Scalby residents urged to protest against 'green space' land being allocated for housing

The Scalby and Newby Village Trust has leafleted residents in and around the village about the land off Carr Lane and North Street, in Scalby.

The 21-acre plot of farmland has been put forward as part of Scarborough Council’s new Local Plan, with 60 new sites up for consultation.

The council has stressed that none of the sites under discussion are currently planning applications

A spokesman for the authority said: “They are speculative suggestions by landowners and agents in answer to a call the council made last year to identify new sites for potential development that could be added to the borough’s Local Plan.”

The Scalby trust is urging residents to make their feelings known to the authority at this stage.

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In its leaflet the trust said: “The Scalby and Newby Village Trust strongly opposes this land being allocated for housing, but it is important that you look at the proposal and submit your thoughts to the council too.

“The site is an important area of green space for the village, and it is at an elevation that will dominate the horizon, overlooking many homes.

“Development of this land breaches the natural development boundary (Church Beck).

“The area is also partially in our cherished conservation area and forms part of the local gateway to the National Park.

“It is valuable ecologically supporting a wide range of bird mammal and amphibian life with ephemeral ponds, the stream mature hedges and trees.”

The majority of the locations in the Local Plan have been suggested for housing development but other uses could include employment, retail, leisure, tourism or biodiversity enhancement and tree planting.

The Local Plan is the formal document that sets out future development of the borough, drawn up by the council in consultation with the community. The current plan is being reviewed because it is more than three years old.

People can view the list of new sites and submit their comments at scarborough.gov.uk/localplanreview.

Additional sites could come forward in the coming months so the council is encouraging people to revisit its website every few weeks to stay up to date.

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Anyone without internet access can find out how to access site information by calling the planning policy and conservation team on 01723 232480.

The council spokesman added: “When coronavirus restrictions allow, the council intends to put up site notices around all of the suggested sites to increase awareness in local communities.

“The council hasn’t carried out any assessment of the new sites and no decisions have been made about them. This process will follow and comments received during the current consultation will be used to help develop a draft version of a revised Local Plan.

“The plan will be subject to further consultation in 2022.”

Cllr Liz Colling, Scarborough Council’s cabinet member for inclusive growth, said she hoped that people took part in the consultation.

She said: “The Local Plan is an important document that guides future development in our borough. It needs reviewing regularly to make sure it stays relevant to our communities and meets the needs of our ambition to build a better borough for everyone that lives, works and visits here.

“We are committed to engaging with communities early in the process when sites are first suggested so a wide range of views can be taken into account. We welcome all feedback, which will be used to guide which sites will be taken forward for further consideration.”