200 new homes decision will see Selby 'annex' local countryside

Selby is poised for a major expansion into its surrounding countryside after council planners approved plans to build 200 new homes on farm land off Flaxley Road.

The new homes can now be built on the greenfield site at Hempridge Farm after applicants Hallam Land Management won the backing of councillors at a meeting of the area's planning committee, held last week.

Controversially, the land at the centre of the scheme was not previously earmarked for development and extends well outside the town’s approved ‘development limits’ – the boundary between a town's urban zone and the protected countryside that surrounds it.

Policies governing planning in the countryside would normally result in such proposals being routinely branded 'inappropriate' and rejected.

Developers in this case have seemingly successfully exploited a planning 'loophole' that has emerged because Selby District Council have failed to prove they have a five-year supply of new housing land to meet the needs of the growing local population.

One local planning consultant, who spoke to The Selebian under the condition of anonymity, explained, "The council have got themselves into a bit of a pickle on housing provision. They needed to demonstrate to the powers that be they have enough agreed housing land for a full five year supply for those who live here.

"If you can't prove you have met this then any applications you refuse start to look very difficult to justify on appeal. Losing appeals can be an extremely costly and embarrassing business for the council.

"Effectively, until they get their house in order, the development limits might as well not exist and the countryside will continue to be under threat until they do."

Mayor of Selby and Town Councillor Gavin Harding has taken to local social media to decry the development as bad news for the people of the Flaxley Road area.

He said, "If one theses roads closed then emergency services will be blocked and residents lives are at risk. It's time they build another link road to the town."

The proposal will include a large percentage of homes that will be built as 'affordable housing' with the balance being made available on the open market. This, the council says, will promote 'sustainable and balanced' communities and would assist it in meeting the local housing need.

It argues that the site is accessible to local facilities and services and will include provision for recreational open space. The proposals would also provide a contribution towards education facilities at the Selby Community Primary School.

A spokesperson for Selby District Council told us, "The Council has to look at each case on its own merits against our long-term development plan - our Core Strategy.  We also have to consider whether there are any other material planning considerations that would over-ride this strategy.

"In considering this, we include the Government’s national planning policy framework.   A main aim of this framework is to boost significantly the supply of housing. 

"The Government has also introduced a presumption in favour of sustainable development."

Similar schemes have been given the go-ahead in locations including Brayton and Osgodby.

♦ What do you think? Does the districts need for new homes come before protecting the countryside? Comment below...