Calvin Robinson Chief Reporter, Author at The Stray Ferret

Photographer captures spectacular starling murmuration at Ripon wetlands

A photographer has captured stunning images of a starling murmuration at Ripon wetlands.

Andy O’Brien shot the pictures last week at the site, which is part of the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust.

He said the spectacle had become a regular occurrence and that local bird watchers estimated that some 150,000 starlings can be seen at the wetlands.

Mr O’Brien, who shared the pictures with the Stray Ferret, said:

“It’s virtually an evening occurrence at the moment and incredibly spectacular not just visually but the noise of the birds turning sounds like waves crashing against rocks.”

You can watch the murmuration at Ripon below.

The images come as today marks World Wetlands Day, an initiative aimed at raising global awareness about the vital role of wetlands for people and the planet.

Rachael Bice, chief executive of Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, said it was important to celebrate and protect wetlands, such as the one in Ripon.

She said:

“Today is the day for celebrating our beautiful and wilder wetlands in all of their bountiful variety. A home for wildlife from the common frog right through to the rare bittern and water vole, wetlands are abundant in wildlife.

“Lush pools, lakes and ponds, fringed by golden reeds, meadow or woodland are vital in helping us adapt better to a changing climate, and provide a peaceful place for restoration and relaxation.”

Developer withdraws plan for 55 retirement homes in Kirk Hammerton

A developer has withdrawn plans for 55 retirement homes and a community hub in Kirk Hammerton.

SageHaus Living, which is based in the Isle of Man, submitted the proposal to Harrogate Borough Council for land off Station Road in the village.

The proposal would have seen 55 park homes built along with a hub, which would be open for the community to use for meetings and other activities.

SageHause Living, which acquired the site known as Carlton Fields in 2021, said in documents submitted to the council that scheme would help bring more retirement accommodation to the district, while also being environmentally friendly.

However, the developer has since withdrawn the application.

In a letter to the council from Kirk Hammerton Parish Council, the authority objected to the proposal on the grounds of highways, public transport and amenity concerns.

It also added that it had concern that the plan was outside the development boundary.

A visual of the community hub planned for the Kirk Hammerton site.

The council said:

“The majority of the land to be developed is outside the Development Limit shown in the current version of the Local Plan for the Harrogate district.

“There are some aspects of the proposals which, despite this, are attractive (the carbon neutral/negative nature of the development, the focus on retirement properties).

“There are, however, some disadvantages to the arguments put forward in the application to justify a development outside the permitted limits.”

In a letter to the council, Spring Planning, agents for SageHause, said it wished to withdraw the proposal in order to consider comments made about the scheme.

MPs Watch: Strikes and free FIFA World Cup tickets

Every month the Stray Ferret tries to find out what our local Conservative MPs have been up to in their constituencies and in the House of Commons.

In January, the Harrogate district was hit by strikes by ambulance workers, nurses and rail staff. Meanwhile, one Harrogate district MP was revealed to have received free tickets to the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

We asked Harrogate & Knaresborough MP, Andrew Jones, Skipton and Ripon MP Julian Smith, and Selby and Ainsty MP Nigel Adams if they would like to highlight anything in particular, but we did not receive a response from any of them.

Here is what we know after analysing their online presence.

Andrew Jones, Harrogate and Knaresborough MP

In Harrogate and Knaresborough, here is what we found on Mr Jones:

At the start of the month, Mr Jones welcomed a £2 cap on bus fares across the Harrogate district.
On January 11, Mr Jones wrote on his Community News website that he held a meeting with Nicola Shaw, chief executive of Yorkshire Water, over his campaign for bathing quality status at the River Nidd in Knaresborough.
On January 17, Mr Jones wrote on his website that he visited Daikin Sustainable Home Centre in Harrogate, which has been set up by Daikin UK and Duftons Plumbing and Heating Supplies.
Mr Jones spoke in Parliament on January 26 regarding a meeting with the English Football League over the government’s fan-led review into the governance of football. He called for a debate over the government’s next steps following the publication of the review.
Mr Jones also posted on his Instagram a video with Harrogate Town chief executive Sarah Barry talking about the review.
He also posted on his Instagram about a visit to Pannal Ash Juniors FC.
On January 27, Mr Jones signed the Holocaust Educational Trust’s Book of Commitment.
On January 30, Mr Jones voted in line with the government on its strike bill. Under the bill, some employees, including in the rail industry and emergency services, would be required to work during industrial action – and could be sacked if they refuse.

Julian Smith, MP for Ripon and Skipton.

In Ripon, here is what we found on Mr Smith:

Mr Smith posted no updates on his website in January.
He also made no spoken contributions in the House of Commons last month.
On January 26, Mr Smith posted on Twitter that he met with former Irish politician Bertie Ahern to discuss Northern Ireland.
Mr Smith voted in line with the government over its strike bill on January 30.
He paid tribute to Harrogate borough councillor Bernard Bateman MBE, who died last month. Mr Smith said Mr Bateman was a “hugely committed councillor and community campaigner”.

Nigel Adams, MP for Selby and Ainsty which includes rural Harrogate.

In rural south Harrogate, he is what we found on Mr Adams:

Mr Adams posted four times on his website in January on matters relating to solar farms in Camblesforth, energy support payments and Selby volunteers heading to Ukraine.
On January 7, Mr Adams posted on Twitter to thank NHS and Yorkshire ambulance staff for helping his 88-year-old dad following a fall.
The Stray Ferret revealed on January 16 that Mr Adams had received free tickets and hospitality valued at £2,880 to the FIFA World Cup from the Qatar government.
On January 23, he posted an article by former Prime Minster Boris Johnson calling for support for Ukraine. Mr Adams said Mr Johnson “was not wrong”.
Mr Adams made no spoken contributions in the House of Commons in January.
Mr Adams voted in line with the government on its strike bill on January 30.

Harrogate man wins landmark disabled settlement against major gym chain

A disabled Harrogate man has won a settlement against Nuffield Health after the gym allegedly discriminated against him when trying to renew his membership.

Andrew Gray, a lawyer and founder of Truth Legal, was a member of his local Nuffield health and fitness centre until his health deteriorated.

Mr Gray was a keen marathon runner and played football until April 2021.

Side effects attributed to treatment following a prescribed course of the antibiotic fluoroquinolone led to him developing chronic fatigue, fainting episodes and numerous other symptoms due to heart, blood pressure and prostate problems.

Now disabled, he enquired with his local gym in Harrogate in February last year about reduced rates due to being physically unable to use the equipment and attend the facilities.

He was a keen user of the swimming pool, sauna and jacuzzi which helped relieve muscle and joint pain resulting from his condition.

However, Mr Gray was told that no adjustments in the membership pricing structure for disabled people were available.

Mr Gray argued that as his health condition varies unpredictably, sometimes he would not be well enough to use the pool and jacuzzi despite his desire to do so for the benefits it would afford him, further justifying his request for a reasonably lowered membership fee.

He said:

“All I wanted to do was to enhance my chance to get well again. Many disabled people would benefit from fairer access to such facilities.

“People with chronic conditions are put off joining such places because of the unfair pricing.”

Acting on behalf of Mr Gray, Katherine Swinn, a senior associate solicitor at Truth Legal also based in Harrogate, issued a disability discrimination claim for breach of the 2010 Equality Act.

The outcome saw Nuffield agreeing to settle the claim, establishing an independent committee, comprising a team of medical experts to look at all future memberships for disabled members.

Moving forward, people with disabilities will be able to apply for reduced membership rates after submitting medical evidence of their disability. The committee will consider applications on a case by case basis.

‘Positive outcome for disabled people’

Ms Swinn said:

“This is a very positive outcome for Mr Gray and for disabled people in general, who have been unfairly discriminated against purely for wanting to go to the gym and only pay for the equipment and facilities that they are physically capable of using.

“As this was already in place for pensioners using this particular gym, there was no fair or reasonable explanation why a similar reduced fee membership policy didn’t exist for people with disabilities who also wanted to attend.

“It is completely pointless to have legislation in place such as the Equality Act 2010 if nobody really uses it outside of the workplace. It is applicable to services, as well as employment.

“We are fully supportive of Nuffield’s decision to provide people with disabilities with an opportunity to apply for a reduced fee and hopefully this will establish a fair precedent for other similar leisure facilities to introduce policies that will include rather than exclude disabled members.”

Mr Gray welcomed the settlement and said he hoped other gym chains would follow suit and implement similar membership policies.

He said:

“My hope is that other gym chains follow suit. If they did, they would be opening themselves up to many with disabilities who are put off by the unfair pricing policies. And use of gym facilities could help hundreds of thousands of people to improve their health.”

A spokesperson for Nuffield Health said:

“We are committed to improving the health and wellbeing of the nation and are always looking at ways to widen access to our services.

“As part of this we continually consider new ways to support people with different needs.”

Details, including a timeframe, for the introduction of the policy has yet to be confirmed.

Business Breakfast: Knaresborough house developer appoints new director

The Stray Ferret Business Awards will be held on March 9 at the Pavilions of Harrogate. The event will be a celebratory night with prize draw and afterparty.

Richard Flinton, the chief executive of the new North Yorkshire Council is the guest speaker. Early bird ticket prices are available until February 9 and available to buy here. Bring your team, network and have fun.

A Knaresborough-based housing developer has appointed a new director to its senior team.

Matthew Gibson has been promoted to land director at Wharfedale Homes.

Mr Gibson joined the firm in 2021 and had been working as land manager within the company.

Previously he has worked with leading listed property companies Barratt Homes, Avant Homes and McCarthy and Stone.

John Edwards, managing director of Wharfedale Homes, said:

“Since he joined us, Matt has been integral to our continued growth and it is testament to his hard work that he has earned this promotion.

“His new role will help us grow our pipeline of sites and increase the number of completed homes we deliver each year.”

Mr Gibson added:

“I’m really excited to head up the land and planning function and provide strategic input as the company successfully navigates through the ever changing political and planning environment.”

Harrogate firm expands legal team

(Left to right) Brittany Dyer, Lisa Russell, Emma Weatherill, Neil Dring and Kate Banerjee.

Harrogate law firm Jones Myers has expanded its team with the appointment of a new children law paralegal.

Brittany Dyer has joined the company to work within its children’s department.

It follows the appointment of Neil Dring, who was brought in to head the Harrogate office on Victoria Avenue.

Ms Dyer said:

“Jones Myers is a niche and highly respected family law firm which leads the way in areas including international child abduction and is at the forefront of new areas of law.

“I am very much looking forward to being part of a talented team who are acknowledged leaders in their field.”

Kate Banerjee, partner at Jones Myers, said:

“The reputation of our Department continues to attract clients on a regional, national, and international scale.

“We are delighted to welcome Brittany to our growing team as we continue to further develop and expand our bespoke services.”

Stray Views: Lib Dems should reconsider proportional representation stance

Stray Views is a weekly column giving you the chance to have your say on issues affecting the Harrogate district. It is an opinion column and does not reflect the views of the Stray Ferret. Send your views to letters@thestrayferret.co.uk.

In reference to the story on changing voting systems, has Cllr Chris Aldred seriously considered the implications of proportional representation?

I realise the aim is to try and reduce political conflicts, but parties all have different policy aims making agreement difficult. Compromises often are the worst of both. He forgets in countries with proportional representation it can take months for a government to be formed, Germany being an ideal example.

I believe it should be mandatory to vote in elections, also postal votes should be an exception and not the norm

There is no perfect solution and no doubt whatever changes are made there will still be dissenters.

Catherine Alderson, Harrogate

Councillor should be allowed alderman status

From the reports of the council meeting on December 14^th it is clear to me that the councillors attending had not been apprised of all the facts and they were not interested in questioning the report or hearing the real facts.

I have observed at numerous planning committee meetings of over a period of 28 years, that Cllr Pat Marsh always read and assessed accurately plans put before her.

She addressed persons present in planning meetings to ask necessary questions, courteously and to the point, at very many planning committee hearings at which I was present.

She has served the residents in her ward without fear or favour for some 32 years and should therefore be eligible to become an alderman.

In fact, there is no limit to the number of long serving councillors who are eligible to become Aldermen.

Rosemary Carnaghan, Harrogate

Do you have an opinion on the Harrogate district? Email us at letters@thestrayferret.co.uk. Please include your name and approximate location details. Limit your letters to 350 words. We reserve the right to edit letters.

Harrogate council leader: ‘I will be leaving representative politics’

The Conservative leader of Harrogate Borough Council has said he will be “leaving representative politics” after turning down honorary alderman status.

Cllr Richard Cooper told a meeting of the council’s general purposes committee that the civic side of the authority has “never been for me”.

Harrogate Borough Council has the power to bestow the title of honorary alderman or honorary alderwomen to past members who have given over 15 years of good service.

Cllr Cooper confirmed in October 2021 he would stand down as a councillor when Harrogate Borough Council is abolished and the new North Yorkshire Council comes into force on April 1.

He told councillors on Thursday he was “leaving representative politics” and would not accept a civic role at the authority.

Cllr Cooper said:

“The civic side of the council has never been for me. I’ve never accepted nomination for mayor and I’ve made it clear I’m going to be leaving representative politics.

“I think if you’re leaving something you can’t have one foot in the door and one foot out of the door, even if it’s only a tiny toe over the threshold.

“I think it’s time for me to make absolutely clear that I shall not be at civic dos, civic meetings and what have you in the capacity given to me by the council, sharing my wisdom and thoughts on how things should go forward.

“There’s nothing so ex as an ex. I don’t want to be that person writing letters to the paper pontificating on this, that and the other.”

Cllr Cooper was first elected when he took the Liberal Democrat seat of West Central in 1999 and has since held several cabinet positions, as well as being deputy leader and serving on North Yorkshire County Council.

He was elected as leader of Harrogate Borough Council in 2014 and is the longest-serving holder of the position.

Eleven councillors were put forward for honorary alderman status, including four Liberal Democrats, six Conservatives and one Ripon Independent.

However, Cllr Nick Brown, a Conservative, and Liberal Democrat Cllr Pat Marsh were both denied being recommended for the status by fellow councillors.

How Harrogate is following the town centre living trend

From Oxford Street to West Park, Harrogate has seen a flurry of recent planning applications to build flats above town centre shops.

Over the past few years, developers have turned their attention to local high streets – specifically to unused retail space.

It’s part of a trend across the UK which has grown since the covid pandemic.

Instead of new build estates on the outskirts of town, developers see town centres as key for both tackling the housing market and revitalising the high street.

Alex Goldstein, an independent property consultant who works in Harrogate and London, said the trend would be good for the town centre, particularly for younger people who want to live closer to their workplace.

He added that the move was also a chance to regenerate Harrogate’s high street, which has fallen on hard times in recent years along with other towns.

Alex Goldstein, property consultant in Harrogate.

Mr Goldstein said:

“I see this as a good thing. I have been banging on about it for years.

“We need to stop building new builds on the outskirts of town.”

Mr Goldstein added that the trend was replicated in bigger cities, such as London, where people want to be close to “cafe culture” and working remotely.

Harrogate following the trend

Cities such as Lincoln prepared for the changing high street as long ago as 2006, when City of Lincoln Council published its masterplan for the city centre.

It aimed to keep people in the city centre by offering a mixture of retail and “experience”, such as coffee shops and cinemas.

The move is a far cry from the usual consumer retail units, such as Primark and River Island, which high streets have become known for.

The aim of keeping people in the city centre would partly be done by creating more residential space, the council said.

Harrogate is not immune to this trend.

On West Park, space above the now closed Orvis store is proposed to be converted into six new flats.

Just a stone’s throw away on Cambridge Street, new apartments are proposed above a former phone shop and multiple applications have been submitted to convert the former post office on Cambridge Road into accommodation.

Meanwhile, the government recently stepped in to approve a redevelopment of the former Thomas Cook unit on James Street into three new flats.

A 17-bedroom aparthotel scheme on the floors above the new Oliver Bonas store on James Street was also planned, but was turned down by Harrogate Borough Council.

Left, the rear of the property on Market Place currently; right, the proposed alteration.

Left, the rear of the property on the former Thomas Cook unit on James Street currently; right, the proposed alteration.

In a report by estate agents Savills, Paul Wellman, residential researcher at the firm, estimated 36,000 new homes were built close to town centres across the UK in the five years to June 2020.

Since then, the move to think differently about retail on the high street has “accelerated” due to the covid pandemic.

Mr Wellman said:

“The truth is our towns and city centres were already changing.

“In 2020 these changes accelerated. As the need for particular uses and businesses usually found in the heart of towns and cities reduces, opportunities arise to remodel and revitalise those places.

“Whilst covid has given some the desire for countryside and green open spaces, for others it has meant convenience and being part of a community.”

An opportunity for young people

Much of the discussion around converting unused retail space into housing has centred on getting people in closer proximity to bars, restaurants and offices.

While cities such as Manchester and Leeds may have a wider retail offer to youngsters, Harrogate has its own selling point.

Allessandro Biraglia, associate professor of marketing at the University of Leeds, said Harrogate had its own independent retail sector, which bigger cities may not have due to expensive rates and bigger franchises dominating the high street.

As a result, he said living within a smaller town centre may offer an opportunity to “young professionals” who want to get their business ideas off the ground.

He said:

“Having the possibility to live above the shop and having everything in one place would be enticing for many young professionals.”

‘The high street is shifting’

The legacy of covid has led to estate agents, property developers and businesses rethinking how they use the space available to them in town centres.

While larger developers will continue to opt for strategic housing sites, others will see chances to create homes in the heart of the high street such as Harrogate.

For Mr Goldstein, the move is a good thing for town centres.

“The high street is shifting from the usual.”

Council rejects Hampsthwaite garage plan to relocate

Harrogate Borough Council has refused plans for a longstanding garage in Hampsthwaite to relocate.

Simon Graeme Auto Services Centre, which is based on Grayston Plain Lane, had submitted a planning application to relocate onto the opposite side of the road.

The move would have seen a new purpose built facility built and the current MOT centre and car park demolished.

The new garage would also have included units for MOT servicing, training space and a reception and office. Fifteen car parking spaces would be provided, including six electric vehicle charging points.

However, the council has rejected the plan on the grounds that the development site was in open countryside and considered to be “unsustainably located”.

It added:

“By virtue of its scale and the introduction of built development into an open landscape the proposal is considered to create a significant level of landscape harm to both the open countryside and the views into and out of the Nidderdale AONB.”

In documents submitted to Harrogate Borough Council, the developer said the larger building was needed in order to “respond to changes in the automotive industry”.

It said:

“The business has outgrown the site and given the growth of electric and hybrid vehicles, together with need to maintain services for the farming community, there is a clear need for a larger, more bespoke building.

“This would also enable the building to be future proofed in terms of electric vehicle charging.”

The garage, situated just off the A59 near to Hampsthwaite, has been established for over 25 years.

Pateley Bridge road finally reopens after landslip repairs

A landslip-hit road in Pateley Bridge which has undergone lengthy repairs has finally reopened.

Temporary traffic lights were installed on the B6265 at Red Brae Bank, Bewerley, after storms caused a landslip in February 2020.

The route then closed to traffic in October last year when North Yorkshire County Council began a £480,000 scheme to stabilise the road, which is on the steep slope out of Pateley to Greenhow Hill.

The road was initially due to reopen on December 16 but the date was then pushed back to January 18 and then to today.

The council has now reopened the road to traffic with temporary lights in place for a further two weeks.

Chris Hawkesworth, a local resident who lives near the road, said it was a relief for those in the area.

He said:

“Everybody on the hill is much relieved.

“It was a 20-mile round trip for what would ordinarily a one mile trip.”

The authority said the £480,000 scheme had taken longer than anticipated as workers needed to “increase the depth and length of the excavation to lay the foundations” for the repairs.

The county council hired Cumbria-based Thomas Armstrong (Construction) Ltd to undertake the work at a cost of £232,040 – though it said it had to factor in any contingencies into the final cost.

The Stray Ferret asked the county council whether the delays in completing the scheme would lead to any further incurred costs.

Melissa Burnham, highways area manager for the council, said:

“In the design process for every scheme we must account for contingencies in the final cost.

“At Greenhow Hill we are carrying out drainage works and stabilising the slope below the road and new structure. In this instance the contractor valuation came in lower than anticipated and although the scheme is still ongoing it is likely to stay under budget.”

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‘Positive outcome for disabled people’

Harrogate firm expands legal team

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Councillor should be allowed alderman status

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Harrogate following the trend

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An opportunity for young people

‘The high street is shifting’

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