Concrete plant plans thrown out
PANNAL residents are breathing a sigh of relief after an application to build a concrete batching plant in the village was thrown out.
Hanson Quarry Products planned to move from its current premises in Killinghall to the former Dunlopillo site after the company's landlord served notice.
However planning officers at Harrogate Council have turned down the proposals on the grounds that it would affect the future development of the site, as well as impacting on the landscape and nearby residents.
The council received more than 100 letters of objection from villagers, including representations from Harrogate Civic Society, Pannal Village Society and Pannal Memorial Institute.
The objections included traffic problems, issues with the site crossing green belt land, pollution, dust, noise, appearance and light pollution.
Chairman of the Pannal Village Society Peter Stretton welcomed the decision. "The village society was opposed to the concrete batching plant so we are very pleased it's been turned down, " he said. "What we would like on that site is a fairly high class business park and I think that's what the council probably wants there as well but time will tell what they come forward with next time."
Hanson Quarry Products spokesman David Weeks said the company was disappointed about the decision for two reasons.
"Firstly we considered it to be the ideal site for this kind of development," he said. "Secondly we are disappointed that we weren't able to see the reports that the council had received from the consultees ahead of the decision as then we could have maybe taken a look and addressed some of the issues raised. We asked if we could but we just simply didn't get to see anything until recommendation had been made.
"We will now be considering our position rather than making a positive decision on whether to resubmit or not. There are a number of issues to address but we don't think any of them are insurmountable."
Mr Weeks said the ideal way to service the local construction industry was to be based close to areas where it is needed because ready mix concrete has a short shelf life and doesn't travel far.
"The material won't travel much further than eight to 10 miles so in order to provide that kind of material to the town and outlying areas, the plant has got to be situated somewhere close by. It's not something you can pick up, take away and produce somewhere else which is why this site was ideal," he said.
"There still remains a demand for the material and we have just got to decide whether to still look at Pannal or to find somewhere else."
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Thursday 09 February 2012
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