Houses approved, but Beverley group will 'fight on against urban sprawl'
CONTROVERSIAL housing plans for the northern edge of Beverley have been given the go-ahead by a planning inspector – sparking fears green fields are now vulnerable across the town's boundary.
Linden Homes has won its appeal to build 141 new homes at Woodhall Way, after the £17m scheme was unanimously rejected by East Riding Council's planning committee because of concerns about access routes and design.
-
Roy Dennett, front, of the North Beverley Action Group, with other angry Beverley residents.
Now, residents fear the floodgates will open for housing sprawl across the town's green fields.
They are preparing to fight a further appeal next month – for 163 David Wilson Homes and a bypass north of Driffield Road – but claim the Planning Inspectorate is ignoring local opinion.
This Friday Mexican night at The Black Bull, Burton Pidsea, Two...
View detailsIndulge with our delicious range of specially selected Mexican dishes available from 5pm to 8:30pm this Friday 21st June. Traditional evening menu also available.
Terms: Terms: Friday the 21st June only, from 5pm to 8:30pm. Offer includes two main Mexican courses. Minimum 2 people dining.
Contact: 01964 770402
Valid until: Saturday, June 22 2013
Resident David Tucker, of the North Beverley Action Group, said: "I think Beverley is going to suffer from a national hysteria for more housing, fuelled by a theory this will aid economic regeneration.
"There is no proven link for this – people are not buying houses and people are not particularly building them.
"The principle that this part of the town would remain semi-rural has now gone.
"I fear the floodgates have now opened for development."
• Beverley in Sunday Times top 10 places to live
But Mr Tucker vowed residents would not let up in their battle against housing sprawl.
He insisted: "We will continue to fight these developers.
"Unfortunately, national policy is riding roughshod over people's opinions as to how their communities should develop."
Roy Dennett, also from the group, said: "This development was opposed by local residents, the parish council and East Riding Council. So much for localism!"
Shan Oakes, of Beverley Green Party, said: "There is a perception that development equals growth and I guess the people who run the planning appeal process are working on that basis.
"We are seeing greenfield sites that are needed for food production being built on for profit and we have to challenge that."
Ms Oakes warned Beverley's market town identity was now being threatened by over-development.
She said: "We are becoming an urban sprawl, it throws us out of proportion as a market town.
"Our infrastructure of roads, sewers and schools is under massive strain."
According to planning inspector Kathleen Ellison, who allowed the Woodhall Way appeal, the scheme "represents a sustainable proposal for development".
The inspector found the plans made appropriate provision for flood risk and impact on roads and concluded "it would make a positive contribution to its surroundings".
The 141-home scheme is expected to get under way this autumn, taking about four years to complete, depending on sales performance.
A draft blueprint for the future drawn up by East Riding Council would see some 3,400 new homes built in the town.
7 Comments
by Halloway
Thursday, March 14 2013, 5:27PM
“Actually SaxonKing is right. It's the older generation screwing things up for the younger generation.
I have a question: how does standing in the way of new development protect a town? Did Lincoln Way destroy Beverley's 'market town identity'? Did the Lockwood Road estate do the same? Apparently not. These estates went up without apparently destroying the town's character. In fact, I've seen people who live on Lockwood Road complaining about new development, which is hypocrisy of the highest order.
Why do people who live on the edge of a town always believe that their houses should be the last ones built.”
by Sympathiser42
Thursday, March 14 2013, 2:24PM
“"selfish, old" ....SAXONKING
perhaps you are the "selfish" not caring about the future of Beverley, its surroundings and history. Its not NIMBYism...its care of the town. Why insult people who do care? Its for the benefit of Beverley and its future. Noone disputes that new affordable housing is necessary - why use greenfield land when there are appropriate brownfield sites available...and you will note that ERYC was opposed to the development!”
by saxonking
Thursday, March 14 2013, 12:30PM
“Completely agree with Halloway, these NIMBYs always get portrayed as representative, they are not they are just a few selfish old people.”
by Sympathiser42
Thursday, March 14 2013, 11:01AM
“Interesting that the ERYC opposed it and yet it was overruled by the Planning Inspectorate in Bristol....they opposed it for infrastructure and access problems. It seems that the builders who (have money to pay for the appeals) always have the last say - and what is the guarantee that the houses will be affordable? Its not a case of denying people the opportunity of owning their own homes but whilst there are available brownfield sites within the town it would make more sense to build on them, rather than allocate them for another supermarket.”
by Halloway
Thursday, March 14 2013, 9:19AM
“Resident David Tucker, of the North Beverley Action Group, said: "I think Beverley is going to suffer from a national hysteria for more housing, fuelled by a theory this will aid economic regeneration.
"There is no proven link for this – people are not buying houses and people are not particularly building them."
The reason that people aren't buying houses is because they are too expensive. The reason that they are too expensive is because demand is outstripping supply. The reason why houses are not being built is that every development is opposed by people like NBAG etc with their "I'm all right, Jack" attitudes.
The actions of people like NBAG, the parish council and the Greens are denying thousands of young people (and not so young people) from owning their own homes. Is it really 'hysteria' to want people to have their own homes? It's rank selfishness to deny people homes, purely in the interest of maintaining personal property values or unbroken views of pylons and ploughed fields.”
by Sympathiser42
Thursday, March 14 2013, 8:23AM
“No plans for another school...where are the children in these new houses going to be educated? Molescroft School is full to capacity....yet again the infrastructure can not cope.”
by Piper13
Thursday, March 14 2013, 7:34AM
“Ms Oakes of the Green Party, married to Bill Rigby of Friends of The Earth, rarely seen together..................are they one and the same?”