A PUBLIC inquiry into plans for 45 retirement living apartments in a York village, which have attracted much opposition, will take place later this month.

The move follows Churchill Retirement Living saying City of York Council did not determine their application, submitted last June, within the required timeframe.

The developer sought to build a three-storey block of flats at 11 The Village, Wigginton, plus parking and landscaping, after a historic tannery is demolished on the 0.39ha site.

The application has attracted more than 100 letters of objection, plus opposition from Wigginton Parish Council.

The 4-6 day inquiry will open at the Quaker Meeting House, Friargate, York, at 10am on Tuesday May 23.

Churchill plans retirement flats at Wigginton

An Inspector, appointed by the Secretary of State, will be present for the inquiry from the start until Friday May 26. The event will then be held virtually on Wednesday May 31 and Thursday June 1.

A report prepared for the inquiry says the main issues will be the scheme’s impact on the character and appearance of the area, highway safety, effects on nearby residents, plus the provision of affordable housing.

Opponents, such as Wigginton Parish Council, said the scheme is of different scale and character to the village, appearing as an ‘alien’ and ‘incongruous’ element. The proposed three-storey building would be ‘towering above’ nearby buildings,  and be ‘very conspicuous’ and ‘spoil the setting’ of Wigginton village.

It would also overlook nearby properties and shading from it would also affect nearby gardens.

The parish council regretted the historic tannery was not being preserved and saying the proposed building had insufficient space around it, branded it ‘overdevelopment.’

The scheme also lacked enough parking and this would cause problems between drivers and pedestrians in the village.

Wigginton already had too many care homes and retirement flats, with 11 properties in them already on the market.

The council wanted more facilities for the young to get a better balance of age groups.

There was also a lack of Section 106 contributions, the council added.

However, a ‘statement of case’ from Churchill says the site is in a sustainable location within reasonable walking distance of local facilities.

The scheme would benefit the local economy, contribute to “a serious and significant local need for older people housing” and help a council “with a significant undersupply of housing.”

The flats would release under-occupied houses elsewhere in the area back into the housing market. It would allow independent living, reducing the security worries of its elderly residents, with less loneliness and isolation due to its community nature.

The site was appropriate and the design would contribute positively to the character of the area.

Therefore, the developer concluded, local and national planning policies were met and the scheme should be approved.

No timeframe has yet being given as to when central government may make a decision.