Knaresborough Road development (2015)
How the new site might look
Your views on the proposed new site
Since the plans were made public we have received several letters of reaction which we publish below:
New accesses on main road would be dangerous
I am concerned about the following aspects:
- That there are two new accesses directly off the Knaresborough Road servicing six of the houses. Surely this is playing with danger and conflicting with earlier planning recommendations
- There are more and larger houses to buy, fewer and smaller affordable houses with even fewer to buy (shared ownership)
- Only two houses take advantage of the best views!
- The plan seems a backwards step from the last application in 2013.
I see from the Harrogate BC site that views about the plan need to be submitted by by Friday, February 6. I hope other villagers will send their comments, whichever way they feel.
Worried (name and address supplied)
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Let traffic use the existing road at the rear of the site
I am grateful to 'Worried' for drawing our attention to flaws in what might otherwise be seen as a thoughtful attempt to provide an attractive new development for the village.
I completely agree that it would be very dangerous to have two more traffic outlets leading onto the Knaresborough Road - a particularly busy, fast and dangerous stretch of road.
There is talk of having traffic calming measures on this road but, I wonder, would these be effective coming just before or after a dangerous summit which often endangers cars turning into the existing road to the Village Hall and Playing Fields?
Couldn't these two new exits for traffic onto Knaresborough Road be removed, and instead traffic be directed out onto the existing road at the rear of the site - even it if does mean diminishing to so-called 'Village Green'?
It may be too late, but I suggest the planners produce yet another plan!
Monktonian
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Let's not hang around any longer
My view is that the plan shown is a big improvement on earlier ones and I feel we have hung around far too long already and now ought to get behind the proposals and get on with it.
The new plan has obviously addressed a number of the earlier concerns,. and I think it now offers a bright, modern and attractive new development which will enhance the village.
Let's Get Something Done (name and address supplied)
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Take action to cut back speeding on Knaresborough Road
For the new homes development then I don't have any strong views but I would urge the Parish Council to use it as an opportunity if possible to do something about speeding on Knaresborough Road and the dangerous crossroads. I note that this is under discussion in the minutes.
Also I would like to see all possible measures to control light pollution applied to any proposed street
lighting. The best option as currently adopted by HBC is to have all but the most important lights go off completely from around midnight. The second best option also adopted by HBC is to shield lights from anything but downwards transmission. The third option HBC are adopting is to use so called low energy lighting. The problem with this type of lighting is that it is broad spectrum and destroys night vision.
With very few exceptions my understanding from contacting HBC is that all of the current village lighting is under the control of the Parish Council not HBC and so is unfortunately not under the new measures imposed by HBC to reduce light pollution.
However, for any new development I would hope this important point to protect the view of our night skies is taken
into consideration.
Chris
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How do you feel about the plan?
You can express your views in one of two ways:
l. You can log on to the Harrogate BC Planning site and express your views there, but any comments must be submitted by February 6 (see how below).
and/or
2. You can submit your views for publication of this Village Forum. Please send them to EditorBMToday@aol.com
We prefer to use your name, but if you wish to remain anonymous, we will conform to this as long as you let us know your name and address (which then will not be published).
(It is suggested that those who send comments to the village website should also submit these thoughts to Harrogate BC Planning - see how above).
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How to obtain more information about the plan
This link takes you to the Harrogate BC Planning site which contains full details of the planning application by Kebbell Homes:
http://uniformonline.harrogate.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=NGOQOIHYFFS00
Then choose:
'Documents'
'View associated documents'
A list of 50+ documents will appear, under various names, across 3 pages, Some, by their title, are self explanatory (eg Parish Council, Surface Water Drainage) and others include:
- DWQ Site Plan (Landscape Plan), which gives a detailed picture of the proposed layout.
- Design and Access Statement, which is a 25 page document containing all of their plans and reasoning (including their 2013 proposal and 4 other alternatives).
- Planning Application Form, which defines the number of houses (18), their split between 'open market' and 'affordable' (now 10:8, but only 2 of the 8 to be 'Intermediate' (ie to buy as shared ownership, with the other 6 just for rental). Also the size (number of bedrooms) mixture across the categories.
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