A MAJOR planning policy prepared to control house building and development in Harrogate over the next ten years has been abandoned.

The Sites and Policies Development Plan was withdrawn on Wednesday, after an extraordinary meeting of the borough council.

The document came under fire earlier this year when a planning inspector questioned the evidence used to come up with the employment land and housing numbers.

The recently appointed cabinet member for planning, Cllr Michael Harrison, said the council would now move as quickly as possible to prepare a replacement policy, starting with a revised housing target.

Fresh consultations will be held on housing and employment land, and a new call will go out for potential sites but Cllr Harrison pledged previous work will not be wasted.

He added: “Whilst we remain disappointed that our original plan was not accepted, councillors recognise that we need to move forward quickly in response.

“In the meantime, talk of a ‘planning free for all’ is wide of the mark. The council will continue to determine planning applications using policies in the adopted Core Strategy and Harrogate District Local Plan.”