DEVELOPER Henry Boot wants to halve the number of affordable properties it plans to build as part of its 225 home Wyvern Park Skipton scheme.

The developer, which was given outline planning consent for the mixed housing and business park development almost two years ago, wants to reduce the number of affordable homes from 40 per cent.

It will mean a reduction in the number of affordable homes from 90 to 45, which it says is necessary to make the scheme financially viable because of difficulties with the site.

The application to vary conditions on the consent, given in November, 2015, comes after another developer, Skipton Properties, challenged Craven District Council on its insistence on 40 per cent affordable homes at its almost completed 100 home Elsey Croft development in Skipton.

A spokesman for Henry Boot said costs involved with developing the site, which stretches from the A629 Skipton western bypass to Sandylands sports centre, had meant a reduction in the number of less profitable affordable homes.

He added after hoped for successful changes to the outline consent, the developer would be ready to submit a fully detailed 'reserved matters' application for the scheme, which in outline form includes 250,000 sq ft of industrial and commercial space.

The spokesman for Henry Boot Developments said: “Once complete, Wyvern Park could accommodate around 800 new jobs for Skipton and Craven. However, there are significant costs associated with delivering the infrastructure needed to service the site, such as new roads and power facilities. Therefore we have submitted an amendment to the planning approval which reduces the proportion of affordable housing in order to ensure that the site remains commercially viable. Once this amendment has been agreed, Henry Boot Developments will be in a position to begin working towards a start of construction.”

At the currently adjourned five day public inquiry, Skipton properties argued the council had no affordable housing policy and its new local plan was a year away from being adopted.

Residents of the Carleton Road and Burnside areas of town recently met with representatives of North Yorkshire County Council to discuss their concerns with the Wyvern Park development and also two more schemes by Skipton based Candelisa, totalling a hundred new homes off Carleton Road.

Highways suggestions to help relieve potential traffic issues include mini- roundabouts at the junction of the new Wyvern Park link road and Carleton Road, and another at Burnside and Carleton Road, if the current bus stop can be located. A mini roundabout is also suggested at the junction of Carleton New Road and Carleton Road, with traffic islands for pedestrians, and changes to the traffic light sequence at Keighley Road and Carleton Road.

There are also plans to build a link road from Wyvern Park to Engine Shed Lane, with money from the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).