Fresh plans submitted to North Yorkshire Council for new housing at Crimple Valley in Harrogate

There have been previous bids for housing on the site, which is on the edge of Harrogate off Leeds Road and is overlooked by the imposing Crimple Valley Viaduct which dates back to 1848.

In 2021, plans for 65 homes were withdrawn and last year, a smaller application for 35 homes was refused by Harrogate Borough Council.

Both applications were controversial with campaign group Save Crimple Valley claiming the homes would harm the appearance of one of Harrogate’s most picturesque locations.

This time, developers Square Feet Ltd and Antela Developments Ltd have submitted a plan for 17 homes with seven of them classed as affordable and ten as custom self-build homes for people who want to build their own home.

The site has historically been in equestrian use and includes farmland, barns and stables.

The developers say homes will only be built on the northern part of the site, with the southern part providing a “significant landscaped area” that will remain open.

When the previous plan was refused, the council said it was because the land is not allocated for development in its Local Plan.

However, in documents attached to the new application the developers have argued that the Local Plan supports the delivery of self-build homes on the edge of towns.

The council also said the development would “erode the distinctive rural character” of the Crimple Valley landscape as well as the Grade II* listed viaduct.

But documents say the developer has reduced the scheme to minimise its impact.

It said: “The development has been contracted into a smaller footprint and minimised, bringing it closer to the existing urban edge.

"Care has also been taken to reduce the visibility of new development in each of the views.”

Previous plans for the site generated scores of objections from local residents.

Save Crimple Valley has written about the latest application on its website.

It says: “This site has already been turned down and applications withdrawn or refused on multiple occasions – but the developers are persistent and will get their way if not stopped.

"Because this is a new application all previous comments are disregarded.

“It is vitally important to stress that this development will cause demonstrable harm and desecration of the Special Landscape Area.”

North Yorkshire Council, which is the new planning authority for Harrogate, will decide on the application at a later date.