Councillors have refused plans for 32 houses in a North Yorkshire village after local residents there were no community facilities to support the development.
An outline planning application for the housing in Appleton Roebuck was considered by members of North Yorkshire Council’s Selby and Ainsty area planning committee yesterday (Wednesday).
Councillors voted to refuse the application, despite planning officers recommending that it should be approved.
They took the decision after hearing concerns from residents and the parish council about the impact on the village of the scheme earmarked for land off Colton Lane.
Trevor Costello, representing a local residents’ group, said the site of the proposed housing conflicted with the adopted neighbourhood development plan.
He added: “Previous applications for this site were refused or withdrawn at the High Court following an application for a judicial review.
“We fail to see how this new application can be recommended for approval, as little has changed.”
He said the village was not a sustainable location for new housing, adding: “Medical, dentistry and other services cannot be accessed in a timely manner using current public transport, so this will result in numerous additional journeys by car or taxi.”
Janet Flint, chair of Appleton Roebuck and Acaster Selby Parish Council, said the scheme would be built outside the village’s development limits and would encroach into open countryside.
She added: “This is not sustainable infill — it is a substantial extension that exceeds even the original emerging Selby local plan’s proposed allocation of 28 units.
“Appleton Roebuck is classified as the least sustainable village in the Selby area do to its poor bus service, lack of shops and absence of any medical services. The local school is at capacity and cannot accommodate additional children.
“The closure of additional amenities such as the garage and the pub further reduce the sustainability score.”
Councillors said there were a number of issues relating to the history of the site and the new plans, including a refusal of a previous application for the site and North Yorkshire not having a five-year land supply for housing.
Councillor Mike Jordan said: “The question I also ask myself is ‘why is it appropriate to put up houses when there’s virtually nothing and will result in all those that move there having to travel by car for anything?’
“I know Appleton Roebuck as a village and I just think ‘where are they all going to go?’ They’re all going to have to have a car to get absolutely everything. I’m struggling with this one.”
Councillor Arnold Warneken said: “I haven’t been convinced that we are addressing the sustainability of this settlement.
“We need to listen to parish councils and the people of the community and for me there’s a justification from a sustainability point of view not to support this.”
After further debate, a majority of councillors voted to reject the application.