Councillors vote down every option in row over housing scheme

A BIZARRE situation unfolded at a council planning meeting in North Yorkshire when councillors voted against every possible decision on a proposed housing development site.

Hambleton District Council’s planning committee rejected proposals to approve, reconsider at a later date and refuse a scheme to build nine bungalows off Stillington Road Easingwold.

The meeting heard the proposal had been opposed by Easingwold Town Council and recommended for refusal by planning officers as it was outside the town’s stated development limits. However, it emerged that the proposed site was surrounded by housing on four sides following developers of an adjacent plot winning an appeal to create an estate in the no-build zone as the council had been unable to demonstrate it had sufficient housing land supply at the time.

Developer Dan Warrington told members opposition to the scheme was based on an out of date local plan.

He said: “How can our scheme be located outside development limits when it is surrounded by developments on all four sides?”

Councillors John Noone and

Kevin Hardisty proposed the scheme be granted, while Councillor Bryn Griffins said it would be wrong to ignore council policy on affordable housing and called for it to be deferred.

Councillor Andrew Robinson proposed the scheme be refused so that the committee was

“proceeding in the correct manner”.

After members voted five for and seven against all three recommendations, they were told they would have to continue the debate until they reached a decision. Members agreed to defer the decision until next month.