Agenda item

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 application had originally been reported to the Committee on 8 October 2025, when it had been deferred for a site visit.  The site visit had taken place earlier that morning on the 3 November, prior to the Committee meeting taking place, to allow Members to consider the site and surrounding highway network.

The Principal Planning Officer highlighted that since the committee report had been published the applicant had submitted a parking survey of Water Lane and Low Eggborough Road to the Council.  The survey had been conducted between Saturday 18 October and Friday 24 October 2025 and had taken place at 5.30 am each morning.  The survey showed that there had been between 2 to 4 vehicles on the highway each day at this time; this did not change the officer recommendation contained within the report.  The officer then went on to present the report to Members.

Colin White spoke, objecting to the application.

The Chair of Eggborough Parish Council, Councillor Martin Spencer, spoke in objection.

The Division Councillor, John McCartney, spoke objecting to the application.

The agent, Phil Owen, spoke on behalf of the applicant, in support of the application.

Members asked questions to the Officer which related to the following.

          · It was queried whether, in the event that two vehicles were parked at the pinch point in the road, the size of the vehicles and the manner in which they had been parked, could affect the ability of an emergency vehicle to access the site.

· Requested clarification on the reason that the parking survey had been carried out at 5.30 am in the morning.

· Would the proposed road widening necessitate the acquisition of land through a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO)

· The principal access to the site was currently via Low Eggborough Road.  A query was raised as to whether an alternative entrance could be established from the A19.

· In relation to the Section 106 contributions allocated for bus service enhancements to the site, a query was raised as to whether this funding would result in an increase in bus service provision during peak commuter times.

· Clarification was sought regarding the potential for the land to be reinstated for agricultural use at some point in the future.

· In terms of the provision of Affordable Housing, clarification was sought as to whether a sustainability evaluation of the site had been undertaken, and if so, had the assessment been commissioned by the Council.

· The previous Local Plan had indicated a provision of up to 40% Affordable Housing; however, the site was now designated for either 10% or 20%.  Clarification was sought regarding the rationale behind this change in allocation.

· Whether there was a planting scheme or landscaping map.

· Clarification was sought regarding the Council’s intended approach to monitoring both onsite and offsite Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) delivery, and which authority or body would be responsible for levying the associated monitoring fees.

· It was queried if the site represented the second phase of allocation EGG3, did it also encompass a parcel of land that was not originally included within the designated allocation.

· Whether pedestrian access would be provided between the existing housing estate and the newly proposed development site.

· Members queried again, if there was scope to increase the Affordable Housing provision.

· It was queried whether heavy goods vehicles accessing the site would be permitted to use the emergency access.

Further discussion took place regarding possible alternative access points to the site, and whether it would be appropriate to add a condition to the construction management plan which would allow construction traffic to access the site via the A19 rather than Low Eggborough Road.

The Senior Solicitor advised that should Members wish to proceed on that basis then the decision would be a minded to grant decision, subject to the conditions set out within the committee report, with the decision delegated to officers to explore the potential for appropriate condition wording that would meet the condition test. 

Councillor Crane proposed, and Councillor Packham seconded that the application be granted, as per the committee report.

The decision

That planning permission be GRANTED subject to the conditions detailed at section 12 of the Committee report and the prior completion of a Section 106 legal agreement.

Voting record

A vote was taken with 3 votes for and 3 votes against, at which time the Chair used his casting vote. The motion to grant the application was therefore carried.