WORRIED town councillors are urging East Riding Council to think again over the future of Beverley’s Grovehill site, fearing planned development will cause major traffic problems and harm the town centre.
East Riding Council has selected a preferred bidder for the sale and development of the 4.9 hectare former council depot site at the edge of the town.
Maple Grove Developments Ltd fought off competition from 10 other bidders for the council-owned site, with the majority of proposals centring around plans for retail developments, including a supermarket.
The authority is now proposing to hold in-depth discussions with the developer over plans for the site, with an application for planning consent potentially lodged in spring 2013.
But members of Beverley Town Council agreed at their meeting this week to express ‘serious concerns’ about the East Riding Council Cabinet proposal to sell the site to the highest bidder.
The town council is calling instead for consideration to be given to developing the site for light industry, small business units and social housing.
Town councillors also agreed to express concern about the potential for traffic congestion on roads near the site.
Former Mayor of Beverley Councillor Pete Astell said he was worried that it looked as though the land would be developed with a supermarket or retail park.
He warned that traffic in neighbouring Swinemoor Lane is already ‘horrendous’ at peak times, and said that when the new bypass opens there would be a lot more traffic in the area.
He said the East Riding Council should be urged to re-think the proposals, and consider instead developing the land with social housing, light industry and a science park, which could lead to apprenticeships.
Coun Astell said that the land at Grovehill was one of the last available sites in the town that could provide future jobs.
“When you look at areas of land available for industrial use they are very limited and if all that area is taken up with a supermarket or retail park it is limiting this town’s future employment in industry,” he warned.
Coun Astell said that following the approval given for the Flemingate site, which also includes retail use, he feared that retail development at Grovehill would damage the town centre.
He pointed out that there are already plans for an Aldi supermarket in Swinemoor Lane and said he would like to see consultations taking place on a proper traffic management plan for the area.
Coun Bryan Pearson, who serves on both councils, said he also had some concerns about the site, but if it was sold to the highest bidder the buyer would have to submit a planning application on which the town council would have an opportunity to give its views.
He said there was speculation, or ‘kite flying’, over what would go on the site. “At the end of the day there is not one inch of planning permission given to anyone yet,” he said.
The Mayor, Councillor Margaret Pinder, said it was not unreasonable for the town council to take a view on what it would like to see on the land. “I think it would be remiss as a council, given that these kites are flying, not to fly our own with our views,” she said.
Coun Martin Cox said he was concerned at the ‘short sightedness’ of the Cabinet in deciding to sell to the highest bidder, which might not always be the best approach.
“It is more important to consider what would be best for the people of Beverley,” he said.
Coun Jim Whitfield said that any other council that had an opportunity to control development of a site which belonged to it would not be selling it but would contribute to the whole of the region by using it to create jobs.
Although a report by planning consultants England and Lyle had concluded that the vitality and viability of the town centre would not be harmed by retail development at Grovehill, Coun Pearson said he still had fears that it might do just that.
Coun Astell said it would be in the best interests of Beverley to build social housing as the town had no other land readily available for that purpose.