Council agree to plans for Skelton housing site with 323 homes

So-called reserved matters relating to the site in Skelton, East Cleveland, were agreed at a meeting of Redcar and Cleveland Council’s regulatory committee.

Outline planning permission lasting an extended nine year period had previously been granted in 2019 for up to 400 homes on the site in question, land to the east and west of Saltburn Lane, which adjoins Asda and other commercial development off Pheasant Lane.

To the north the site, which has previously been in agricultural use and contains a number of allotments, is bounded by the A174.

A range of semi-detached, detached and terraced properties has been proposed by applicant Barratt David Wilson Homes with a mix of two, three, four and five bed dwellings, although the majority will be detached four beds.

A total of 48 properties – 15 per cent of the overall number – will either be offered for affordable rent, or for sale at discounted market value.

A design and access statement submitted by the company describing elements of the housing development said all homes would be allocated at least two private car parking spaces and have EV charging points.

Vehicular access will be off Saltburn Lane and a link to Pheasant Fields Lane to the east.

The development will include a SUDs basin and areas of public open space with the primary street through the development being tree lined. 

Due to the differences in land levels across the site, retaining walls will feature across the development, ranging in height from 0.3m high to 2.4m high. 

Revisions had been made to the plans after concerns regarding layout, separation distances, impact on existing hedgerow and visitor parking.

The overall number of homes was subsequently reduced to 323.

The council’s arborist said plans included the removal of a well-established hedgerow containing seven hedgerow species extending to approximately 130m in length, requesting details on how this loss would be mitigated.

A council planning officer responded by stating a landscaping scheme would pick up such matters.

Provision was also made in the form of 50 visitor parking spaces within the prospective highway and 15 visitor parking spaces in private areas.

Eleven objections to the development were received by the local planning authority with complaints about insufficient amenities and services, and “horrendous traffic” being aired.

One said: “Skelton is becoming a large building site, but with very little infrastructure.”

A council officer’s report, which recommended approval of the housing, said: “Residents have raised matters in relation to impacts on local facilities and services; such matters were considered through the outline permission which has established the principle of development on the site and found that the proposal would have no adverse impact on local facilities.”

The officer concluded: “The proposed layout and house types are acceptable and the application raises no issues in terms of character and appearance or neighbour amenity.

“Matters relating to the principle of development, drainage, flooding, ecology, contaminated land, landscape and visual impact, noise and archaeology were all dealt with on the outline application and deemed acceptable and are not for consideration through the reserved matters application.

“The access to the site and the impacts on the wider highway network were considered on the outline application and deemed acceptable. 

“The internal layout, highway routes internal to the site and the parking provision is considered acceptable and therefore the application raises no issues in terms of highway safety.

“The reserved matters are acceptable and the application accords with the relevant policies and guidance within the Redcar and Cleveland Local Plan.”