Joe Willis

A protest near Melmerby, close to Ripon, opposed plans by Forest Poultry Ltd to build six poultry units housing up to 360,000 birds and producing about 2.7 million chickens annually. The applicant says the scheme would meet rising UK demand, reduce imports and strengthen food security, while more than 430 objections and an 18,000-signature PETA petition cite concerns about ammonia, odour, noise, air quality, traffic, landscape impact, groundwater pollution and animal welfare. Campaign organizer Brian McHugh said residents feel the proposal is being pushed through despite local opposition. North Yorkshire Council will decide the application.

Punch Taverns has applied to extend the Crown Inn’s opening hours in Brompton-on-Swale to 1am daily, with later closing on certain holidays and expanded permissions for music and outdoor activity. A nearby resident objects, citing persistent noise from live entertainment, customers outside the pub and a proposed beer garden, claiming the disruption has caused severe stress, sleeplessness and ruined their retirement. North Yorkshire Council’s licensing sub-committee is due to consider the application at a public hearing on 6 August.

North Yorkshire Council rejected Scruton Parish Council’s application to designate The Coore Arms as an asset of community value. The pub, which closed in February after landlord Mark Brown cited rising costs and financial losses, had been nominated amid fears it could be converted into homes. Although the council acknowledged its 40-year history and role in hosting local events, officers found insufficient evidence of substantial community use and noted that only one person remained interested in buying shares for a community acquisition.

The Linton-on-Ouse Action Group’s attempt to submit a House of Commons petition opposing plans to house asylum seekers at the former RAF Linton-on-Ouse base was rejected because officials judged it to concern local-level action. Group spokesperson Olga Matthias called the decision ridiculous and contradictory, arguing that the proposal is part of national government policy and will proceed through the national planning system. The Home Office says the site could accommodate around 1,200 single men as part of wider plans for former military facilities, while arguing that the policy is reducing hotel use and asylum-related costs.

North Yorkshire Council planning officers have recommended outline approval for up to 130 Barratt David Wilson Homes properties on agricultural land off Chapel Hill, Boroughbridge, despite objections from the town council and residents. The scheme would include 52 affordable homes and contributions of nearly £1.5 million towards education, open space, sports facilities, village halls and bus services. Officers acknowledge the loss of Grade 2 farmland, landscape damage and limited harm to the setting of Aldborough Roman Town, but say the benefits of new housing, biodiversity improvements and infrastructure investment outweigh those impacts because the council lacks a five-year housing land supply.

North Yorkshire Council leader Carl Les has urged the Home Office to abandon plans to house up to 1,200 single male asylum seekers at the former RAF Linton‑on‑Ouse base, arguing the proposal contradicts the Home Secretary’s stance against placing asylum centres near schools. He warned that the village’s limited infrastructure, lack of services and unresolved utility issues make the site unsuitable and would impose significant unfunded pressure on policing and healthcare. Local political figures, including the area’s MP and regional mayor, have united in calling for the proposal to be rejected while the Home Office has been asked to respond.

NHS leaders across Teesside, East Durham and North Yorkshire are proposing a major restructuring of hospital services to improve sustainability and address rising demand driven by an ageing population. Plans include expanding community-based and at‑home care, centralising specialist services at key hospitals, increasing surgical activity at existing hubs and possibly creating a single children’s hospital. Projections show significant increases in emergency attendances and admissions among older residents, while financial and maintenance pressures add urgency to reform. Detailed proposals and public consultation are expected in the coming months.

Regional leaders approved a Rural Action Plan to deliver 5,000 rural homes, improve transport and digital connectivity, and support farm sustainability across York and North Yorkshire. The strategy aims to boost the rural economy by 20 percent through investment in food innovation, clean energy and creative industries, while addressing housing shortages, ageing properties and digital blackspots. Mayor David Skaith emphasised that rural communities have been neglected by successive governments, and the plan seeks ambitious action on housing, jobs and connectivity. North Yorkshire Council leader Carl Les said the plan builds on the work of the Rural Commission, highlighting ongoing efforts such as a council tax premium on second homes to improve housing availability for local residents.

The Mayor of York and North Yorkshire argues that the former RAF Linton-on-Ouse base should be redeveloped for housing and economic investment rather than used to accommodate asylum seekers, citing urgent local housing needs. Concerns are raised by the deputy mayor about public safety, infrastructure limitations and emergency services capacity, prompting formal requests for reassurance from national officials. Local councillors support a housing-led redevelopment, noting the area's shortage of affordable homes. Government proposals seek planning permission to house up to 3,750 asylum seekers across three former RAF sites, including an estimated 1,200 at Linton, ahead of a regional authority debate on the plan.

Police launched Operation Waterfall in Great Ayton to address rising antisocial behaviour attributed to young people travelling by train from Middlesbrough. Additional officers and coordinated work with British Transport Police have increased reporting and enabled faster identification through CCTV and body camera footage. Authorities are considering temporary CCTV installations for the summer, and several youths have already received warnings or orders.