Plans for a controversial 53-house estate on the outskirts of a North Yorkshire village have been withdrawn by builders after two and half years of objections from villagers. 

In December 2021, an application was submitted to North Yorkshire Council for the 100 per cent affordable housing scheme on Ainderby Road, Romanby, near Northallerton.

Under the proposals, submitted by Mulberry Homes, the builders stated that it was delivering the housing scheme to help meet "a shortage of affordable houses within Northallerton”.

The application has been through several amendments since it was submitted - including the number of homes, the layout of the development, and several planning applications.

The developer has previously claimed the area is experiencing “an ongoing and persistent housing affordability crisis”, reinforcing the need to deliver affordable housing now, with some 1,166 active applications in the former Hambleton authority area.

An overview of the housing schemeAn overview of the housing scheme (Image: NORTH YORKSHIRE COUNCIL)

During the consultation process of the application, 122 objections were submitted, including Romanby Parish Council, against the building of the development - with claims there is “ample housing stock planned and allocated for the years ahead” and questions over whether the village’s infrastructure and services could cope with 53 more homes. 

Over the last two and a half years, the planning application has been the subject of several planning committee meetings - but last Thursday (June 13), the application was withdrawn. 

A look at how the houses would have looked in RomanbyA look at how the houses would have looked in Romanby (Image: NORTH YORKSHIRE COUNCIL)

In a confirmation of the withdrawal on North Yorkshire Council's planning portal, it stated: "I am writing to confirm that, by recent correspondence, the above application received by this Council on 20 December 2021 has now been Withdrawn.

"This means that it will not be processed further and my file on the matter will be closed.

"A fresh application will therefore be required if at any time in the future it should be decided to revive the proposal."

Most read:

Got more from The Northern Echo with a digital subscription. Get access for 4 months for just £4, or get 40% off an annual subscription with our latest offer. Click here.

The national planning definition of affordable housing incorporates social rent, as well as a range of intermediate rent and for-sale products.

The Affordable Housing Commission in 2020 concluded that “many” of these products “are unaffordable to those on mid to lower incomes.”

North Yorkshire affordable housing campaigners have recently highlighted how the cost of properties offered under different types of affordable housing tenure, such as outright sale, rental or shared ownership, can change significantly.