Jam was appointed to provide sustainability advice on behalf of Flaxby Park Ltd in relation to proposals for a new settlement of up to 3,000 homes on the site of a former golf course covering approximately 174 hectares near Knaresborough in Yorkshire.  Jam’s role included preparing a Sustainability Statement for the planning application, SA of the site, as a well as a review of the SA process of the Council’s Local Plan. Significant flaws were identified in the SA process, which were put forward in written representations and attendance at the Examination in Public of Harrogate Council’s Local Plan. 

 

The review of the SA found a deeply flawed methodology and approach to the assessment, including a failure to assess appropriate reasonable alternatives or to link the results to the necessary evidence. Following the examination, the Inspector requested that the Council prepare a further SA to address the issues raised.  A legal challenge was subsequently made by Flaxby Estates Ltd regarding the adequacy of the SA and the consultation process, which was successful. 

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