Heronby is included in Selby District Council’s Local Plan proposals

Selby councillors have agreed that proposals for Heronby should be included in a new draft Local Plan for the district which will now go forward for public consultation.

Heronby will be a sustainable new settlement between Selby and York designed to meet a significant proportion of the area’s future housing needs.

It will deliver up to 4,000 homes, alongside amenities including a settlement centre, three neighbourhood centres, a secondary school and two primary schools, open space, parks and sports fields, an employment centre and community buildings.

The masterplan for Heronby has been developed by Escrick Park Estate, informed by extensive public consultation and engagement.

In a report to the authority’s Executive, Selby District Council planning officers said: “The holistically-planned new settlement at Heronby will provide high-quality imaginatively-designed homes, local jobs, integrated and accessible transport systems, a range of recreational and shopping facilities and an enhanced natural environment.”

Members of Selby District Council’s Executive Committee on Thursday, August 4, unanimously approved a recommendation that the draft plan should move to the next consultation stage.

Heronby was one of three new community sites put forward for inclusion in the Local Plan, the others being at Church Fenton and Burn.

Planning officers said: “The proposals at Heronby will involve significant improvements to the highways network which will have wider benefits for local communities. The creation of a country park and the Estate’s record working positively with Natural England on improving biodiversity has significant environmental benefits.

“In terms of meeting the aims of the Town and Country Planning Act’s garden village principles there is potential for all three sites to meet them, however the proposal at Heronby demonstrates a better fit given the level of community engagement which has already taken place and the long-standing links with the local community.

“There are clear benefits to the Heronby proposals as it is being led by an established Estate who are committed to the long-term stewardship of the site, which will ensure high-quality design, a mix of tenures and local facilities.

“Both Heronby and Church Fenton are considered deliverable and viable, however given that Church Fenton is in Flood Zone 2 and will involve the loss of a commercial airfield and the wider benefits Heronby will have in terms of improvements to the highways network and provision of a country park it is proposed that Heronby is taken forward as the new settlement.”

Beilby Forbes Adam from Escrick Park Estate said: “Our vision for Heronby is that it will be a beautifully designed and functional settlement with homes, employment space, schools, shops and green open spaces that sit comfortably within the landscape.

“The Estate is committed to ensuring that Heronby is faithful to tradition yet fit for the 21st century.

“We would like to thank all the members of the public and other stakeholders who have helped us shape our masterplan, and look forward to working with them in the future as the proposals progress.”

Selby District Council will now launch a six-week consultation into the latest version of the Local Plan. It is expected that a submission version of the plan could be ready to be presented to a Planning Inspector early next year.

It is hoped that the plan would then be adopted by the new unitary North Yorkshire Council in early 2024.