Sir, – Why should every resident of Hambleton be concerned about the final outcome of three planning applications affecting land in relatively remote parts of the district? Only that the Planning Inspectorate’s decision about these could so adversely affect Hambleton’s ability to retain control of the distribution of large scale developments, that planning anarchy would result throughout its whole area.

In 2007, all planning authorities were required by central government to produce a local development framework (LDF) outlining its projected building requirements and the programme they would implement to satisfy them. This was a time-consuming and expensive process and many local authorities ignored it. Hambleton, however, produced one, after much consultation and at the cost of £1m.

In 2012, the Government, in order to speed up house building, issued the national planning policy framework (NPPF). This relaxation of the planning rules meant that if the local planning authority hadn’t got a suitable LDF there was a presumption in favour of sustainable development. Various firms of speculative developers were thereby able to exploit the value differential between agricultural and building land and make millions. Gladman Development Ltd has targeted several sites in the region, including Easingwold (175 homes), Stokesley (226) and Great Ayton (113).

Hambleton has unanimously turned down all three of the applications, but as expected Gladman have gone to appeal. Hambleton has an LDF; it also has an updated 2014 strategic land availability assessment (SHLAA) which indicates that there is the appropriate five-year land supply for building, as the Government requires.

If, however, the Gladman lawyers are able to convince the inspector that Hambleton’s plan is not adequate to fulfil the Government’s housing aims, it will open the floodgates throughout the district to developers wishing to cherry pick the most profitable sites adjacent to villages and towns alike. These will all be large developments which are likely to swamp the neighbouring communities. No village or town will be safe as many landowners who offered their land for consideration when the LDF was being negotiated, will see their opportunity to maximise their assets, thus destroying the rural aspect of swathes of our area.

So much for the Localism Act which the Government introduced to reassure people that the decisions affecting their neighbourhood would be made locally.

PETER MORGAN

Great Ayton.