Holiday lets plan near viaduct sparks objections

A plan to build four modern holiday let units near a Victorian landmark in Whitby has led to a number of objections from residents.

Developer Knapton & Knapton submitted plans to build the units on Riverside Walk, off Larpool Lane and near the Larpool Viaduct, which was completed in 1884.

The potential scheme also involved widening a road, creating parking facilities and a comprehensive landscaping scheme close to a local holiday park.

Holiday park resident Anne Robinson said: "I and 41 other owners of Captain Cook's Haven strongly object to the disruption caused by the widening of our shared road, which we do not want, along with the building works and vehicles".

"We are a family holiday park, and these proposed works would certainly put visitors and staff in danger," she added.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the development aims to create a "market-leading, high-end modular accommodation that is sensitive to the surrounding landscape, complements the character of the area, and enhances the user experience of both guests and the wider public."

However, one of the objectors, Stephen Clough, said the land was "home to families of deer that use this embankment as a safe haven to not only live but to traverse the area safely and confidently".

He added: "We feel that disruption, in the form of construction work, to this balanced ecosystem would be detrimental to the area and its ability to support such a thriving environment."

The site is located just south of Whitby town centre, north-east of the village of Ruswarp, and is bordered by purpose-built holiday accommodation to both the north and south.

North Yorkshire Council has not set a date for deciding on the plans which are open to representations from members of the public.

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