North Yorkshire Council
Selby and Ainsty Area Planning Committee
Minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday, 8 October 2025 commencing at 2.00 pm.
Councillor John Cattanach in the Chair plus Councillors Bob Packham, Karl Arthur, Mark Crane, Cliff Lunn, Steve Shaw-Wright and Arnold Warneken.
Officers present: Kate Lavelle – Solicitor, Planning and Environment, Emma Howson Development Management Team Manager, Martin Evans – Principal Planning Officer, Ellis Mortimer – Senior Planning Officer, Victoria Day - Highway Development and Adoption Principal; and Dawn Drury – Democratic Services Officer.
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Copies of all documents considered are in the Minute Book
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Apologies for Absence
There were no apologies for absence.
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Minutes for the Meetings held on 13 August and 10 September 2025
The minutes of the meetings held on Wednesday 13 August and Wednesday 10 September 2025 were confirmed and signed as an accurate record.
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Declarations of Interests
Councillor Cliff Lunn declared a personal interest in agenda item number 5 as he held a number of insurance policies with the National Farmers Union (NFU). He advised the Committee that this interest would not influence his consideration of, or voting on, the application.
Councillor Karl Arthur declared a personal interest in agenda item number 4. He informed the Committee that he was employed by Network Rail who were statutory consultees, however he confirmed that he would speak and vote on the item.
Councillor Bob Packham, Steve Shaw-Wright and John Cattanach all stated that they had been lobbied by local residents, the Parish Council and the Division Member on agenda item number 5.
Councillor Arnold Warneken declared a personal interest in agenda item number 5 as he was a Member of the NFU, and he also held insurance policies with them. However, he confirmed that he had not spoken on the application and his local office was Ripon, therefore he had no connection with the Selby office.
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ZG2023/1275/FULM - Land off Low Eggborough Road, Eggborough, North Yorkshire
The Assistant Director Planning – Community Development Services sought determination of a planning application for the demolition of the farmhouse and agricultural buildings and the subsequent erection of 107 dwellings together with the creation of a new access onto Low Eggborough Road, internal roads, landscaping, drainage and the formation of an emergency access onto the A19 at land off Low Eggborough Road, Eggborough, North Yorkshire. The application had been reported to Committee as it was considered that the application raised significant planning issues such that it was in the public interest for the application to be considered by Committee.
The Principal Planning Officer presented the report and highlighted that since the agenda pack had been published three additional objections had been received and a Mr Ian Reynolds had provided a sworn affidavit confirming that he acted for some of the site landowners and restated the case already made by the applicant regarding why he considered the proposed access arrangements acceptable. None of this additional information raised new issues beyond those already considered in the agenda, nor did they change the recommendation.
Terry Wright spoke, objecting to the application.
Parish Councillor, Christian Cotter, spoke on behalf of Eggborough Parish Council, objecting to the application.
The clerk read out a statement on behalf of the Division Councillor, John McCartney, objecting to the application.
The agent, Mark Lane, spoke on behalf of the applicant, in support of the application.
Members asked questions to the Officer which related to the following.
· Requested clarification on whether the build out proposed on Low Eggborough Road was before or after the proposed access to the site. · In terms of the affordable housing, it was queried whether the Affordable Housing Officer found the mix of houses acceptable. · Members considered the necessity of undertaking a site visit, accompanied by a Council Highways Officer, in order to assess potential issues along Low Eggborough Road. Matters identified for inspection included the adequacy of turning space for heavy goods vehicles, the presence of the pinch points along the carriageway, and the visibility afforded by existing splays. Members were of the opinion that the Highways Officer would be able to explain, on site, how they considered that the proposed mitigation measures were appropriate and acceptable in addressing the identified highways issues. Furthermore, Members considered that a site visit would enable them to make a more balanced and informed assessment of the proposals.
(Councillor Shaw-Wright left the room at 43.05 minutes and returned at 44.19 minutes)
· Members asked that the Highways Officer respond to the concerns raised by local residents and Eggborough Parish Council in relation to safety issues at the site.
The Solicitor highlighted the protocol contained within the Council’s Constitution regarding planning committee site visits.
The officer recommendation was that planning permission be granted; however, the motion did not receive a proposer.
Councillor Warneken proposed, and Councillor Shaw-Wright seconded that the application be deferred to allow a site visit to take place.
The decision
That consideration of the planning application be DEFERRED pending a committee site visit.
Voting record
A vote was taken, and the motion was carried unanimously.
Reason
To gain a better understanding of the site in relation to some of the concerns raised around access and the highway at the site.
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ZG2024/0494/FUL - Primrose Hill Farm, Common Lane, Burn, North Yorkshire, YO8 8ND
The Assistant Director Planning – Community Development Services sought determination of a planning application for the extension of an agricultural building and change of use to form offices at Primrose Hill Farm, Common Lane, Burn, North Yorkshire YO8 8ND.
The application had been brought to Planning Committee at the request of the Head of Development Management as it raised significant planning issues.
The Senior Planning Officer highlighted that Staynor Farms were the applicants, and that the NFU Mutual were the intended tenants for the proposed offices, then proceeded to explain the officer’s reasons to refuse the application.
Amy Morrison of the National Farmers Union spoke as a representative on behalf of the agent, in support of the application.
During consideration of the above application, the Committee discussed the following
· One Member stated that, during their time on Planning Committee, they had never seen the distance of the bus stop to the site as a reason for refusal and queried how many assessments on the distance to a site from a bus stop had been included in any officer presentations to an application in the previous 25 years. · In terms of flood risk, it was highlighted that Members had recently approved housing in the same village, therefore, as this application was for a change of use of buildings at the site, when housing had been approved previously, they could see no reason for refusal. · Clarification was sought on the connection between the insurance business and the NFU Mutual, as general insurers. · One Member stated that the Council had no guarantee that the building would be occupied by the NFU as tenants, and that, as Class E use, the building could be used for uses other than an office. · Members felt that there was no rationale for not granting the application as it was farm diversification, the applicant was a valued contributor to the local economy in Selby, and it was a well-used facility. · Members noted that no objections had been received in relation to the application, that the local Member of Parliament had expressed support for the proposal, and that its approval would contribute to the retention of secure, well-remunerated employment opportunities within the Selby area. · Members queried if the application had been for a house would it come under Class Q use.
The officer recommendation was that planning permission be refused; Councillor Packham proposed, and Councillor Cattanach seconded the motion. A vote was taken with 3 members for refusal and 4 members against, therefore the proposal fell.
The Solicitor advised Members that any decision to approve the application, against officer recommendation, must be supported by robust and defensible planning reasons, grounded in material planning considerations. It was further noted that the application could not be approved at this stage, as an appropriate suite of planning conditions had not yet been prepared.
Councillor Shaw-Wright proposed, and Councillor Crane seconded that contrary to the officer recommendation, the application should be minded to approve, with the decision then delegated to the Development Service Manager. The decision
That Members were MINDED TO APPROVE planning permission and to delegate authorisation, subject to approval of a suite of conditions, to the Development Service Manager.
Reason
The Committee agreed that the application was an acceptable development in the countryside that would bring economic security to Burn.
Voting record
A vote was taken, and the motion was carried with 5 votes for, and 2 votes against.
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ITEM WITHDRAWN - 25/01349/COU - Annexe, 16 Castle Street, Spofforth, North Yorkshire, HG3 1AP
The Chair informed the Committee that the planning application at item 6 of the agenda, application number 25/01349/COU, for the change of use of an existing annexe to a holiday let at 16 Castle Street, Spofforth, North Yorkshire, HG3 1AP had been withdrawn from consideration by the Council by the applicant, and therefore the item would not be heard.
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Any other items
There were no items of urgent business.
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Date of Next Meeting
The date of the next meeting was confirmed as Thursday 20 November 2025.
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The meeting concluded at 3.38 pm.