Ground Clearance Activity on the Arla Site - Saturday 7th March 2025

We (RPC) are aware this morning (no warning/notice given), as are many residents, that contractors have begun ground clearance activity on the Arla site/old cricket pitch area, having had the car park cleared and closed last week as well.

As far as we (RPC) are concerned, the planning application for the development of this site is “awaiting decision” – as it has been for some months, and the earliest it will come to the NYC committee is now in April, as the March agenda has been published by NYC, and this application is not there for consideration.  A screenshot from the NYC planning portal, taken by me this morning (shown below), confirms this, and as statutory consultees, with a voice at the table in this legal planning process, we (RPC), would expect to be notified of ANY significant changes/developments – I can confirm we have not been told anything.

Frustratingly, the NYC planning offices are closed at the weekend, so the earliest we can get engagement with them will be Monday morning (Peter Wilkinson, one of our Parish Councillors who is also our Romanby County Councillor - and who also knew nothing of this - will be engaging directly) and by then, much clearance and wildlife/biodiversity damage will have no doubt taken place.

We acknowledge that this is still private land, and so the owner (unclear as to whether that is Arla or someone else now) can do as they wish – nevertheless, we shall be seeking a formal explanation as to exactly what is happening with the site, and why, in the absence of any approved planning permission, and of any traction in bringing the application to the table for formal legal consideration.

We stand ready to fully represent the opinions and concerns of our residents as always, as part of the formal legal planning process, but hope you understand it is very difficult when we are blindsided by events and circumstances such as this.

We will update with more when we have it.

Best wishes,

Stuart Bradnam, Chairman Romanby Parish Council,

On behalf of your Parish Council Team.