Council officers say they are only supporting plans for up to 150 homes on the edge of a North Yorkshire market town due to government housing targets.
An outline planning application has been submitted with North Yorkshire Council for the development on land off Whitby Road, Pickering, by Keyland Developments Ltd.
Planning chiefs at North Yorkshire Council will recommend that the application is approved when the Thirsk and Malton area planning committee meets on Thursday next week.
The recommendation comes despite officers acknowledging that the site lies beyond the town’s defined development limits.
A report prepared ahead of next week’s meeting states that in “normal circumstances, the principle of development would not be supported” due to
conflict with local plan policy.
However, officers note that the authority is unable to demonstrate a five-year supply of deliverable housing land, as now required by the government.
Where that target cannot be met, the balance tips in favour of planning applications for housing being approved.
The report adds: “The proposal would generate localised economic benefits, including job creation during the construction period, albeit this would be temporary.
“Social benefits include increased housing supply, including policy-compliant levels of affordable housing which are given significant weight.
“There are further social, health and well-being benefits arising from the provision of public open space with play facilities and environmental enhancement in the form of biodiversity net gain.
“With the ‘tilted’ balance applied, it adds further weight to the position that permission should be granted.”
The scheme would provide a mix of housing, including 35 per cent affordable homes, alongside areas of public open space, landscaping and biodiversity improvements.
A series of planning conditions are also proposed covering matters including drainage, noise mitigation, landscaping, ecology and biodiversity enhancements.
The council has received 15 objections from local residents, with one respondent supporting the scheme.
Objectors raised concerns about highway safety and increased traffic congestion, arguing that access to the site is inadequate.
They also questioned whether local services and infrastructure could cope with the additional homes, citing concerns over drainage capacity, environmental impacts and effects on local ecology.
