Joe Willis

Planning officers have recommended approval for an outline application to build up to 52 homes on 3.2 hectares adjoining The Pastures in Sherburn, near Malton. Residents and Sherburn Parish Council have raised concerns about overdevelopment, school and healthcare capacity, traffic, flooding, loss of agricultural land and effects on wildlife. The scheme is outside the village’s usual development limits, but officers say North Yorkshire Council’s low housing land supply makes the housing benefits significant. The proposal includes 35% affordable housing, public open space and a children’s play area, alongside a proposed £61,368 healthcare contribution. Officers acknowledge some harm to the setting of the Grade II listed Brewery House but consider it limited and outweighed by the development’s benefits.

East Barnby Outdoor Centre near Whitby could close permanently after North Yorkshire Council’s planned £4.2m investment stalled. The centre has been closed since December because of electrical concerns, while surveys also found asbestos and problems with its ageing water system. Council officers recommend ending investment, terminating the lease with Mulgrave Estate and closing outdoor learning provision at the site, arguing that spending on a leased property would not create a long-term asset for taxpayers. Provision could temporarily move to Birch Hall Scout Camp until July 2028, while the council considers longer-term options. Councillors are due to consider the proposals on 18 August.

North Yorkshire Council approved a long-delayed plan for a motorway service station at Kirby Hill despite opposition from local councillors and campaigners concerned about environmental impacts, legal questions and loss of agricultural land. Supporters of approval argued there were no legal grounds to reject the proposal, while opponents criticised changes to the scheme and the absence of environmental features such as solar panels. The plan passed by nine votes to five with one abstention.

Councillors criticised North Yorkshire Council’s decision to cut elements of the Lifeline support service for elderly residents, including reducing home visits and removing in‑person alarm responses. Opponents argued the changes lacked proper consultation and would harm vulnerable users, while supporters said unifying services was necessary and financially unavoidable. A committee narrowly backed a proposal to halt the changes, with Conservative members in favour and others opposed.

Local planners approved a proposal by Love Brownies to convert a former Barclays Bank building in Grassington into a ground‑floor cafe and bakery with two flats above. Committee members supported the design while acknowledging concerns from the parish council over outdoor seating near the road and limited parking. Officials noted that traffic in the area is typically slow and that public parking is available. The building has previously served multiple commercial uses before the bank closed in 2019.

Residents and councillors in Great Ayton report increasing anti-social behaviour by teenagers travelling from Middlesbrough by train, prompting police dispersal orders and monitoring at the station. Local shop staff describe disruptive behaviour and property damage, while police say they are working with British Transport Police to identify offenders and prevent further incidents.