Plans for new village of 3,500 homes revived

Plans for a new settlement of about 3,500 homes between York and Selby have been revived after proposals stalled during changes to North Yorkshire's planning system.

Escrick Park Estate said it was progressing plans for Heronby, a new community on land west of Escrick which would include schools, a health centre and a country park.

An initial masterplan was prepared in 2021 as part of the former Selby Local Plan process but was put on hold after local government reorganisation moved planning responsibilities to North Yorkshire Council in 2023.

As part of the latest proposals, the estate has submitted an Environmental Impact Assessment scoping request to the council.

The request is not a planning application but asks officers to identify the environmental issues that would need to be examined before a formal application is lodged.

The developer said it remained committed to the project and was now moving closer to submitting an outline planning application.

Beilby Forbes Adam, of Escrick Park Estate, said the proposals were being brought forward amid a shortage of planned new housing across North Yorkshire.

Forbes Adam said a consultation was open to all age groups, but developers were particularly keen to hear from younger people struggling to find homes of their own.

Selby councillor Steve Shaw-Wright said the proposal had received significant support when it was first discussed by the former Selby District Council.

He said concentrating housing in a purpose-built settlement with services such as a school and medical centre was preferable to "bits and bobs" of development spread across surrounding villages.

However, councillor John Cattanach, who represents the Cawood and Escrick division, said he remained opposed to the scheme.

"Since the inception, I've spoken out against it completely and utterly. It's complete madness," he said.

"It's the size of the development and where it is, and the fact that all these people would go on to the A19."

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said a public exhibition would be held in Escrick later this year, with residents able to view the emerging plans and submit feedback via the Heronby website.

Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.