Julian Smith MP met with representatives from Homes England and the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) to discuss the plans for the development at Ripon Barracks.
On a call with Martin Wilkes, the Project Manager from Homes England, and James Ryley, a representative of the DIO, Julian discussed the plans for the site, and provided feedback on the representations he has received from constituents. Julian is keen to ensure that this development works well for the City of Ripon, and that the developers consider the needs of Ripon’s existing residents through the planning process. Julian raised representations he has received from constituents regarding traffic, sports provision and the number of homes, as well as highlighting the community’s strong desire to see services such as doctors, dentists and shops available in the new local centre.
Homes England and the Defence Infrastructure Organisation announced a partnership to manage the vacation of the site in February 2019. Homes England’s vision for the site is that Clotherholme Urban Village will become a new neighbourhood within Ripon, integrated within the landscape and city, and providing a connected and well-designed addition to the city. It is aimed that the site will produce 1,300 high quality new homes for Ripon, alongside 2 hectares of employment land and a variety of community services, as the land becomes available.
The Outline Planning Application is expected to be submitted to the planning authority, Harrogate Borough Council, before the end of the year. This will seek to secure the principle of the development, i.e. the number of homes and the amount of other associated uses including the amount of open space. Construction is not expected to begin until the sites have been fully decommissioned by the Ministry of Defence.
5 public engagement events were held over the summer, attended by over 400 people, followed up by 2 further events in early October to respond to initial feedback. A series of engagement events have also been held with stakeholder groups, such as Ripon City Council, Harrogate Borough Council, and North Yorkshire County Council in its capacity as the Highways Authority.
A Strategic Oversight Board has been established to manage the strategic vision for the site, with representatives of both Local Enterprise Partnerships, Harrogate Borough Council and North Yorkshire County Council contributing to shaping the project.
Julian Smith said, ‘Thank you to Homes England and the DIO for a constructive discussion about the plans for the Ripon Barracks last week. It’s important to get this development right for Ripon and it was good to have the opportunity to raise constituents’ views about the proposals.’
