NORTH YORKSHIRE COUNCIL
18 March 2026
STATEMENT OF EXECUTIVE MEMBER FOR OPEN TO BUSINESS
PLANNING
Planning Policy & Place
The government launched a new plan making system in December 2025. Although work on the North Yorkshire Local Plan is underway, the council will need to ensure that it is prepared within the new system from the beginning of the process. Officers are carefully assessing the implications before launching a new timetable for plan preparation. Work already undertaken will not be wasted and it is intended that, although the stages of plan preparation are different, adoption will still be in 2029 as previously planned. The Local Plan “Call for Sites” process has generated the submission of more than 2000 sites to date, which can be viewed on the Council’s dedicated call for sites webpage.
A new draft National Planning Policy Framework has been released for consultation, which seeks to introduce a significant number of changes to national planning policy. A comprehensive response has been prepared for submission to the Ministry for Housing Communities and Local Government. The government have also introduced a new tier of development plan in addition to Local Plans. They are called Spatial Development Strategies and will be prepared by Combined Authorities. Officers have begun to work proactively with the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority to progress opportunities for joint working on evidence base.
We continue to support the preparation of Neighbourhood Plans. The Clapham Neighbourhood Plan is now made. Neighbourhood Plans for Knaresborough and Terrington have been successfully subject to their independent examinations and will be coming to Executive Member for their Decision Statements to progress to referendums. Up and coming consultation is expected on Tadcaster (submission stage) in the coming months. Husthwaite's draft plan has now gone through its regulation 14 consultation. The Whitby Neighbourhood Plan is also now at its draft consultation. We have also designated Beadlam and Nawton's Neighbourhood Plan area.
Planning Delivery and Infrastructure
Following the adoption of the Maltkiln DPD by Council at the end of last year we now have a strong policy framework to guide the delivery of the new settlement. A framework masterplan for the whole site will be considered by Executive on 17 March 2026. As part of this work, we held a well-attended community consultation event in Kirk Hammerton. The masterplan aims to establish the key broad locations of land uses such as access and movement, green and blue infrastructure. It will include guidance on all aspects of design to ensure a high-quality development and incorporates sustainability considerations including measures to address climate change.
In December the Council also approved and published its first Infrastructure Business Plan (IBP). This provides a new framework and assessment process for identifying and prioritising infrastructure projects that support placemaking and planned growth, providing a more forward-looking approach to infrastructure planning and investment.
As part of our work to support and accelerate housing delivery, we have recently made available a site directory on the Council’s website containing information on allocated sites within all our adopted local plans that had not been brought forward for development. This allows developers and registered providers an easy way to see what sites are available for development across North Yorkshire. In the future we are looking to expand this to also include sites outside of Local Plans that have already got planning permission.
Building Control
The implementation of the
national Building Safety Levy will come into force on
1st October 2026, meaning that a levy will become
payable on some residential developments that are built within our
area. The Council will have a new role as a collecting
authority for the levy and officers are working to prepare for this
implementation. Having the correct systems and processes in place
will be critical to the collection of this levy and central
government will be providing new burdens funding to allow for
resources to be put in place prior to the implementation. Councils
will also be able to retain part of the collected levy to cover
their costs of processing of the levy while it remains in
place.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, REGENERATION, TOURISM
Economy Update
A pipeline of strategic growth priorities was agreed by Executive
in December covering regeneration in Scarborough, Harrogate and
Selby, major employment sites, large housing allocations such as
Maltkiln, and transport improvements including bus network and rail
station upgrades.
Delivery of the NYC UK Shared Prosperity Fund / Rural England
Prosperity Fund Programme for 2025/26 is nearing completion, with
over 97% of the £5.137m now committed. 139 grants have been
awarded and 3,106 individuals supported in numeracy, literacy,
digital and tourism skills. Seven Council capital projects,
totalling almost £1m, are complete or nearing completion,
including the Ropery car park in Pickering. Tourism marketing
continues in partnership with Make it York.
The Trailblazer Inclusive Employment Programme has delivered sector
focus groups, one‑to‑one support and will produce case
studies and guidance. An Inclusive Employment Conference also took
place on 5 March 2026 at the Harrogate Pavilions attended by a wide
range of local businesses.
Business North Yorkshire recorded over 125 engagements with
businesses in Quarter 3, including support for 90 local staff
facing redundancy from a Northallerton-based company working with
DWP, National Careers Service and Adult Learning.
Tourism Update
Visit North Yorkshire (VNY) coordinated the Council’s visitor
economy response to the National Overnight Visitor Levy
consultation. A survey of 277 respondents found 71% opposed, with
detailed feedback on levy use being submitted directly to
government by the Council in February.
Destination Marketing has capitalised on the new Wuthering Heights release, hosting six international media/influencer visits and creating content to boost web traffic.
VNY successfully delivered the first Helmsley & Howardian Hills Restaurant Week (33 restaurants, 23 February–1 March) and the Whitby Restaurant Week (2–8 March).
VNY also hosted its first Ambassadors Conference on 26 February at
Ampleforth Abbey with over 80 attendees. A high profile
‘Tourism on Track’ event takes place on 19 March at
Bolton Abbey Station during English Tourism Week, with MP
engagement and a visit from Visit England Chair, Lady Victoria
Borwick.
Regeneration
Town Investment Plans
Work on the Town Investment Plan programme has accelerated with 23 out of the 32 plans started their development. Seven towns are now in the process of agreeing visions and beginning to identify projects and Richmond has started working towards finalising their Town Investment Plan. To confirm their commitment to the program, YNYCA have opened a call for the LA High Street Fund to deliver projects emerging from the programme that will improve the high streets. NYC Officers, in partnership with local people, are preparing bids for Richmond, Sherburn, Harrogate, Whitby, Skipton and Ripon
Pride in Place - Scarborough
The Council is supporting the Neighbourhood Board to prioritise projects that will be delivered in Scarborough over the next four years. These projects focus on the regeneration of the high street, environmental improvements and community health and wellbeing. A consultation has just completed that asked residents to vote for the ideas that they saw as a priority for the town
Scarborough and Whitby Town Deal projects
The works on the Old Town Hall and Maritime Hub in Whitby are expected to complete this spring and will represent a major milestone for the Town Deal Programme. In Scarborough, the cinder track junctions project has also started on site and will be completed by the summer.
Selby Regeneration
Improvements to Selby Market Place start
this month to improve facilities for the market and other
events. New street furniture will also be installed. Just
across the road, repairs and maintenance of the park is underway,
ahead of a refresh of the area. Design work for improvements
around the Station continues to progress.
Catterick Garrison LUF
The project to create a new multi-use centre and improvements to the park are progressing well. The steel work for the building is complete, and the project is on track to finish early 2027. Artists have been working with the community to create pieces that celebrate stories and people from the area.
HARBOURS
Dredging
The Whitby Harbour Lower Harbour Channel dredging has been completed, and the Upper Harbour dredging is now underway.
To date we have removed over 17,000 tonnes of material.
Scarborough West Pier Pile Repairs
Works on the repairs to the West Pier are continuing to progress well.
Harbour Strategy
The draft harbours strategy is available for public consultation and received its first public scrutiny at the Transport Economy, Environment and Enterprise Overview and Scrutiny Committee at its meeting on 28 January, where it was positively received.
The draft strategy will next be publicly considered by the Scarborough and Whitby Area Committee at its meeting on 02 March, before being reported to Executive in April.
Whitby Cliff Lift
Anglo American re-inspected the cliff lift shaft on 22 January and found that the condition had not changed from their previous inspection.
After being considered by the Scarborough and Whitby Area Committee on 02 March a final decision will be made by Executive on 17 March.
COUNCILLOR MARK CRANE