'Build new town, not new homes that will ruin Beverley'

CAMPAIGNERS fighting revamped plans for new homes and a bypass are calling for the creation of a new town to take the pressure off Beverley.

Action group campaigners say housing plans are swamping the town, where planners are looking to earmark land for more than 3,000 new homes.

Objectors are fighting revamped plans for 163 homes and a £4m bypass north of Driffield Road.

The scheme, which sparked an outcry when it was unveiled last year, has been amended but campaigners claim it is now worse.

North Beverley Action Group chairman Roy Dennett said: "This land is outside the current development limits.

"If they give permission to sites like this, it's going to open the floodgates for the development of more sites on the northern edge of Beverley. It will be like a domino effect.

"It would ruin the character of the town."

Mr Dennett warned green fields around Beverley are under increasing pressure from developers.

He said: "What we need is a coherent plan for the development of Beverley.

"There is talk of a neighbourhood development plan for Beverley and this may be the way forward, or a completely new town – a course favoured by the Government."

Molescroft Parish Council chairman Mike Hildyard said the town is being inundated with housing plans, including separate proposals to relocate Longcroft School and East Riding College to make way for new homes.

He said: "The town is overloaded with housing schemes. The time has come to consider alternative proposals, such as a new village.

"There are plans for residential development at East Riding College's site and there are proposals to relocate Longcroft School and build there.

"Linden Homes is appealing to build 141 homes in Woodhall Way. Just how long can the town carry on being extended in this way?

"Adding extra development to principal towns is a policy that has been going on for 50 or 60 years. Where does it all end?"

The parish council is lodging an objection to the revised plans for new homes and a bypass north of Driffield Road.

Mr Hildyard said: "Whatever changes they make to the layout, even if they made it a wonderful design, it doesn't get over the objection in principle to the site being developed in the open countryside."

He said the latest plans were worse than the original scheme.

He said: "We are concerned about radical changes in the proposals.

"There would be no vehicle access to the bypass from the development.

"It is not going to relieve the traffic situation on Driffield Road or Malton Road because that traffic, which is already extensive, would be added to by the new development."

Driffield Road resident David Tucker said: "What we are worried about is the concept of the floodgates being opened for new development all the way across the top of Beverley.

"We were heartened by the stance taken by East Riding Council's planning committee when they refused housing plans for Woodhall Way.

"The committee's decision reflected our concerns, so we hope they take a similar stance on these plans for the land north of Driffield Road."

Developer David Wilson Homes said its amended plans have improved the design of the scheme for 163 homes and a bypass across fields north of Driffield Road.

It says the new design improves the safety of the proposed bypass, which it insists would steer a significant amount of traffic away from Molescroft.

It also says a bypass would improve the accessibility of Beverley Ambulance Station.

The developer insists increased landscaping would soften the visual impact of the overall scheme.

Peter Morris, development director for David Wilson Yorkshire East said: "The views of the community continue to be extremely important to us and, where possible, we have incorporated such comments into our proposals.

"We are working with the planning authority to resolve any outstanding issues to ensure we have a robust proposal."

The developers say their scheme would bring £25m of construction investment, create more than 300 jobs and deliver more than £2m to the economy.

Mr Morris said: "This development will bring multiple benefits to the area, including a boost to the economy, much-needed affordable housing and improvements to the highway network as a result of the link road."

The consultation period on the amended plans expires next week.

An East Riding Council spokesman said: "There has been a large number of responses.

"A date is to be fixed for the scheme to go before the planning committee."