Plans to build 150 new homes in Pickering face strong opposition from the town council and Yorkshire Water over fears the development will overwhelm the local sewerage network and cause illegal river pollution.
More sewage pollution in Pickering’s rivers could become “inevitable” if plans for up to 150 new homes are approved, town councillors have claimed.
North Yorkshire Council planning officers are recommending that housebuilder Persimmon Homes is granted outline permission to build on an eight-hectare agricultural site south of Firthland Road, with access from Standfield Drive.
However, Pickering Town Council has objected, warning that additional pressure on the town’s already overstretched sewerage network could result in further pollution of local waterways.
The concerns are backed by Yorkshire Water, which has also objected to the application because it says the existing sewerage network and wastewater treatment works do not have sufficient capacity to accommodate the development.
In its response to the application, the water company warned that allowing additional homes to connect before infrastructure improvements were completed could cause environmental damage and flooding.
It said:
“Our infrastructure in Pickering is already at capacity and cannot accept any additional flows until necessary infrastructure works have been delivered.”
Yorkshire Water said it was investigating the investment needed to increase capacity but warned this would take time.
Pickering Town Council said it believed that placing further demands on the sewerage system would make illegal discharges into the river network inevitable.
It called for strict planning conditions to ensure that suitable foul drainage arrangements were approved and all necessary infrastructure improvements completed before any of the new homes were occupied.
The town council also raised concerns about surface water drainage, traffic congestion, road safety, wildlife and the proximity of the proposed homes to Westgate Carr Industrial Estate.
It stated the site was unsuitable for additional housing but acknowledged that the council’s shortage of housing land could make the application difficult to refuse.
The proposals have also attracted 31 objections from members of the public, with concerns including pressure on schools and healthcare, increased traffic and the impact on the local environment.
Despite the objections, planning officers say the development can be made acceptable through conditions and a legal agreement.
The recommended conditions include safeguards intended to prevent homes being occupied until adequate sewerage capacity is available.
The proposals would provide up to 150 properties, including 35 per cent ‘affordable’ housing, together with public open space, a children’s play area and landscaping.
The site is outside Pickering’s development limits, where housing would not normally be supported under local planning policy.
However, officers say North Yorkshire Council can demonstrate only a 1.39-year supply of housing land in the former Ryedale area, well below the required five years.
They argue that the need for additional homes, including affordable housing, weighs heavily in favour of the development.
The land has previously been the subject of two unsuccessful housing applications, refused in 2018 and 2019 over concerns including the impact on historic strip fields, highways safety and the layout of the developments.
Planning officers say the latest proposals could retain most of the historic hedgerows and that remaining concerns could be addressed when detailed plans are submitted.
The application will be considered by North Yorkshire Council’s Thirsk and Malton area planning committee on Thursday next week.
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