Maltkiln developer still ‘confident’ in new town near Cattal

The developers behind a planned new town of up to 4,000 homes said they “remain confident” the project will go ahead, despite one of the landowners pulling out.

Caddick Group, which has submitted plans for a settlement called Maltkiln near Cattal, said it is continuing to work with other landowners and local authorities on the project.

It comes after Harrogate Borough Council announced yesterday it was “pausing” its work to submit a development plan document (DPD) to the Secretary of State for a new settlement in the area because one of the pieces of land was no longer available.

A spokesperson for Caddick Group said:

“As with most large and complex developments, the proposed new settlement at Maltkiln involves several landowners and we have been working with them for a number of years.

“It is regrettable that one of the landowners has now expressed their intention to withdraw their support for the development. However, we continue to have positive relationships with the other landowners and we remain confident that development can progress in accordance with the policy objectives of Harrogate Borough Council’s Development Plan Document for the new settlement.

“The Maltkiln site was established as the preferred option by Harrogate Borough Council based on its location, accessibility and relative freedom from constraints.

“In parallel with the council’s DPD process, we have undertaken thorough community and stakeholder consultation as part of defining our proposals to deliver much needed new housing and associated amenities for this part of North Yorkshire.

“We intend to continue a positive dialogue with all the landowners in the vicinity of our site and any updated proposals will be publicised after we have discussed with the borough and county councils how the amended site area may best be developed in accordance with the proposed DPD.”

Caddick put forward plans last year for two primary schools, a GP surgery and shops as part of its proposal. It also said the homes would be built to “very high environmental standards” with communal air and ground source heat pumps, solar power generation and electric vehicle charging points in every home.

Several “mobility hubs” are planned to offer fast charging for vehicles as well as repairs and storage for e-scooters and bicycles, and flexible working spaces available to hire.

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Cllr Arnold Warneken, whose Ouseburn division includes the proposed site, said he was concerned that changes to the land available could impact the viability of the whole development.

The Green Party councillor said he was “not surprised” one of the landowners had pulled out, as any of them could be considering other uses for their land that might be “more viable”. He added:

“I’m not surprised but I’m concerned about the impact that might have on the rest of the development.

“My concern is that the viability would be an excuse for changing the specification to not being an exemplar for carbon neutrality and so on. At some point, we could end up with a developer wanting a standard housing estate.”

Cllr Warneken said he would work to bring together all the affected parish councils in the area again to discuss any changes to the proposals as a result of the piece of land being withdrawn.

New settlement plans ‘paused’ after land withdrawn near Cattal

Plans for a new settlement to the east of Knaresborough have been paused after a key piece of land was withdrawn from the proposal.

Harrogate Borough Council said its submission of the proposed new settlement development plan document (DPD) for the Green Hammerton and Cattal area to the Secretary of State has had to be postponed.

The decision has been made after the owner of a piece of land said it was no longer available.

A spokesperson for HBC said:

“We have been notified that an area of land previously available and included in the proposed new settlement boundary has been withdrawn and is no longer available for development.

“As a result, submission of the proposed new settlement DPD to the Secretary of State for independent examination has been paused while options are considered.”

The DPD for a new settlement has to be approved by the government before any development can take place.

This does not affect a planning application already submitted by developer Caddick Group for up to 4,000 homes, as well as two primary schools, a GP surgery and shops.

The development, known as Maltkiln, was lodged with Harrogate Borough Council but looks likely to be decided by the new North Yorkshire Council after it comes into effect from April 1.

However, it can only be given approval if the principle of a new development in the area is accepted by the Secretary of State, via submission of the new settlement DPD.

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No.7: The ongoing saga over Maltkiln

In this article, which is part of a series on the 12 stories in the Harrogate district that shaped 2022, we look at the debate over a planned new 3,000 town in the Harrogate district called Maltkiln.

When Harrogate Borough Council unveiled a planned new town on the edge of the district, which could be home to 10,000 people, it was always likely to generate a mixed response.

The development, which was revealed to be called Maltkiln this year, promises up to 3,000 homes, two primary schools, as well as shops and employment space.

The aim of the scheme near Hammerton and Cattal is to make a dent in the district’s housing demand.

However, this year It faced questions over its green credentials, the lack of secondary education and criticism over a council-run consultation.

The layout for Maltkiln, which is centred around Cattal Station

From the start, there were eyebrows raised over the name itself – but that was the tip of the iceberg when it came to critics of the scheme.

Since the start of the consultation in October, Cllr Arnold Warneken raised questions over the process and its transparency.

First there was a plea to extend the survey after it emerged that some details in the housing document had been changed part way through.

It was enough for Cllr Warneken to threaten the council with a judicial review.

In a letter, he said:

“As you will appreciate, use of that sort of terminology starts to take us into legal areas such as judicial review.

“We have no wish to go there. If nothing else, it would be a huge waste of public money. However, please don’t underestimate the level of frustration of local residents.”

The borough council eventually agreed to the extension.

Then the authority was forced to apologise after publishing personal details of those who had submitted views to the consultation.

But the debate surrounding Maltkiln did not stop at an administrative process.

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Much was made over the fact that the development – which is the size of Thirsk – had no secondary school.

Instead, council officials confirmed that those students of a secondary school age look set to travel to Boroughbridge High School.

As a result, councillors raised questions over how this reflected on the the scheme’s green aims.

As Cllr Pat Marsh, chair of the Harrogate and Knaresborough constituency committee, said in November:

“Why are we saying this is a sustainable community and yet expecting children to travel at 11 to Boroughbridge?”

A vibrant community

The council has maintained that it wants Maltkiln to be a “vibrant new community in its own right” which compliments the surrounding villages.

It has also pointed out that the plan for the new town is spread over 30 years.

For some villagers, there is hope that the new scheme will inject young blood into the area.

Keith Welton, 74, who lives in Cattal, told the Stray Ferret in July that he was taking a pragmatic approach to the new town by hoping the new North Yorkshire Council is firm with developers by ensuring affordable homes are built.

He said:

“There’s an acute need for affordable housing. Many of our young people come out of university and want to go to Leeds, Manchester or London. They settle down, and they want to come back. We need to capitalise on that talent and make housing available for them.”

“I’m 74 and you can’t have a village full of 74 year olds!”

For Harrogate Borough Council, choosing the area for 3,000 new homes is arguably one of its biggest decisions ahead of its abolition in April.

County council agrees creation of 30-year housing plan

North Yorkshire County Council has agreed to create a county-wide local plan that will plot where housing and development can take place over the next 30 years.

Conservative councillors on the authority’s executive met today to approve the creation of the document, which must be finalised within five years of the new North Yorkshire Council forming on April 1.

It will replace the seven local plans that are currently used by the soon-to-be abolished district councils.

This also means the reviews that are under way on the plans for Harrogate Borough Council and Craven District Council will be halted. However, both documents will still guide planning decisions until the new local plan is created.

Harrogate Borough Council’s local plan says around 13,000 homes can be built across the district between 2014 and 2034.

Conservative Mid-Craven councillor Simon Myers, executive member for planning for growth, told the meeting that the local plan will be “hugely important to the economic vitality of the county”.

He said:

“It’s hugely important for the provision of housing and for many strategic matters. It is imperative we have an ambitious local plan for North Yorkshire and that planning committees abide by it.”

Cllr Myers confirmed that the new council will create six new planning committees to oversee decisions across parliamentary constituency areas, such as Harrogate and Knaresborough, and Skipton and Ripon.

Linda Marfitt, acting head of place-shaping and economic growth at the council, said the creation of a new local plan is a “great opportunity to deliver some of the ambitions the new council will have”.

She said:

“A plan-led approach will ensure the new council is in the best possible place to guide quality development and infrastructure.”

Maltkiln

While a review into Harrogate council’s local plan will now not take place, work on the Maltkiln development plan document will continue.

Maltkiln is the name of a new settlement proposed by the Oakgate Group around Cattal railway station.

It is set to have between 3,000 and 4,000 homes, as well as two primary schools, shops and a GP surgery.

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The development plan is in the latter stages of development, after being worked on for the last two years. It sets out a 30-year vision and policy framework on how Maltkiln is designed and developed.

However, Arnold Warneken, Green Party councillor for Ouseburn division, described the process of forming it as “rushed” and said residents have unanswered questions over the boundary of the settlement as well as the position of a new relief road.

He said:

“The whole process, from my perspective and the eight parish councils it will affect, has been rushed. I’m really, really keen that if this settlement goes ahead it becomes the exemplar it’s meant to be. 

“I don’t want it to be rushed, I want it to be right. I want to exercise caution before the inspector gets his hands on it”.

In response, Cllr Michael Harrison, Conservative councillor for Killinghall, Hampsthwaite & Saltergate as well as executive member for health and adult said: 

“We want the Maltkiln DPD to be right and planning in Harrogate could never be described as rushed.”

He added: 

“If we pause progression of DPD it ceases to be a plan-led approach in the local area. 

“The worst thing we could do is to stop the Maltkiln DPD because we’d still have to determine those planning applications.”

Harrogate council apologises after publishing personal details

Harrogate Borough Council has apologised after leaking the personal details of people who commented on a consultation on its website.

The consultation over the proposed new settlement at Cattal, known as Maltkiln, has been open since October 3 and closes tonight.

However, one participant discovered this week that details which were redacted, including home addresses, phone numbers and email addresses, could still be accessed by members of the public.

Roger Owen, chairman of community group Better Wetherby, said the group became aware on Wednesday that his personal details were accessible on the site and immediately contacted Harrogate Borough Council.

He said:

“This is a very serious breach. GDPR [General Data Protection Regulations] is there to safeguard individuals’ identities among other things. I know Harrogate council has only a few months left before a unitary authority is created in North Yorkshire, but that’s no reason to become sloppy.

“Social media engenders sometimes extreme views and it makes it easy for people to get on the backs of those they don’t agree with. People can have extreme views on contentious matters such as Maltkiln and GDPR is there to prevent people whose views are violently opposed to those of Better Wetherby coming to my house and smashing the car up.

“This is a massive planning application which is going to have a major effect on Wetherby, amongst other things.”

Residents are required to give their contact details in consultations in order to ensure all responses submitted are genuine.

Roger Owen's letter was redacted, but his personal details were still accessibleRoger Owen’s letter was redacted, but his personal details were still accessible.

However, the council has a duty to protect their personal details and not to publish them.

The council blamed a “processing error” for the situation, which meant although black marks were placed over personal details on PDFs submitted by respondents, people viewing them could still copy the text underneath and paste it, completely visible, into another document.

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Arnold Warneken, a Green Party councillor representing Ouseburn on North Yorkshire County Council, said those who had taken the time to provide their views to the consultation had been badly let down.

He said:

“This type of breach clearly puts people who live in the same communities off from making comments on matters that are very emotive and confrontational. My concern is that people will have pulled back from submitting comments.

“Like everything in this process, it is either being rushed or they haven’t got enough people to do it properly.”

A council spokesperson said a small volume of respondents had been incorrectly redacted due to “a processing error”.

He added:

“Where this happened, the contact details were not visible unless the consultation response was copied and pasted into a document.

“As soon as we were made aware of this, we took appropriate action and removed the information pending an investigation and resolution.

“We have also written to the residents involved, apologising for this error.”

Mr Owen said he was writing urgently to the council’s chief executive, Wallace Sampson, for an explanation of how the breach could have happened and whether any other documents were affected.

If he did not receive a satisfactory response, he said, he would take the issue further.

Concern over lack of secondary school at new Harrogate district town

Concerns have been raised about the absence of a secondary school in plans for a new Harrogate district town of up to 4,000 homes.

The proposed town, called Maltkiln, will be built in the Hammerton and Cattal area and will include a GP surgery, shops and two primary schools — but not a secondary school.

According to a North Yorkshire County Council report, the scheme proposes to expand Boroughbridge High School, which has about 600 students, to meet demand for secondary school pupils.

Land in Maltkiln has also been “safeguarded” for a high school, but this would only be built in future should it be required.

Green Party councillor Arnold Warneken, who represents Ouseburn, told a Harrogate and Knaresborough Area Constituency Committee meeting today that plans to expand Boroughbridge High School to meet demand would generate its own problems.

He added that local residents were surprised the development did not have its own secondary school given that thousands of homes are expected to be built.

Cllr Warneken said:

“This is a massive impact on this community and everything needs to be in place that is going to address that impact.

“The pupils are not just going to come from the Maltkiln development, they are going to come from places like Whixley, Green Hammerton and Tockwith as well. All of those have experienced big developments as well.

“I am concerned that we are asking, as a result of Maltkiln, for a school to be further developed in Boroughbridge when I believe that Boroughbridge has its own set of problems in terms of levels of development and the number of pupils that will generate.”

Boroughbridge High School.

Boroughbridge High School.

Officials at the county council said in a report that it was “not expected” that the size of the development would “generate sufficient pupils” to require a new secondary school.

Sue Turley, strategic planning officer in the county council’s children’s and young people service, said the council had forecast that Boroughbridge High School would be able to meet the demand for secondary school pupils from the new town.

She said:

“In terms of the secondary provision, it is expected that Boroughbridge High School would be expanded because there is sufficient space at the school and to grow the school, which is part of a federation with King James School.

“However, it is important to realise that there is safeguarded land within Maltkiln for secondary provision as indicated should this be required in the future. There is that provision there and I think that everybody wanted to see that there was that provision in that development plan for the site, which is now being consulted on.”

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Cllr Pat Marsh, chair of the area committee, raised concern that the move did not meet the sustainable aims of the development.

She said:

“Why are we saying this is a sustainable community and yet expecting children to travel at 11 to Boroughbridge?

“Then this joining with King James becomes problematic because Knaresborough itself has got over 1,000 new houses and where is the secondary school there? It’s King James.

“So there is going to be a major issue with secondary schools.”

Extension of consultation

Harrogate Borough Council has agreed to extend a consultation into  Maltkiln until November 25.

Council officials launched a six-week consultation on October 3 into its draft new settlement development plan document, which sets out a 30-year vision and policy framework on how the town is designed and developed.

However, Cllr Warneken, who represents Ouseburn on North Yorkshire County Council, called for an extension amid concern that the planning process was being rushed ahead of the new North Yorkshire Council coming into being.

He issued the plea after it emerged the consultation documents had been changed midway through — without people being told — and raised the prospect of a judicial review.

You can take part in the consultation over the new town here.

Consultation into new Harrogate district town after legal threat

Harrogate Borough Council has extended a consultation into a planned new town the size of Thirsk.

The proposed new town, called Maltkiln, would be built in the Cattal and Green Hammerton area in the east of the district.

Council officials launched a six-week consultation on October 3 into its draft new settlement development plan document, which sets out a 30-year vision and policy framework on how the town is designed and developed.

However, Cllr Arnold Warneken, who represents Ouseburn on North Yorkshire County Council, called for an extension to the consultation amid concern that the planning process was being rushed ahead of the new North Yorkshire Council coming into being.

He issued the plea after it emerged the consultation documents had been changed midway through – without people being told.

The council has since agreed to extend the consultation until November 25.

On its website, the authority said:

“After carefully considering requests from the local community and parish councils, we have extended the Maltkiln DPD consultation until midnight on Friday 25 November to provide more opportunities for the community to engage in the new settlement process.

“Comments received after that date will not be considered ‘duly made’.”

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The move follows Cllr Warneken submitting a letter to Janet Waggot, transition lead for North Yorkshire Council, and Richard Flinton, current chief executive of North Yorkshire County Council, on behalf of local parish councils.

In the letter, which has been seen by the Stray Ferret, he called for the consultation to be extended in the interests of transparency.

Cllr Warneken added that, while the parishes did not wish to go down the route of a judicial review, residents frustration should not be underestimated.

He said:

“As you will appreciate, use of that sort of terminology starts to take us into legal areas such as judicial review.

“We have no wish to go there. If nothing else, it would be a huge waste of public money. However, please don’t underestimate the level of frustration of local residents.”

You can take part in the consultation over the new town here.

‘Developers should create infrastructure for new homes’ says Harrogate and Knaresborough MP

Planning regulations should change to require developers to include infrastructure to support new homes, Harrogate and Knaresborough’s MP has said.

Andrew Jones told North Yorkshire County Council‘s Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee yesterday he had raised the issue in parliament.

He was asked by Green Party councillor Arnold Warneken, whose Ouseburn division includes the planned up to 4,000-home Maltkiln settlement, whether more should be done to ensure infrastructure could cope with a sudden rise in the population.

Cllr Warneken said:

“When I’ve had meetings with the developers for Maltkiln, it has become apparent that they are going to use existing infrastructure until it bursts before they do anything about it.

“In reference to the sewage they are going to use an existing, archaic sewage system until it’s up to bursting level and then they’re going to put efforts in to have new infrastructure put in and new sewage, working with the water authority.

“I would like to see the planning system changed that allows us to say, if you are going to build something as big as 4,000 houses, that the road infrastructure, the sewage infrastructure, has to be put in place as part of that process.

“I know it sounds naive, because who is going to pick up that tab? But if we make it that it’s part of the planning process, we can maybe enforce the investment in it before it actually happens.”

Mr Jones said the development was not in his constituency but in Selby and Ainsty, represented by fellow Conservative MP, Nigel Adams.

However, he said he agreed with the principle of ensuring infrastructure was fit for new development, digital connectivity, micro-generation of power and insulation of new homes.

He added:

“I have raised the issue of building standards in parliament. I agree with the basic point that we need to have build standards that are fit for the future.

“It’s significantly easier to construct things during the earliest phases of a construction project rather than go back and retro-fit.

“That applies to more than just water but it certainly applies to water.”

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‘Over-developed’

Liberal Democrat councillor Chris Aldred said he was frequently asked by people in his High Harrogate and Kingsley division about the amount of house-building.

He said there seemed to be too many large homes being built that were unaffordable to most local people, with no public transport, healthcare facilities or other provisions to support the growing population.

Cllr Aldred said he did not feel the planning system in the UK was fit for purpose and was too heavily weighted in favour of making profits for developers. He added:

“I really do think Harrogate and Knaresborough are over-developed. There are far too many people living in the area.

“The residents who have been here long-term are suffering because of this over-development.”

In response, Mr Jones said he had “no doubt” that more homes were needed across the country, with many people struggling to get onto the property ladder.

He said the local plan had provision for starter homes, but even creating that took a long time and would not always be popular with people who did not want to see their areas change.

He added:

“Getting the balance right between protecting areas and allowing people to get on the property ladder isn’t easy.

“I’m not sure we can say it’s over-developed. We’re certainly in a period where we have been under-developing across the country and people, I think, are very uneasy about all the work that has been done catching up on that.

“But I think if we get the right mix of houses so local people get a chance to put their roots down in their home areas and we see infrastructure developed in parallel then I think we can meet people’s needs and aspirations.”

Sports hub included in revised plans for new Harrogate district town

A new sports hub and playing fields have been added to plans for a new settlement in the Harrogate district.

The new town, called Maltkiln, will have up to 4,000 homes and is earmarked for the Cattal and Green Hammerton area.

It is also expected to include two primary schools, shops and a GP surgery.

Amendments to the latest plans show that a sports hub with playing pitches is now included in the proposals.

According to documents on Harrogate Borough Council’s planning portal, the hub was included following discussions with Sport England, which had objected to the proposal amid clarity on contributions for sports facilities.

An updated planning statement from developer Caddick said:

“Sport England also issued a holding objection awaiting additional information on the proposed sports facilities and any off-site contributions to enhance existing sports facilities.

“Discussions have been held with Sports England about what additional details they require. The scheme will deliver a new 3.6ha sports hub comprising pitches, car parking and an associated building providing changing, toilet and refurbishment facilities.

“In addition, youth pitches are provided within the primary schools.”

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The move comes amid concerns about a current six-week council consultation on the new development plan document that provides broad details about the new settlement.

Cllr Arnold Warneken, a Green Party councillor on North Yorkshire County Council, called for the consultation to be extended or started again. after it emerged the documents had been changed midway through – without people being told.

The move has heightened concerns among residents in the area affected that the planning process is being rushed before Harrogate Borough Council is abolished on April 1. They say allowing more time would increase support for the process and show transparency.

Call to restart consultation on new Harrogate district town

A councillor has called for a consultation on the new Harrogate district town the size of Thirsk to be extended or started again.

Arnold Warneken, who represents the Green Party on North Yorkshire County Council, issued the plea after it emerged the consultation documents had been changed midway through – without people being told.

The move has heightened concerns among residents in the area affected that the planning process is being rushed before Harrogate Borough Council is abolished on April 1. They say allowing more time would increase support for the process and show transparency.

The proposed new town, called Maltkiln, would be built in the Cattal and Green Hammerton area in the east of the district.

The council opened a six-week consultation on October 3 into its draft new settlement development plan document, which sets out a 30-year vision and policy framework on how Maltkiln is designed and developed.

It emerged this week that both the hardcopy and online versions of the document had been changed during the consultation process.

Cllr Warneken said although the changes were minor, the failure to inform people was significant, particularly “given the magnitude of this plan and its impact on the surrounding parishes”.

He said in a letter to the council:

“I accept mistakes do happen but how we deal with them is critical in demonstrating how seriously we take our accountability and transparency.

“I am surprised that I and the parishes were not advised by Harrogate Borough Council of these errors.

“I think we all agree that it’s important that the new settlement process is actually done correctly and not just seen to be done right, initially I was thinking an extension to the process might suffice but on reflection I would like to ask that the consultation be restarted with the corrected document.”

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But the council said the consultation would end on November 14 as planned.

A spokesperson said:

“The online portal version of the Maltkiln development plan document included a minor change that was not included in either the online PDF or hard copy version.

“Both the online PDF version and hard copies of the consultation material have been amended to reflect this change.

“The amendment related to the inclusion of an extra paragraph in the climate change chapter, the result of which effects [sic] the numbering of paragraphs. As well as an additional sentence at the end of local centre chapter.

“At the time that we made the amendment, we had only received a limited number of responses and having reviewed these, none of them relate to the wording that has been revised.

“Should someone have saved the earlier version of the document in order to comment at a later date, these comments are also reviewed to ensure that they relate to the correct part of the document.”

You can have your say here.