Councillors approve major 56 house development in East Ayton, near Scarborough

Members of the Scarborough and Whitby area planning committee voted unanimously to approve a major housing development on land at Racecourse Road, East Ayton.

Speaking at the meeting on Thursday, March 14, councillors commended Crest Nicholson for meeting the 30% affordable requirement – in this case, 17 houses.

The development will see the construction of 56 houses and associated infrastructure including roads, open space, and a pumping station.

A variety of house types will be built, but most are set to be two storeys and will range from two to five bedrooms each.

Coun Subash Sharma said: “I’m really pleased that you have maintained the 30 per cent affordable housing provision, because on the previous one we had some disquiet about that – it’s a really positive thing.”

The applicant has also agreed to contribute £77,000 to off-site sports facilities, £34,400 towards primary healthcare facilities at West Ayton Surgery, and £21,700 towards East Ayton Primary School.

Coun Heather Phillips called for “very strong conditions” to protect residents from disturbance while construction works were ongoing.

She also noted that the wheels of trucks and other vehicles accessing the site should be washed as someone had previously “managed to make the road look like the Somme because of the mud”.

East Ayton Parish Council raised concerns that the planning and highways departments had “failed to ensure that this development’s footpaths and estate roads join up and flow”.

However, no objections were raised by the Highway Authority or the Environment Agency but both recommended the implementation of additional conditions.

Committee members said they were happy with the proposals and Coun Clive Pearson said he hoped that other applications would be of a similarly high standard.

Councillors voted to unanimously approve the development subject to conditions and the finalisation of S106 financial contributions.