The Council's planning committee said in its report (40-page / 704KB PDF) that although the National Planning Policy Framework sets out a presumption against residential development on Green Belt land there were "particular circumstances" in relation to this site. It said that the development site, Everest Sports Ground, was bounded by urban and residential areas and that the development could form a "largely contiguous extension" of those areas.
The committee said that the NPPF policy requirement for councils to "boost significantly the supply of housing" made the principle of bringing forward the site "one which the Council could support". Although the Council's current strategic housing land supply is just above five years, which complies with the guidance in the NPPF, it said that a limited number of sites would need to come forward to "maintain that supply".
The committee also said that the development could be considered a "discreet scheme" which would not result in the merging of separate urban areas and which would "in no way establish the principle of developing the larger area of the Rosedale Valley that is being promoted by the developer for allocation in the Local Plan".
The plans include the building of 96 family homes, of which 38 will be affordable.
