Harrogate Borough Council
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13 August 2008: Harrogate Borough
Council has received some very welcome good news from the
Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) in the form
of a much higher than expected Housing and Planning Delivery
Grant.
A provisional grant of £303,595 has been awarded to the
council thanks mainly to progress achieved with the Core Strategy,
the key document in the council's planning blueprint for housing,
business and sporting facilities for the next 15 years.
This element of the award totals £228,315. The
balance of over £72,000 will come in recognition of the
council's published list of sites to provide sufficient brownfield,
or previously developed, land for housing for the next five
years.
Don Mackenzie, Cabinet Member for Planning and Transport,
welcomed the news: "In common with the general UK economy, my
cabinet colleague, Andrew Jones, and the officer team under the
Director of Resources, John Sowden, are facing the challenges posed
by rapidly rising costs, increased demands and higher public
expectations.
The news, therefore, that our planning grant has been
provisionally set at £303,595, compared with an initial
budget estimate of £75,000, is very welcome indeed.
"I pay tribute to the officers in Tim Richards' planning team
for the work they have carried out in responding to the
Government's processes throughout the preparation of the Local
Development Framework. The DCLG has recognised their efforts
with this award. I would also like to thank my fellow council
members for their support in approving the Core Strategy last year,
and I look forward to their continued support as we move the
process forward." ENDS
FURTHER INFORMATION: Councillor Don
Mackenzie is available for comment on 01423 872211 or 07957
304109. Further technical information is available from Mr Tim
Richards, Head of Planning on 01423 556538