Eggborough: Developer 'reviewing options' after councillors defer decision on 1,500-home plan

The developer behind plans for a major new community at Eggborough says it is reviewing its options after councillors deferred a decision on the scheme for a second time.

Banks Property has expressed disappointment after North Yorkshire Council’s strategic planning committee decided on Tuesday (Aug 11) to delay determining its application for the proposed Eggborough West development.

The company says it will now consider the planning options available before deciding how to proceed with the scheme.

The proposals would create a large extension to Eggborough, including new homes, a primary school and nursery, shops, assisted living accommodation and areas of public open space.

Banks first submitted its proposals in October 2023, with an updated application submitted in August last year.

The application was recommended for approval when it went before councillors in May, but committee members decided to defer a decision after raising a number of issues, including concerns that the proposed ten per cent affordable homes was too low.

Banks says its project team has spent the last three months working with council officers to respond to the matters raised.

However, when the application returned to the committee yesterday, members again decided to defer a decision for an independent assessment of the level of affordable housing needed.

Rob Ormrod, land director at the Banks Group, said the company remained committed to working with the council and other parties but was frustrated by the latest delay.

“While we remain committed to working constructively with all parties around our Eggborough West planning application, we are disappointed by this second deferral of a committee decision, which has been again made against the recommendations of the planning officer,” he said.

“We have worked closely with North Yorkshire Council over the last three months to provide responses on all the reasons for deferral that were raised at the May committee meeting, and it is frustrating that this work has been overlooked, further delaying the delivery of these much-needed new homes.”

The developer says the development would provide improved local transport links as well as affordable housing, a new school and nursery, retail units, an extra care home and new publicly accessible open space.

Mr Ormrod said the company believed the proposals would provide a “well-connected and sustainable extension to Eggborough” and bring benefits for the community, local economy and environment.

He added: “We will now review all planning options available to us before deciding on the most appropriate next steps to take.”

The company has not said what those options might include or when it expects to decide its next move.