Housing plan rejected over lack of local amenities

A plan to build 32 homes in a village in North Yorkshire has been rejected due to a lack of community facilities.

An outline planning application for the development on land off Colton Lane at Appleton Roebuck had been recommended for approval by officers.

But councillors turned down the scheme after hearing concerns from residents and the parish council.

North Yorkshire Council's Selby and Ainsty area planning committee was told the village had a "poor bus service, a lack of shops and no medical services".

Trevor Costello, representing a residents' group, said the site of the proposed housing conflicted with the adopted neighbourhood development plan.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, he said previous applications for the site had been refused or withdrawn at the High Court following an application for a judicial review.

He said: "We fail to see how this new application can be recommended for approval, as little has changed."

He said the village was not a sustainable location for new housing, adding: "Medical, dentistry and other services cannot be accessed in a timely manner using current public transport, so this will result in numerous additional journeys by car or taxi."

Janet Flint, chair of Appleton Roebuck and Acaster Selby Parish Council, said the scheme would be built outside the village's development limits and would encroach into open countryside.

She said it was not "sustainable infill".

"Appleton Roebuck is classified as the least sustainable village in the Selby area due to its poor bus service, lack of shops and absence of any medical services.

"The local school is at capacity and cannot accommodate additional children.

"The closure of additional amenities such as the garage and the pub further reduce the sustainability score."

Debating the application, Councillor Mike Jordan said: "The question I also ask myself is 'why is it appropriate to put up houses when there's virtually nothing and will result in all those that move there having to travel by car for anything?'"

Councillor Arnold Warneken said he was not convinced the "sustainability of this settlement" had been addressed and that councillors should listen to the parish council and residents.

After further debate, a majority of councillors voted to reject the application at a meeting on Wednesday.