With today (22/7) being the deadline for residents to comment/respond to the planning application for houses/care home on the old cricket ground site, the Parish Council has responded as a statutory consultee.

Our response (which can also be viewed on the NYC Planning Portal) is as follows:

Romanby Parish Council opposes the proposed development of 55 residential dwellings and a care home, at the old Central Depot Cricket Club ground, on Ainderby Road, Romanby. 

The land in question is not, and never has been, allocated for any form of development in the current North Yorkshire Council Local Plan. We were closely involved in the consultation work for the current Local Plan, which clearly articulates that there is ample housing stock planned and allocated for the years ahead (out to 2035) in the Northallerton/Romanby area, without any further new builds being necessary.  Additionally, the planning documentation states there is no car parking on the current site (untrue – 60 "to pay for" spaces), and that the site is brownfield – again untrue, attested to by the admission of a 100% loss in biodiversity in the Biodiversity Net Gain Assessment.  

The design and siting of the proposed 3-storey care home is inappropriate and wholly out of keeping for the setting, and it is sited very close (7 metres) to existing properties (1-19 The Green). The Parish Council is also aware of recent publicity regarding the sale of the former Hambleton District Council offices at Stone Cross in Northallerton to a care home operator which will increase the care home capacity in the town.

Access to this site is very close to an extremely busy level crossing and traffic junctions, with the inherent safety concerns and traffic/pedestrian issues – the previous (refused) application  (15/02859/OUT dated 2016), confirmed this, stating  “…it is considered that the proposed residential access road into the development would interfere with the free-flow of traffic with consequent danger to highway users and rail safety by virtue of its proximity to the level crossing and adjacent junctions. “

We have taken the opportunity to consult with our residents over this proposal; of the responses received, 77% are against any development of the land in question. We are also aware (as are our residents) of many other potential issues for such a development on this site. Our local school and doctors surgery lack of capacity is already an issue, and the potential for flooding with the loss of a greenfield site is also a significant cause for concern.

All of these factors (and more) clearly inform our position of not supporting this proposed development. 

We stand ready, as discussed at Full Council, to further engage with the planning process in the coming weeks.

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