07/03/2025
The Parish Council welcomes the news that the York Local Plan has finally been formally adopted. This will now provide the statutory basis for planning decisions, and includes the provision for an additional 20,000 homes across the City during the lifetime of the Plan. Importantly, the Local Plan is consistent with the Rufforth with Knapton Neighbourhood Plan, and formalises the Green Belt for the first time.
As far as our Parish is concerned, the only housing allocations in the Plan are for Middlewood Close in Rufforth (already under construction) and at the junction of Main Street and Back Lane in Knapton (planning application already submitted). The remainder of land in the Parish is designated Green Belt.
It is good news that the York Local Plan is consistent with our Neighbourhood Plan, which was adopted in 2018 after a referendum of residents in the Parish resulting in 93% voting in favour. The Parish Council will hold the Local Authority to account to ensure that future planning decisions are made in accordance with both plans.
The Council has published the report and recommendations on its website. To arrange to view a paper copy of the Inspectors’ report please contact the Strategic Planning Team by email at localplan@york.gov.uk or telephone (01904) 552255. Please note that the Inspectors’ Report is available for information only, and comments or views are not invited.
Further updates on York’s Local Plan are available at https://www.york.gov.uk/LocalPlanExamination.
08/02/2025
It is the Parish Council’s understanding that the York Local Plan will finally be adopted within the next couple of months. Residents may be aware that the new Labour Government has significantly increased the target for new housebuilding and, in due course, this will require a review of the Local plan and potentially the loss of some Green Belt land.
The Parish Council has been assured that there will be ample opportunity to review the Rufforth with Knapton Neighbourhood Plan, in the process of which residents will be consulted, as they were when the plan was originally produced.