Industrial development on caravan park site set for approval

Plans for more than 100,000 sq ft of employment space on the site of a caravan park in North Yorkshire look set to get the go-ahead next week (13 April 2023).Marshall Leisure Scotch Corner Caravan Park, supported by Zerum, submitted an outline planning application last year for the redevelopment of the site, located immediately adjacent to the upgraded Junction 53 of the A1.Planning permission is sought for the construction of 37 industrial units with a total gross internal floor area of 107,640 sq ft on the 7.7-acre site.The application will be considered at the inaugural meeting of North Yorkshire Council’s Richmond (Yorks) Area Constituency Planning Committee on 13 April. An officer’s report prepared for the meeting recommends that approval is granted, subject to conditions.The report said: “On balance, the economic benefits of the proposed development (including the creation of local employment opportunities) in this location adjacent to the A1M junction 53, would help to develop the economy of Richmondshire.”North Yorkshire Council was launched on 1 April, replacing North Yorkshire County Council, Harrogate and Scarborough borough councils, and Craven, Hambleton, Richmondshire, Ryedale and Selby district councils.A proposed 30-year devolution deal for York and North Yorkshire, with an investment fund of £540m, was unveiled in August last year. The Government stipulated that a key requirement for devolution was replacing the two-tier system of local government in North Yorkshire, which previously comprised the county council and seven district and borough authorities.