A well-known furniture store in Kirk Hammerton has withdrawn plans to build 24 retirement flats at the site.

Geoffrey Benson and Son Furniture Showroom submitted plans to North Yorkshire Council to build the two-bedroom apartments for over-55s last June.

The company, which has been at the site since 1992, also hoped to build a further four two-bedroom flats on the first and second floors of its existing showroom building, as well as a tearoom on the ground floor.

The application also outlined plans to create new access onto Station Road, car-parking with electric charging points and new landscaping.

However, the application was withdrawn in a decision notice uploaded by the council on Tuesday.

Martin Benson, owner of the site and company, told the Stray Ferret the paddock, which would have housed some of the new apartment blocks, is not included in the current Local Plan set out by the council but the existing showroom building is.

For this reason, Mr Benson was told the plans are a “no go”, he added.

He said:

Peter Roth of Sayle Roth Architects, who is working with Mr Benson, also told the Stray Ferret the plans have been in motion since early 2021.

He said although the existing showroom building is not of listed status, it is recognised as a building of local interest:

Mr Benson and Mr Roth both said they hope to put the land forward at the council's next call for sites, which gives landowners an opportunity to offer up their land to be included in the next Local Plan.

The upcoming call for sites will happen in March and April, however, the revised Local Plan currently being drawn up by the council won’t come to fruition for around another four years.

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