THE Ripon area has a 58 per cent oversupply of new homes, says a civic watchdog.

Harrogate Civic Society had hoped runaway housing development would have been curbed by new planning policies.

Their spokesman, Henry Pankhurst, said that despite commendable restraint measures, there had been no reduction.

Harrogate Borough Council's chief planning officer, Tim Richards said the oversupply was a blip caused by redevelopment of the former Ripon College of York St John site, in College Road. This has accounted for 165 new homes, which had inflated the figure.

Mr Richards said the Ripon figure was in contrast to a district-wide oversupply of 28 per cent.

He said the Ripon College site had created a catastrophic effect on figures.

He said redevelopment of the college site had been a departure from existing restraint policies in place.

It had been decided new housing would be acceptable because it brought other development of benefit to the community, such as business space, a learning centre, care housing, sports facilities and the retention and restoration of the listed college building fronting College Road.

It had been estimated that 1,092 homes would be built in the area up to 2006. Following the latest developments, the figure is expected to be 1,730.