Cash for Harrogate schools as part of new homes deal

Persimmon Homes

A housing developer will pay more than £1m towards local schools after North Yorkshire Council gave final approval for a 162-home estate.

The Persimmon Homes development on Kingsley Drive in Harrogate was previously approved subject to a section 106 agreement being agreed.

Section 106 agreements are negotiated to help make new home schemes more attractive to communities.

A further £450,000 of funding will go to other local projects.

According to a council officer's report, Persimmon will pay £1.2m to schools in the area, along with £220,000 to the NHS and £150,000 towards resurfacing Kingsley Drive.

There would also be an £80,000 contribution towards construction of a new roundabout at the junction of Kingsley Road and the A59.

The development itself will include 65 affordable homes, with 92 homes being fitted with air source heat pumps.

However, despite the additional funding, some local residents have objected to the proposals.

Many of the objections centred on nearby roads and how they would cope with the increased traffic from new residents.

About 500 homes could be built in the area if plans by different developers were eventually built, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.