RESIDENTS across Harrogate and Knaresborough will have the chance to shape the future of the district and have their say about where to build hundreds of new homes.

Land to the west of Harrogate and east of Knaresborough have been highlighted as the most suitable areas for growth, with a trio of large developments being preferred to a dozen smaller new communities.

Residents will have six weeks to comment on the plans from next Friday, with the views fed back to the council and a planning inspector ahead of a hearing scheduled for October.

The broad proposals include many of the same sites proposed earlier this year – including Manse Farm in Knaresborough – after planners were asked to do more research into each of the potential areas to justify their consideration.

But members of the council’s district development committee refused to endorse the contents of a new 300-page report examining potential sites, but merely noted it

Government-imposed guidelines are forcing Harrogate Council to build 390 new houses each year between now and 2020.

But councillors expressed reservations at a meeting on Wednesday, particularly about a lack of guarantees over new schooling, expanded health care and improved rail links.

Coun Bill Hoult, from Knaresborough, said: “I hope local residents will make their views known. There were very serious concerns about the capacity of the road network for the Manse Farm development and its infrastructure lying to the east of Knaresborough. The council was unable to promise a rail halt here.

“It is still the case Knaresborough has more development proposed per head of population than anywhere else in the district. That must be wrong.”

The detailed study contained a traffic assessment, biodiversity report and landscape analysis. It will now be submitted as part of the council’s core strategy that incorporates the requirement for around 6,000 new homes over the next 15 years.

Cabinet member for planing and transport Coun Don Mackenzie said while he recognised profound reservations, the council must identify land for 187 new homes each year in Harrogate and a further 55 in Knaresborough.

If sufficient land continued to become available within the current urban areas to provide for the homes needed, development of green spaces would be put back.

l The documents are available on the council’s LDF Core Strategy website www.harrogate.gov.uk/harrogate-3161, in all the district’s libraries, and in the council’s main offices in Harrogate, Knaresborough and Ripon. Comments should be submitted to the council before 4.30pm on August 22.