A call for possible development sites across North Yorkshire has gone out this week as part of preparation for the county’s new local plan.
Landowners, site promoters, developers and other interested parties are being given the chance to submit site suggestions to North Yorkshire Council. They will be considered as part of the local plan being drawn up to meet the future growth of the county.
Sites can be submitted for any use or special designation, including but not limited to housing, employment, commercial development, retail and leisure, renewable energy generation, and biodiversity or other environmental enhancement schemes.
The North Yorkshire Local Plan, which the council aims to adopt by 2028, will set out where development will take place across the county over the next 15 to 20 years. It will also include policies and strategies that planning applications will be considered against.
Sites put forward for consideration will be subject to a lengthy process that will take several years to complete and will include independent government examination of the plan and the proposed sites.
Director of community development, Nic Harne, said: “The call for sites represents a crucial early stage in our local plan preparations and we welcome submissions from across North Yorkshire.
“However, submitting a site for consideration does not necessarily mean it will be taken forward for development. This exercise is not the planning application process and at this early stage, it is often the case that more sites are submitted than are needed to meet the future needs of the area.”
Site ideas must be submitted online using the council’s planning portal and allows the user to plot the site boundary, submit site details, include supporting documentation, and add details of any work carried out to date on the site.
This level of information is important and will allow the planning team to consider the impact of a site in detail. The process will include seeking expert advice on the impact on local services such as schools and health provision, capacity of local sewerage and water services, impact on wildlife and biodiversity, and the capacity of local roads and junctions.
When the initial assessment of sites is complete, the council will invite comments on the sites as part of a public consultation.
Anyone wanting to put a site forward for consideration should aim to do so by the end of June.
