An ambitious project to create a vibrant new community near Harrogate to help meet North Yorkshire’s rising housing demand is continuing to gather pace.
A new housing settlement is to be developed at Maltkiln, centred around Cattal railway station, which will provide thousands of households with access to new homes and essential services.
The plan includes proposals for a sustainable new community that promotes health and wellbeing, offering attractive walking and cycling routes alongside a range of facilities including primary schools, shops, and health and sports facilities.
At the heart of the new development will be a local centre providing a vibrant hub with shops, cafes and other services creating job opportunities, while the site’s strategic location will offer direct rail links to Harrogate, Leeds and York.
We formally adopted the Development Plan Document in November 2025.
A detailed masterplan framework has now been drawn up to guide future planning applications within the settlement and ensure development is sustainable.
The draft masterplan framework will be presented to members of our executive when they meet on Tuesday next week (March 17).
Executive member for open to business, Cllr Mark Crane, whose responsibilities include planning policy, said: “We need more housing across the whole of the county to meet the rising demand, so people are able to choose to live in the communities that they wish to.
“However, this is a significant ongoing challenge as England’s largest council in geographical terms. Settlements such as Maltkiln are therefore vital in helping to address this housing need and can help reduce the pressure on our existing towns and villages.
“We want Maltkiln to be a vibrant and sustainable new community which can improve families’ health and wellbeing, create jobs and drive investment.
“Adopting a masterplan framework is the next step on that journey, with further detail and more opportunities for community involvement to come through the detailed planning application.”
Nearly 200 people attended a public consultation event at Kirk Hammerton Village Hall earlier this year, and the feedback gathered has been incorporated into the draft masterplan framework.
The framework has been produced in collaboration with the developers, a cross-council working group involving officers from education, public health, climate change and highways, and local stakeholders.