150-home Pickering scheme approved despite sewage network being at capacity

North Yorkshire Council’s Thirsk and Malton area planning committee voted by two votes to one, with one abstention, to grant outline permission for the Persimmon Homes development on agricultural land south of Firthland Road.

The decision came despite objections from Yorkshire Water, which warned that the town’s sewerage network and wastewater treatment works were already at capacity, and Pickering Town Council, which claimed further development could make illegal sewage discharges into local rivers inevitable.

Pickering councillor Joy Andrews proposed refusing the application, arguing the development was outside the town’s development limits and would add to growing pressure on local infrastructure.

However, committee chair Councillor Caroline Goodrick said she felt she had little choice but to support planning officers’ recommendation to approve the scheme.

She also launched a strongly worded criticism of Yorkshire Water for failing to provide councillors with sufficient information about its plans to improve wastewater infrastructure after the meeting heard that the developer had received an update from the utilities company about its infrastructure when councillors had not.

Cllr Goodrick said: “I’m really annoyed with Yorkshire Water. As far as I know, this isn’t in their asset management plan.

“It’s great that they’re having conversations with developers, but why aren’t they having conversations with us?

“It would help us make decisions much more quickly and easily if we knew what they were planning and what they intended to do.

“We shouldn’t have to impose Grampian conditions, but we’re left with no option when housing developments are proposed in areas where wastewater treatment facilities cannot cope with the additional demand.

“It’s unacceptable that Yorkshire Water isn’t here to defend its position and tell us what’s going on.”

The approval is expected to be subject to conditions preventing the new homes from being occupied until adequate sewerage capacity is available.

Yorkshire Water had objected to the application, warning that connecting additional homes before infrastructure improvements were completed could cause environmental damage and flooding.

In its consultation response, the company stated: “Our infrastructure in Pickering is already at capacity and cannot accept any additional flows until necessary infrastructure works have been delivered.”

Cllr Andrews argued that the committee needed to consider the cumulative impact of housing growth across Pickering.

She said: “We already have three approved developments in Pickering, all subject to Grampian conditions, amounting to around 350 homes.

“There are another three potential developments in the pipeline, which could bring a further 250 homes and a 50-bed extra-care facility.

“I appreciate we must consider the application before us on its own merits, but these are unprecedented times.

“We could be looking at around 800 new homes in Pickering once Yorkshire Water upgrades its infrastructure.”

She also raised concerns about the site’s location next to Westgate Carr Industrial Estate, where she said noise and smells were already affecting residents.

“This development is outside the development limits. That may change in the future, but for now it remains outside,” she said.

“It is also next to an industrial estate which produces noise and smells. Those smells travel across the town – I live in the centre of Pickering and I can smell them myself.

“Similar applications have previously been refused on this site, and all those reasons remain relevant today.”

Cllr Andrews also criticised proposed highways improvements, arguing they would do little to address additional traffic travelling through three existing housing estates.

She added: “We’re not on the A64, we don’t have a main railway connection, and we have very little employment land available. Where will these people work?”

The eight-hectare development would be accessed from Standfield Drive and include up to 150 properties, of which 35 per cent would be affordable housing, alongside public open space, a children’s play area and landscaping.

The application attracted 31 objections from members of the public, raising concerns about traffic, schools, healthcare, drainage and the local environment.

The site has also been the subject of two previous unsuccessful housing applications, refused in 2018 and 2019.

However, planning officers argued that the latest proposals could be made acceptable through conditions and a legal agreement.

A key factor was the council’s inability to demonstrate a five-year housing land supply in the former Ryedale district, with officers reporting that just 1.39 years’ supply was available.

They said the need for additional housing, particularly affordable homes, weighed heavily in favour of granting permission.

Cllr Goodrick acknowledged the frustration of local councillors.

She said: “I also accept that, if councillor Andrews’ proposal is supported, the matter may have to go to the Secretary of State.

“That annoys me too, because local councillors know their areas extremely well. It shouldn’t be down to some bureaucrat in London to make that decision.”

Conditions placed on the scheme mean sewage capacity will have to be added before the homes are occupied.