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John Cattanach

VILLAGERS from a Selby community have criticised a new luxury housing development, saying it is pricing locals out of the market.

Developer Charles Church is building 13 "exclusive" three, four and five-bedroom homes in Wistow.

But parish councillors have slammed the Kirkham Lodge scheme, claiming the properties are financially inaccessible to younger and older villagers who want to stay in Wistow, and that new-build houses are ruining the village's character.

Chris Goodall, a councillor on and former chairwoman of Wistow Parish Council, said: "They're building big houses that are extremely expensive, and local people can't afford them.

"I know there's nothing in the planning regulations to prevent that, but we feel it's destroying the character of the village - our village - by knocking down properties that are already there, to build more houses. A lot of the smaller properties in the village are going "We don't oppose development per se because without it a village would stagnate, but it needs to be done in sympathy with the village and so that local people can stay here."

Clearance work in the grounds of Kirkham Lodge began late last year. A spokeswoman for Charles Church said the first phase of construction work - on eight properties in the lodge's grounds - would begin in April.

A further five houses are scheduled to be built 100 yards from the grounds, on the site of former semi-detached properties, which have been demolished. Planning permission has already been secured for all 13 houses.

The spokeswoman said: "The site has been scrutinised and there has been a public consultation of the planning application. The application went through the planning process and it was given the go-ahead.

"The site also offers six semi-detached homes, which will be more affordable to members of the local community."

Coun John Cattanch, who represents Wistow on the district and county councils, praised the parish council for all its work saving the former vicarage Kirkham Lodge, which Charles Church had originally wanted to demolish as part of the development.

He said: "But this is still another development which is changing the nature of Wistow."

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7:41am Friday 28th March 2008

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