Skipton flyover homes plan dismissed by planning inspector

A DEVELOPER has lost the fight to build a small estate of homes on the outskirts of Skipton on land partly beneath the A629 flyover.

Mandale Homes appealed to the Planning Inspectorate after plans to build 26 homes off Broughton Road, on land close to Niffany Farm and next to the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, were refused permission by the former Craven District Council.

That decision, made in October, 2022, has yesterday (Wednesday) been upheld by a Government planning inspector.

In their decision, the  inspector says the proposed housing and the access road would 'result in an intensive form of development in this rural setting'.

The inspector says: "The development, despite the flyover further along the road, would intrude into the setting of the conservation area in this location."

North Yorkshire councillor Andy Solloway, who represents Skipton West, welcomed the decision and said: "Whoever thought building homes under a bypass with a tricky access off a main road into Skipton was a good idea, has had common sense thrust upon them.

"Sometimes the planning inspectors get things right."

In October, two people in their 70s died after the car they were travelling in left the A629, crashed though the road barriers on the flyover and landed at the far end of the site next to the canal.

Mandale Homes has been asked for a comment.