MALTKILN: Public invited to attend consultation event regarding plans for new 4,000-home town between Harrogate and York

Caddick Group says the event on Tuesday, May 7 at Kirk Hammerton Village Hall will be a chance for the community to view its proposals for Maltkiln and to speak directly with the team developing the scheme.

It will take place between 2pm and 8pm.

A minimum of 3,000 homes and two primary schools could be built near the villages of Cattal, Whixley, Green Hammerton and Kirk Hammerton.

This month, North Yorkshire Council submitted its Maltkiln development plan document (DPD) to the government’s Planning Inspectorate ahead of an examination.

Caddick says the scheme aims to address the “acute housing shortage” in North Yorkshire.

Proposals are also available to view and respond to on a dedicated consultation website.

An online form for feedback will open on Monday, May 6 and will close on Friday, May 27.

Chris Procter, Director at Caddick Group, said: “We have been liaising with North Yorkshire Council and other key political stakeholders throughout the DPD process, to ensure our plans are able to not only deliver much-needed housing, but are also able to provide a range of housing types and tenures, giving people the flexibility to live where they wish.

“Our revised proposals for Maltkiln will incorporate enhancements to transport infrastructure around the site, as well as bringing forward proposals for onsite amenities and a strategy to deliver biodiversity net gain, to deliver a sustainable and connected community.”

“As the DPD process draws to a conclusion, we want to re-engage with the community to seek their valuable feedback on our revised plans.”

Arnold Warneken, Green Party Councillor for Ouseburn, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that he hopes people living in the area will attend the consultation as he said there were still unanswered questions regarding the scheme.

The developer still does not own a large section of land around Cattal Station with the council saying it would be willing to use a compulsory purchase order to force through a sale.

He also questioned the timing of the consultation event which is taking place before the DPD examination.

Councillor Warneken said: “We have not resolved the situation about land.

"I’m not sure why the consultation is taking place so early in the process.

"The community will get a chance to respond to DPD, which is the right way to do it.

"I don’t understand the thinking but I’m not a developer.”