Flashes Update July 2026
Hellifield Flashes has been designated as a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC) following a review by North Yorkshire Council’s ecology team, carried out at the request of the planning case officer.
The review, which included a site visit, found that the area supports important populations of waterbirds, rare breeding birds, species of conservation concern, and breeding amphibians.
The ecology team therefore concluded that the site has sufficient ecological value to warrant SINC designation.
As a result, the council cannot determine the planning proposal in outline form. The proposal will now need to be considered as a full planning application, requiring the applicant to submit further information to appropriately assess any impact on the designated site and show that the proposal meets relevant planning requirements.
For interest and the record Feb 2026:
Following REFUSAL of planning application ZA25/27514/FUL (full planning permission sought for new highway access to agricultural land Green Farm, Gisburn Road, Hellifield) the following Tree Preservation Order was approved.
TPO NO. 08/2026 (CRA): THE GREEN FARM, GISBURN ROAD, HELLIFIELD
(1) Subject to article 4, this Order takes effect provisionally on the date on which it is made (16/Feb/2026).
(2) Without prejudice to subsection (7) of section 198 (power to make tree preservation orders) or subsection (1) of section 200 (tree preservation orders: Forestry Commissioners) and, subject to the exceptions in regulation 14, no person shall –
(a) cut down, top, lop uproot, wilfully damage, or wilfully destroy; or
(b) cause or permit the cutting down, topping, lopping, wilful damage or wilful
destruction of, any tree specified in the Schedule to this Order except with the written consent of the authority in accordance with regulations 16 and 17, or of the Secretary of State in accordance with regulation 23, and, where such consent is given subject to conditions, in accordance with those conditions.
_________________________________________________________________________________
NB following Pubic Meeting re the Flashes Application on 28 NOVEMBER 2024 - a copy of the report from Mark Moore mentioned as being a useful read for members of the pubic wishing to word an objection is attached
Planning Matters
Planning applications covering Hellifield, Swinden and Nappa are submitted for validation and approval to North Yorkshire Council. Anyone can comment on a planning application. You do not need to have been directly notified of the application. A statutory period of 21 days minimum is allowed for neighbours or other parties to express their views.
Hellifield Parish Applications - Validated and awaiting a decision.
- Open the webpage Planning Application Search. From the drop-down Status box select "Current". Then enter the keyword "Hellifield" and press Search. A list of all current planning applications in Hellifield Parish will appear.
Hellifield Parish Applications - Decided.
- Open the webpage Planning Application Search. From the drop-down Status box select "Decided". Then enter the keyword "Hellifield" and press Search. A list of all decided planning applications in Hellifield Parish will appear.