Plans that will see a retail park featuring Aldi, Burger King, Greggs and Starbucks have been approved - despite concerns about the impact on the nearby high street.
The proposals, which will see the development built between North Moor Road and Darlington Road in Northallerton, were given the seal of approval at a Richmond (Area) planning committee on Thursday (September 12)
As part of the application, which was for the reserved matters sections of the retail park, which has been dubbed the Northallerton 'neighbourhood centre', councillors discussed the access, appearance, landscaping, layout and scale of the retail park.
During the discussion about the development, which will link to the newly built Taylor Wimpey estate, which has also seen a school built near the site, councillors considered the application appropriate for the surrounding areas, despite objections and concerns from the public.
They also noted that pedestrian and cycling access on North Moor Road and Darlington Road will be made, while an existing pedestrian crossing on North Moor Road will remain.
The application, from Eshton Developments Ltd and Aldi, comes after a full planning application for 298 houses on Darlington Road and Stokesley Road, and an outline application for 900 houses was granted back in 2016.
In the build-up to the planning committee meeting, two consultations were carried out on the proposals, which included 37 public objections and 48 letters of support.
Within the objections, Sainsbury's, who have a store on High Street in Northallerton, objected on the grounds of 'no need for another food store', ' the development is inappropriate for the scale' and 'the application fails to satisfy retail planning policy'.
Another issue over the development centred on the fact that it's believed that the new retail site will have a nine per cent impact on Northallerton town centre and its shops.
Other objections from the public included the development not being the ‘small community shop and facilities’ previously indicated, the development occupying one of the only green spaces within the North Northallerton area, and people believing the development will be an 'eyesore'.
During the meeting on Thursday, an objector, Fiona Millington, who lives next to where the development would be built, expressed concerns over impacts on independent retailers in Northallerton, as well health implications of having Burger King on the development.
The resident said: "The impact on local businesses will be detrimental, while the inclusion of Burger King could promote obesity for young children.
"There is a McDonald's three-quarters of a mile away - I don't see why a Burger King is necessary - which could mean awful smells for us living across the road and the chance of anti-social behaviour and loitering on an evening.
In contrast, the 48 support letters indicated that the development will create local jobs, the provision of a supermarket run by a ‘budget retailer’ will reduce the need for Northallerton residents to travel further afield opportunities, and the belief that 'the development will promote competition between retailers'.
Councillors sided with the supporters of the site, highlighting that this site was always designated for development, and backed the proposals.
Planning committee member Steve Watson, who covers the Northallerton North & Brompton division, backed the plans - saying that he was part of the original Hambleton District Council which approved the hybrid application in 2016.
He said: "This was always going to be developed. I know it's been highlighted about the impact on other businesses in Northallerton, but most people who have contacted me have been positive about it.
Another councillor who backed the plans was Councillor Heather Moorhouse, who covers the Great Ayton division, and noted that the site was always earmarked as development land, while also saying that "Northallerton will always thrive, regardless of these plans".
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The only concerns raised by councillors centred on the health impact on children, with councillor David Hughill, from Hutton Rudby and Osmotherley division, saying that it was a "real concern" that children could be "dragged in by Burger King".
But this issue was quickly moved away from, with councillors told by officers that the health impact on children wasn't a planning consideration.
The plans were approved unanimously by the planning committee members on Thursday.
While the development was granted, conditions were put in place, which included that building work must be started within two years, as well as conditions including noise, pollution and safety measures to reduce the impact on nearby residents.
According to the applicants Eshton Developments, the shops will invest £8 million in the local economy, create around 110 full and part-time jobs, and generate around £200,000 in business rates for North Yorkshire Council.
Alongside this, 166 car parking spaces including 13 accessible parking spaces, nine parent & child spaces, motorcycle bays and dedicated cycle racks, as well as four electric vehicle charging points will be added to the site.
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