Craven District Council is inviting representations on Further Main Modifications recommended by the independent Inspector to the Publication Draft Local Plan.

A new public consultation will run from July 18, 2019, for a six-week period, until Thursday August 29.

The Further Main Modifications have been put forward by the independent Inspector after consideration of consultation responses received on the Main Modifications.

Following representations from residents and Craven District Council, the Inspector is now recommending that an area of Local Green Space be designated around Park Hill, to the north of Skipton. This requires further consultation.

David Smurthwaite, Strategic Manager at Craven District Council, said: “We supported representations from residents regarding Local Green Space designations at Park Hill in Skipton, and Hellifield Flashes.

“The Inspector has now recommended that an area of Local Green Space could be designated around Park Hill.

“The Inspector had previously recommended that only Gallaber Pond at Hellifield Flashes should be designated as Local Green Space and this was proposed as a Main Modification to the Local Plan. The Council believed that the whole site could be designated as Local Green Space, and also suggested an alternative that in addition to Gallaber Pond two smaller areas of land at Hellifield Flashes known as Dunbars Flash and Little Dunbars Flash could be designated as Local Green Space.

“However, the Inspector has at this stage made no further recommendations relating to Hellifield and we must wait for his final report for his conclusions on this area.

“We welcome representations from residents during this period of consultation. Please be aware that comments can only be made on the Further Main Modifications, on the sustainability appraisal and habitat regulation assessment addendums, and the schedule of further policy map changes.

“This is not the opportunity to make comments on other aspects of the Local Plan. If you submitted representations during consultation on the Publication Draft Craven Local Plan, or during consultation on the Main Modifications, these have already been forwarded to the Inspector and there is no need to submit them again.”

The Inspector has also recommended a number of other Further Main Modifications in order to make the plan sound.

These include policies around specialist housing for older people and affordable housing.  

The Further Main Modifications are considered necessary following the examination hearings, held during October 2018, to make the Local Plan sound, and following consultation on the Main Modifications which took place from Tuesday February 19 to Monday April 1, 2019, and are made without prejudice to the Inspector’s final conclusions on the Local Plan.

For details of how to submit representations on the Further Main Modifications, go to www.cravendc.gov.uk/planningpolicyconsultations

Paper copies of the documents listed above will be available from libraries within the plan area and from the Craven District Council office reception desk during the consultation period.

All relevant representations will be considered by the Inspector who will decide whether any further examination hearings are required.  At the end of the examination process he will present his final conclusions in a report to the Council. 

If the Inspector concludes that the Local Plan is ‘sound’ subject to Main Modifications, and Further Main Modifications the Council can move forward to adopt the Local Plan, subject to making the modifications recommended by the Inspector.

The Planning Policy Team can be contacted on 01756 706472 or by emailing localplan@cravendc.gov.uk