New homes near country estate set for approval

The new homes would be built on a vacant site in Slingsby

Plans to build 26 new homes near a North Yorkshire landmark estate could be approved on Thursday.

Castle Howard Estates wants to develop the properties in Slingsby, around 15 miles north of York and a short distance away from the stately home.

The vast majority of homes built under the proposals would have three or four bedrooms.

The scheme has been recommended for approval ahead of a meeting of a North Yorkshire Council planning committee.

An artist's impression of how the proposed scheme may look

Seven objections were lodged against the proposals, some of which raised concerns about the impact on the surrounding infrastructure.

But in their conclusions, planning officers said the plans "respect the character of the area" without having a "material" negative impact on local people.

Jasper Hasell, chief executive officer of Castle Howard, said that if planning permission was granted, work would begin on the site within the first half of this year.

Follow BBC Yorkshire on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail].