOR NEW SETTLEMENT

AUGUST 2018

One of the region’s most respected architects has written an open letter to Councillor Rebecca Burnett, Harrogate Borough Council Cabinet Member for Planning…   <read more>

RESPECTED ARCHITECT MICHAEL WILDBLOOD MBE MAKES THE CASE FOR FLAXBY

AUGUST 2018

I am regularly questioned by people who know that I have been involved in the master planning of the Flaxby new settlement proposals for the past two years…   <read more>

PLANS ARE ON TRACK TO REOPEN HISTORIC RAILWAY STATION NEAR KNARESBOROUGH

JUNE 2018

The company behind plans for a major new development at Flaxby is proposing to reopen Goldsborough Railway Station as a new park and ride station…   <read more>

FLAXBY PARK WILL SOLVE HARROGATE’S HOUSING SHORTAGE

MAY 2018

The company behind a major new development at Flaxby, believes it holds the key to unlock Harrogate Borough Council’s under delivery of new housing stock…   <read more>

DEVELOPMENT COMPANY UNVEILS ITS SELF-BUILD VISION FOR HARROGATE

JAN 2018

The transformation of a disused North Yorkshire golf club near Harrogate, into a new sustainable housing development, would offer self-builders…   <read more>

HARROGATE DEVELOPMENT TO DELIVER MAJOR ECONOMIC BENEFITS TO THE DISTRICT

DEC 2017

Transforming a disused golf course at Flaxby into a major new sustainable village community could support over 240 full time construction jobs…   <read more>

DEVELOPMENT COMPANY CHALLENGES COUNCIL’S LOCAL PLAN

DEC 2017

The company planning to transform a disused golf club into a new sustainable housing development…   <read more>

FLAXBY PARK LTD READY TO DELIVER HOMES AND MAJOR INVESTMENT FOR HARROGATE

NOV 2017

Plans to transform a disused golf course into an exciting and sustainable new community, with thousands…   <read more>

FLAXBY PARK REMAINS MOST SUSTAINABLE OPTION FOR HARROGATE LOCAL PLAN

JUNE 2017

The recent recommendation made by Harrogate Borough Council, on their preferred options for the council's…   <read more>

ARKENDALE VILLAGERS GIVEN CHANCE TO QUESTION PLANS FOR FLAXBY PARK

JUNE 2017

Flaxby Park representatives attended a meeting of Arkendale Parish Council on September 6 2016 to outline…   <read more>

LAND OPTION ACQUIRED TO ENSURE QUALITY OF DEVELOPMENT

MAY 2017

Flaxby Park Limited, the company planning to transform an abandoned North Yorkshire golf course into…   <read more>

CONSULTATION WILL BE KEY

APRIL 2016

Consultation with local people and their representatives will be key to the future development of the…   <read more>

BRIGHT NEW FUTURE FOR FLAXBY PARK

APRIL 2016

Ambitious plans have been unveiled to transform an abandoned golf course into a sustainable Yorkshire…   <read more>