HBC has increased its assessment of housing need by almost 20% since the Local Plan was last publicised.  Whereas we believe in Leeds for example, the housing need has been dramatically reduced.  Land to the west of Harrogate has been targetted for development with around 4000 houses or approximately one third of the planned quota for Harrogate.  Harrogate is as we all know, one of the jewels in North Yorkshire's crown - it's a tourist spot, home to the Great Yorkshire Show and the Exhibition Centre, Betty's, the Royal Pump Room Museum and elegant Georgian and Victorian architechture.  Back in the 70's some planners and the authority permitted the building of the blot on the landscape on Parliament Street.  The concrete building was not a tasteful juxta positition of old and new or an architectural delight.  It was and remains a blot on the landscape, degrading the setting of some pretty outstanding buildings in this fashionable Spa Town.  Today in 2017, we are faced with the same scenario, plans to degrade vast areas of countryside exist to create housing when we all know that we have enough planning permissions, brownfield land and redundant buildings to create over a million homes in this country.  When will we see joined up thinking?  Tourism is essential to North Yorkshire, tourists come here because of the outstanding countryside and the beautiful market towns and the Spa town of Harrogate.  If we have a shortage of affordable homes, let's concentrate on addressing that issue not jumping to fill questionable quotas of housing on greenfields that degrade the setting of a this historic and famous Spa town.                                        Welcome to Yorkshire describes Harrogate on their web page (https://www.yorkshire.com/places/north-yorkshire/harrogate/harrogate) as:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

About Harrogate

With its handsome historic buildings and verdant gardens, Harrogate is one of Yorkshire's most elegant destinations. Set aside a weekend and indulge in an antiques hunt in the morning, lunch at the famous Betty's tearoom and then a visit to the luxurious Turkish baths. With an evening champagne picnic in the floral Valley Gardens, it's the perfect place for a relaxing break in Yorkshire.

The Welcome to Yorkshire web site lists RHS Harlow Carr as a must see destination yet here we are facing development that, without doubt, will impact on the tourist experience of the area and the setting of this famous spot. It really is time to value what we have right now because, once it is gone, it's gone forever.

CPRENY are currently campaigning across the Harrogate Borough and working to respond to members concerns regarding the negative effects of these proposed new housing estates.    

We need to focus on quality affordable homes for young people not sprawling "executive homes" development.  How many homeless executives do you know?  Probably none but housing plans across the country seem to focus on providing executive homes!  We constantly (and by that daily) see applications by developers to remove the affordable quota of homes in their approved planning permissions but those developments were granted planning permission based on providing a quota of affordable homes.  Within weeks of receiving planning permission developers across the country go back to Authorities claiming it is not viable to build the affordable quota. (http://www.cprenorthyorkshire.co.uk/news/current-news2/item/2394-it-s-not-viable-to-build-the-affordable-homes-we-promised)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    It's time to stop talking about providing affordable homes and do something about it.  It's also time to acknowledge that affordable homes need not be poor quality.  Well built, sustainable development is a good thing.  However, we don't see enough of it.  CPRE North Yorkshire recently asked for examples of good development - to date we have not received a single response!

If you live in Harroage you have until 25th of August to respond to the further consultation which includes 25 additional housing sites for an extra 2300 homes largely in the Harrogate area.     

We  found an excellent web site run by Harlow & Pannal Ash Residents Association - take a look - it's pretty worrying.  http://www.hapara.org

CPRENY have commissioned a planning consultant to examine the further consultation, such is the level of our concern.