Military D-Day buildings could stay in Ripon barracks homes plan

The government's housing scheme on Ripon barracks would include sports pitches and a 60-bed care home, with 30% of the homes to be classed as affordable

Historic military buildings from both world wars that are on the site of a proposed housing development could be saved.

The Clotherholme scheme includes shops, schools and about 1,300 new homes at a former barracks in Ripon.

North Yorkshire Council approved plans on Tuesday and said a £100,000 heritage strategy would inform their future.

The government agency behind the plans, Homes England, said 30% of the homes would be affordable.

The Local Democracy Service (LDRS) said military structures used in the world wars, including training huts used to prepare for World War Two's D-Day landings, could remain at the site.

Homes England will use the heritage funding to look into how these could be retained, and local councillors were assured they would have a final say on what happens to those buildings, the LDRS added.

One idea is to use several buildings at Laver Banks to "celebrate the important role that Ripon had to play in supporting armed forces".

The British Army Royal Engineers still use the site but it is expected to be vacated from 2050

Heritage expert Guy Wilson, of Ripon Military Heritage Trust, said he was sceptical that the heritage strategy would secure the buildings' protection and said approving plans was no guarantee that they would be saved.

"Success [on D-Day] was in no small part due to testing and experimenting at the site in Ripon," he said.

"What happened there affected the tactics and equipment of British allied forces. All heritage on this site matters, not just locally but internationally."

The LDRS said the planning committee would still be able to approve or refuse the heritage strategy at a later date.

Updated designs in the outline plans suggest several buildings at Laver Banks could be "themed on the celebration of the important role that Ripon has played in supporting armed forces, including a trim trail that references the military version on site".

Clarification 15 May 2024: This story has been clarified to better reflect that the future of the historic buildings on the site is still to be confirmed.