North Yorkshire Council
Harrogate and Knaresborough Area Planning Committee
Minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday, 25 November 2025 commencing at 2.00 pm.
Councillor Chris Aldred in the Chair plus Councillors John Mann, Philip Broadbank, Hannah Gostlow, Robert Windass, Paul Haslam and Andrew Timothy.
Officers present: Catriona Gatrell – Head of Legal, Property, Planning and Environment, Stuart Mills – Development Management Team Manager, Kate Broadbank – Development Management Team Manager, David Smith – Senior Democratic Services Officer; and Dawn Drury – Democratic Services Officer
Apologies: Councillor Peter Lacey
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Copies of all documents considered are in the Minute Book
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Apologies for Absence
Apologies for absence had been received from Councillor Lacey, Councillor Andrew Timothy attended as his substitute.
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Declarations of Interests
There were no declarations of interest.
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HGTZC24/00470/FULMAJ - Land West Of Harrogate West Business Park, Burley Bank Road, Harrogate, HG3 2SE
To determine a planning application for full planning permission for the development of ten industrial units (use class Eg(iii)/B2/B8) with ancillary offices, yard space, parking, servicing areas, drainage infrastructure, electricity substation, landscaping, associated infrastructure, engineering works to create landscaped bund, and solar panels on land to the West of Harrogate West Business Park, Burley Bank Road, Harrogate.
The application had been brought to Planning Committee due to a recommendation of approval of the development, which was in conflict with the Local Plan.
The Development Management Team Manager presented the report and highlighted the location and site description and the context to the application.
Providing an update to the report, the officer advised Members of the following.
· There had been a slight amendment to Condition 20 in terms of the flow rate from the site – with the addition of the wording, “and 2.5 litres per second for the highway”. · The site plan listed in Condition 2 had been amended to include bicycle and motorcycle numbers, and the access to units 7 to 10 had been adjusted following comments received from North Yorkshire Highways.
Councillor Haslam formally recorded his appreciation to the planning officers for presenting the application to Committee, noting that the officer recommendation for approval was contrary to the Local Plan. Councillor Haslam added that such matters should always be referred to Members when officers proposed a recommendation that did not align with the Local Plan, in order to seek Member support.
Christopher Dunn spoke, objecting to the application.
The applicant, Daniel Martin, spoke in support of the application.
Members asked questions to the Officer which related to the following.
· Members noted the Parish Council’s request, made on road safety grounds, to prohibit left turns onto Burley Bank Road in order to redirect heavy goods vehicles via Penny Pot Lane. It was further queried whether Members could request a condition to ensure this recommendation was implemented. · Members requested confirmation that no objections had been raised by the Parish Council and that the site was located outside the green belt. · In relation to sustainable drainage, Members queried whether permeable materials would be used for ground surfaces and whether the scheme incorporated grey water recycling. · Members welcomed the inclusion of Solar Photovoltaic (PV) on the whole site but sought clarification on whether the generated energy would be utilised on each individual unit, or if it would be sold on to serve local needs. · Clarification was sought regarding the number of electric vehicle (EV) charging points to be provided on the site and the measures in place to support electric vehicle use on the site. · Further details were requested on the allocation and intended use of the £100,000 Section 106 contribution towards the bus service. · Whether the site would be served by both gas and electricity. · Members queried whether the identified need for industrial units reflected demand across the whole of North Yorkshire or was limited to the former Harrogate area.
Members acknowledged that the site was not allocated within the Local Plan and that the proposal conflicted with the Local Plan Employment Policy, however, they considered that the significant shortage of industrial units across North Yorkshire, coupled with the need to support economic growth and create employment opportunities, outweighed these policy conflicts. Members also noted the quality of the proposed design and the provision of a wide range of unit sizes.
Members highlighted the importance of attenuation measures for Oak Beck, given it was a critical artery, and queried whether permeable materials would be used to reduce flood risk. Members also sought officer advice on maximising solar panel deployment on the units’ roofs. The officer advised that Conditions 19 and 20 addressed surface water drainage and flood risk. In relation to solar panels, the officer noted that the Council currently had no policy which specified the number of renewables to be provided and therefore could not impose such a requirement. Members asked that the applicant give consideration to their comments regarding maximising solar energy generation on the site.
Members sought confirmation on whether a condition could be imposed to increase the EV charging provision, thereby enhancing sustainable travel, given the site’s reliance on car use due to the absence of a nearby railway station. Officers advised that EV chargers were a Building Regulations requirement rather than a planning condition, although an EV Charging Plan had previously been requested on similar applications.
A further query was raised as to whether a condition could be imposed which required the use of permeable materials or grey water recycling. The officer advised that Condition 30 and Informative 7 included a request from the landscaping officer for the hard landscaping specifications to incorporate permeable paving.
A Member expressed their disappointment that the Parish Council had neither supported nor objected to the application.
Councillor Mann proposed, and Councillor Broadbank seconded, that the application be approved subject to the additional conditions requiring maximisation of solar panel use on unit roofs, the submission of an EV Charging Plan; and incorporation of the amendments to Conditions 2 and 20 as outlined in the officer update.
The decision
That planning permission be GRANTED subject to the conditions set out in section 12 of the committee report, the completion of a Section 106 agreement, the additional two conditions regarding maximisation of solar panel use on unit roofs, and the submission of an EV Charging Plan, and the amendments to conditions 2 and 20, as set out above.
Voting record
A vote was taken, and the motion was carried unanimously.
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Any other items
There were no other items
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Date of Next Meeting
Tuesday 16 December 2025 at 2.00 pm
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The meeting concluded at 2.47 pm.