The Thirsk and Malton Area Planning Committee met to discuss planning applications for a retail unit in Norton and a residential development in Pickering. Councillors voted to approve the construction of a retail unit in Norton and were minded to approve a hybrid planning application in Pickering for residential development and a change of use to public open space, delegating the final decision to the Head of Development Management.

Retail Unit in Norton

The committee voted to approve a major planning application for the erection of a retail unit (Class E) with associated car parking, access, hard and soft landscaping at land north of Commercial Street, Norton. The application had been deferred at a previous meeting on 17 July 2025, to allow for further information to be provided.

The Development Management Team Manager updated the committee on the reasons for the previous deferral, which included concerns about:

• the installation of solar panels
• details of how a committed £25,000 would be spent on upgrading an existing pedestrian crossing
• possible impacts on air quality
• an amended travel plan for the routing of deliveries
• additional transport modelling with reference to queuing traffic
• car park design to reduce vehicle speeds and improve security

The committee heard that the number of solar panels on the roof had been increased to 272, and that the £25,000 would be spent to upgrade a pedestrian crossing to LED/ELV for electrical safety, to reduce carbon emissions and maintenance cost with fault monitoring included. The applicant had provided a comprehensive response on air quality matters, with no objections raised by the Scientific Team, and had accepted a planning condition to agree HGV routing as per the Transport Assessment. To reduce vehicle speeds and improve security in the store car park in the evenings, the applicant would install retractable bollards at the site entrance, to be closed when the store is closed, and install an ANPR car park control system to allow 90 minutes of parking.

Mr Simon Plumb spoke on behalf of the applicant.

Councillor Nigel Knapton proposed, and Councillor Alyson Baker seconded, that planning permission be granted. The committee voted unanimously to approve the application, subject to the prior completion of a Section 106 agreement¹ and subject to the conditions detailed in the Public reports pack.

Residential Development in Pickering

The committee were minded to approve a hybrid planning application comprising an outline planning application for residential planning permission for up to 110 dwellings with all matters reserved save for means of access, and full planning permission for change of use to public open space of an adjoining parcel of land on land west side of Malton Road, Pickering. The application had been deferred at the meeting held on 19 June 2025, to allow officers to undertake further consultation with Yorkshire Water (YW) and the Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA) in relation to surface water drainage and sewerage capacity.

The Senior Planning Officer advised the committee of recently received correspondence, including a late representation from a member of the public, the agent's response, and a further consultation response from Yorkshire Water (YW) stating that the existing network and treatment facilities have limited capacity, and additional flows may adversely affect the normal operation of the receiving network and Wastewater Treatment Works (WWTW).

YW recommended the following condition:

No development shall take place until details of the proposed means of foul water disposal for the entire site—including any balancing works, off-site works, and phasing of the required infrastructure—have been submitted to and approved by the Local Planning Authority. No buildings shall be occupied or brought into use until the approved foul drainage works are completed.

The Principal Planning Officer set out updates to the recommendation, including amending a condition in the report to delete the words foul and from the first sentence and imposing an additional condition as worded in the YW response, and seeking delegated authority from the committee to inform the applicant of the intention to impose the pre-commencement condition recommended by YW.

Mrs Trish Holgate and Mrs Carolyn Flynn spoke to object to the application.

Members discussed a number of matters including the proposed access to the site and the potential for an increase in queuing traffic, the capacity for foul water disposal in Pickering, the relationship of any future development with the established bungalow properties on Pool Court, and the speed limits on Malton Road.

Councillor Joy Andrews proposed and Councillor Michelle Donohue-Moncrieff seconded that planning permission be granted subject to additional and amended conditions in relation to the location of the bungalows along the boundary of Pool Court, foul water disposal and delegation be granted to the Head of Development Management – Community Services to determine the application.

The committee voted unanimously that they were minded to grant planning permission subject to the completion of a Section 106 legal agreement with terms as detailed in the report and the addition and amendment of conditions in relation to the location of the bungalows along the boundary of Pool Court and for foul water disposal, and delegation be granted to the Head of Development Management – Community Services to determine the application.