Middleham housing plans near 12th Century castle spark concerns

Plans to build new houses close to Richard III's childhood castle home in Yorkshire have sparked concerns from heritage organisations.

An application to build 55 homes in Middleham has been submitted to North Yorkshire Council, but Historic England warned it was a "sensitive location".

Other objectors said modern housing could spoil the historic landscape, including the Norman Middleham Castle.

However, developers said the plans would have "no adverse impact".

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), the housing development was proposed for an area west of St Akelda's Road in Middleham.

Papers submitted to the council underlined how the proposed development was first unveiled more than a decade ago and was granted in 2021, only for access issues to hinder the venture, leading to the consent lapsing.

The documents stated the main impacts of the development would be upon the setting of the Middleham conservation area, the 12th Century Grade I-listed and scheduled monument Middleham Castle and Grade I-listed Church of St Mary and St Alkelda.

In the documents, the agents for the developers said: "While a number of minor impacts are identified, primarily relating to longer distance views from the north of the site...the heritage assessment advises these are capable of mitigation."

Responding to the proposal, Historic England said it continued to have concerns on heritage grounds owing to the application not including all the proposed details of the housing estate.

A spokesperson for the organisation said: "There should be a clear delivery mechanism and comprehensive assurances between what might be proposed in an outline application and what might be built in this sensitive location."

Meanwhile, Richmond Civic Society said it objected to the application on the grounds it "involves a significant loss of landscape value in relation to the very substantial historic interest of the Norman castle".

Other objectors have claimed a development on the proposed site would significantly alter the view seen by visitors arriving at the historic town from Leyburn, and that buildings to the rear of the development would make "the modern development the dominant feature in the landscape".

In a letter to the authority, one objector wrote: "It is not acceptable that the introduction of a sizeable development of modern housing is allowed to be inserted into the heart of an historic setting that will fundamentally change how the castle and the bridge sit in the landscape, and thus alter the character of Wensleydale."

But the developers' agents said the site could be developed for residential purposes "without harm to the landscape qualities of the area".

Their application added: "The development would sit well on the site without adverse impact on the local landscape.

"It would have no adverse impact on significant views and vistas or impact on significant characteristics of the local landscape."

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