Concerns over possible siting of new East Riding town

The target for East Riding of Yorkshire Council has now nearly doubled to 1,975 a year, up from 1,100 a year.

Officials say they have not yet decided on whether to go down the route of a new town, urban extension or a range of extensions to a number of villages.

A massive scheme is currently under way doubling the size of Howden. It includes the building of a relief road, 1,900 homes, an extension to kitchen manufacturer Howdens, a supermarket, medical centre and primary school.

The Government has also shortened the time frame for councils to prepare new planning blueprints which allocate parcels of land for development, to take account of the new targets.

East Riding Council only adopted its local plan last year, but will soon get the ball rolling again, with an early stage engagement process scheduled to begin on Monday, July 20.

It took the council around seven years from start to finish on its last local plan; it now needs to be done in 30 months, the Environment and Regeneration Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee heard.

Cabinet member, councillor Nick Coultish told the meeting there wasn’t much point protesting to the government, adding: “The timelines are really tough. We’ll get it done simply because we have to.”

But some councillors are worried about how residents will be kept up to date with developing plans and also that the new housing will be concentrated in areas which have already seen high demand.

Wolds Weighton councillor Leo Hammond said they had to think “really carefully” where a new town might go. He said: “The irony is that there isn’t much land available when you look at the map of the East Riding – take away the soon-to-be-confirmed Area of Outstanding National Beauty, take away flood risk sites and the highest grade land.

“It will be along the same corridors and next to the same settlements that have had all the housebuilding already.”

And East Wolds and Coastal ward councillor Denise Howard said they had heard about the role of officers and consultants who are being appointed to look at issues like coastal erosion.

She said: “I’m a bit concerned about our role as elected members. Residents are going to be impacted most by this. How are you going to listen to them and take on board what their opinions are?”

The committee heard that the plans would go before the council's ruling Cabinet at three stages, and could be called in for scrutiny.

Officers plan to make a “loud shout” about proposals on social media.

Director of planning Stephen Hunt said over the last three years their housing completion rate had shot up to 2,200 a year, well over the average of 1,400 a year since 2012.

Other than during the downturn in 2007 to 2008, they had “always exceeded the housing target because of demand in the East Riding”.