Apartments plan for former railway station

A former railway station in North Yorkshire could be redeveloped into 30 residential properties if plans are approved.

Brierley Homes has proposed developing the site of the former Forge Valley Station at Garth End Road, West Ayton, Scarborough, with a mix of private and affordable housing.

It has sought part-retrospective permission for the demolition of buildings as well as permission for 30 new dwellings with car parking, landscaping, and green open spaces.

As part of the development, the existing Station House would be converted into four apartments and the engine shed building would be converted for community use.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), plans show that 20 dwellings would be for private sale while 10 properties (30%) would be allocated for affordable housing.

Seven different property designs have been proposed for the one- to four-bed homes with floor areas ranging from 50m sq to 130m sq.

The affordable homes would be made up of four one-bed dwellings, four two-bed properties, and two three-bed houses.

The site straddles the boundaries of the North York Moors National Park (NYMNP) and North Yorkshire Council and the applicant has been in discussions about the plans with NYMNP since 2022, as well as having held a consultation event at Ayton Village Hall in March this year.

As part of the consultation process, the number of proposed properties was reduced from 34 and property plots 24 to 26 were omitted "due to their lack of amenity space".

The former railway station, which operated from 1882 to 1950 and was later the county council highways depot, is currently disused and derelict with several buildings which have fallen into disrepair, according to submitted plans.

It was once part of a branch line between Pickering and Seamer and served the beauty spot of Forge Valley.

The applicant, Brierley Homes, was established in 2017 by North Yorkshire Council and aims to put the "value generated to support front-line council services across North Yorkshire".

No date has been set by the planning authority for a decision on the application which is currently pending consideration.

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