Burton Leonard housing development ‘could put farm out of business’

A grain farmer in Burton Leonard says the construction of 30 homes next door could put his family’s fourth-generation farm out of business.

Knaresborough-based Wharfedale Homes has submitted plans to build 30 homes on the site of the former Alfred Hymas haulage yard.

The plans are due to go before Harrogate Borough Council’s planning committee today.

When the planning committee previously considered the proposal in January, councillors asked for a noise report to be conducted after the adjacent Hammond grain farm raised concerns.

Wharfedale Homes subsequently undertook tests in July and August, which found that noise was at acceptable levels for development.

However, Sue Hammond, from JV Hammond & Sons, told the Stray Ferret the noise from machines was so loud it was similar to a helicopter running continuously, often until the early hours of the morning. She added that the noise tests were undertaken when the farm was quiet because it was a poor harvest.

Ms Hammond is concerned that if the development goes ahead, residents will make noise complaints against the farm and it will eventually get shut down.

She said:

“It will impact on our way of life and there won’t be a farming future for us if this development goes through.”

She said people buying the homes would have to endure loud machinery when the farmers process the grain.

“People that buy £500,000 houses who are having a barbecue and Pimm’s on the lawn don’t want to listen to us working away until 11pm at night.”

A spokesperson for Wharfedale Homes said:

“Wharfedale Homes have undertaken all the required assessments to ensure the proposed development would be built in compliance with all relevant local and national environmental regulations, as required under the statutory planning process.”

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According to Mrs Hammond, prior to Hymas selling the site for housing there was a good relationship between the two families, who would even go on holiday together.

She said if the development goes ahead it will be “devastating” for the prospects of her children, including her son Jake who this week started studying for an agriculture qualification at Askham Bryan College in York.

The Hymas family declined to comment.

Burton Leonard residents ‘about to erupt’ over housing development

Residents in Burton Leonard are “about to erupt” over a housing development which they say has breached planning conditions around the invasive plant Himalayan balsam.

Chartford Homes has planning permission to build 31 homes at Flats House in the village but an ecology report found there is an infestation of the plant on the site. Himalayan balsam is infamous for its impact on the environment and its explosive seed heads spread very easily.

According to Harrogate Borough Council planning documents, there is a condition attached to the development that says there must be an exclusion zone to remove the plant before construction can begin.

However, Keith Townson from Burton Leonard Parish Council told the Stray Ferret that construction workers were ignoring this for weeks and potentially spreading Himalayan balsam around the village.

Mr Townson said HBC’s planning enforcement department has been “as much use a chocolate fireguard” and called on them to pause the development until the problem is dealt with.

He said:

“Once you know there’s an invested area you have to fence it off but they’ve had trucks and land rovers through it. We’re worried it will spread all over the village. They were supposed to have a tyre washing but they’ve not got that in place either.

“It’s disgraceful. Harrogate Borough Council is allowing the developers to ride roughshod over planning conditions.”

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Harrogate Borough Council said: “We have attended the site, spoken to the developers and the parish council and can confirm there are no further issues at this time.”

Chartford Homes declined to make a comment when asked by the Stray Ferret.