White Acre Estates Ltd entered into a promotion agreement with the land owner of a 10 acre site on the edge of Colburn in Richmondshire.  The brief was to seek planning for a residential scheme on this previously undeveloped greenfield site.

The site had been promoted by the land owner as suitable for immediate development through the Local Plan process without success.  After getting involved in the project, White Acre Estates held a pre-application meeting with the officers from Richmondshire District Council to discuss the principle of residential development on the site with access taken from Cookson Way, and all other matters reserved.   

 

Comprehensive baseline surveys were carried out by White Acre Estates, including ecology, archeology, trees, highways, flood risk and landscape setting.  These established the parameters and constraints of the land, and a subsequent outline planning application for 107 houses was submitted in August 2017.  White Acre Estates commissioned and co-ordinated a targeted public consultation regarding the development proposals.  This included a website and social media channels as well as traditional print and display media.  Comments, both for and against the proposal were logged and factored into the next stage of the process.

The site was designed to deliver a mix of dwellings types, sizes and tenure in addition to providing a suitable amount of open space in addition to formal play areas.  The layout was planned in conjunction with a findings of tree surveys, landscape and visual impact assessments, ecological appraisals and comments taken through the public consultation.

The great amount of attention paid to integrate the built form of the development into the surrounding environment, ensures that it is a socially and environmentally sustainable addition, respecting the aspects and privacy of the neighbouring properties.  It also benefits the community through provision of a valuable open space and children’s playgrounds for the benefit of future and existing residents.  There was also a contribution made to upgrading a local playing pitch which was an issue raised through the public consultation.

White Acre Estate’s planning application comprehensively demonstrated the benefits of the scheme and Richmondshire Development Management Committee voted unanimously to approve the application in November 2017 subject to the relevant Section 106 Agreements.