Pannal man takes council to appeal for refusing to let him prune trees

A Pannal man has taken Harrogate Borough Council to appeal for refusing to let him prune willow trees which he believes hang precariously over his house.

Professor Alejandro Frangi, who is an internationally renowned expert on computational medicine, lives by Crimple Beck with his wife and eight children.

He believes the trees next to his house could fall in strong winds and threaten the safety of his young family.

But the council refused him permission to reduce the willows in 2020 and Mr Frangi has now taken the authority to the government’s Planning Inspectorate.

He told a hearing this morning he decided to appeal after the council made the trees subject to a tree preservation order (TPO) following his proposal.

Mr Frangi had previously accused the council of acting “unreasonably” over the matter and made a formal complaint, which the council rejected.

No suggestion of felling

Mr Frangi said he was “not suggesting felling” the trees and that he would rather they were reduced in size.

He told today’s hearing:

“The crown reduction is the least of evils”.

But the council said it took requests for reduction in trees under TPO on a “case by case basis”.

Professor Frangi believes the trees are unsafe for his young family.

Professor Frangi believes the trees are unsafe for his young family.

Joshua Arthur, speaking on behalf of the authority, said that works to the trees was also “considered unjustified”.

He added that the work would be a “detriment to the conservation area” if felled.

Read more:

Alan Gilleard, the council’s arboriculture manager, added that work to reduce the size was not a common practice for TPO trees.

He said:

“This is not something we routinely support without strong justification.”

Mr Frangi also argues that the trees are unsafe for his family as they can fall over in strong weather conditions.

He told the Stray Ferret previously:

“These trees risk falling on to my side of the river, straight on my property, posing a risk to my family and property. The council has been acting unreasonably, dismissing the risks and putting TPOs on the trees instead of protecting us.”

William Cooper, a government planning inspector who oversaw this morning’s hearing, will make a site visit to the trees before making a final decision at a later date.

Plea for Harrogate hospital visitors to wear masks after people refuse to follow guidance

Health bosses have issued a plea to visitors to Harrogate District Hospital to wear face masks amid a growing number of people refusing to follow guidance.

Officials at Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust said they had seen increasing number of people being verbally aggressive towards staff when they are asked to wear a face mask or replace one after removing it.

The plea comes as the hospital has warned that covid remains a “significant threat” and that it is seeing further admissions for the virus and flu going into winter.

Dr Jacqueline Andrews, medical director at HDFT said: 

“We may no longer be at the height of the pandemic, but covid continues to be a threat for the people in our care and we must do all we can to protect them and the staff who look after them.

“Should a patient contract covid from a visitor, it can lead to a prolonged stay at the hospital due to the need for them isolate. This can impact on bed availability for people needing other forms of treatment.

“Wearing a face mask is simple to do and can make a real difference. If you are asked to wear a mask, please remember it is for the protection of the loved one you are visiting. We are merely asking visitors to follow mask wearing guidance in certain areas of our hospital and we will not tolerate aggressive or abusive behaviour towards our staff at HDFT.

“I would also encourage anyone who is eligible to get a covid booster and a flu vaccination to do so to protect themselves and their loved ones.”

Read more:

Visitors to inpatient wards are expected to wear masks as part of hospital guidance unless they are exempt.

The Harrogate district covid infection rate is currently 35 cases per 100,000 people.

Missing Knaresborough man found after police appeal

A missing Knaresborough man has been found after a police appeal.

The 68-year-old was last seen on Tuesday (November 22) leaving his home.

North Yorkshire Police described him as of slim build, 5 ft 6, with long grey hair which is balding on top.

A police statement issued this morning confirmed he was found following the appeal.

Read more:

 

Fire crews tackle deliberate lorry fire on A168 Cowthorpe

Fire fighters tackled a deliberate lorry fire on the A168 near Cowthorpe last night.

Crews from Knaresborough and Harrogate attended the blaze at 11.21pm.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said the fire was inside the trailer of the lorry and the cause was believed to be deliberate.

Crews said the trailer was stationary.

The service added in an incident log:

“Crews extinguished the fire using two breathing apparatus, two hose reel jets, small tools and a thermal imaging camera.”

Read more:

 

Traffic and Travel Alert: Harrogate district update

Commuters should be aware of upcoming train strikes in the Harrogate district this weekend.

Here is your Stray Ferret traffic and travel update.

Roads

Motorists should expect the usual traffic on Harrogate’s Wetherby Road, Knaresborough Road and Skipton Road this morning.

Drivers are urged to take care on the roads this morning following low temperatures and heavy rain forecast for the Harrogate district later this morning.

Meanwhile, motorists should be aware that traffic lights on the A59 York Road near the junction with the A658 near Goldsborough continue to cause delays for drivers during rush hour.

The three-way lights at the junction with the A658 has seen queueing traffic for motorists over the last few weeks.

Yorkshire Water is carrying out work to lay a new water main for a housing development.

According to North Yorkshire County Council’s roadworks map, the work is due to remain until November 27.

Drivers are urged to allow extra time if using the route this morning.

Trains and buses

This morning, Northern services between Harrogate and Knaresborough going to York and Leeds are scheduled to run as normal.

However, commuters should be aware of planned industrial action on the railways this Saturday (November 26) as the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen (ASLF) plan to walkout.

It will see no Northern services operating on the day. LNER, which operates services to London King’s Cross, has asked passengers to check train times before they travel.

Meanwhile, Harrogate Bus Company is currently reporting cancellations on its 36 service this morning. You can get updates here.

The bus company has announced that the 21 at Goldsborough will be diverted from today due to electrical works on Station Road in the village until December 16.

The service will miss stops towards Knaresborough at Princess Mead, War Memorial and Greystone Farm.

It will also miss stops towards Boroughbridge at Princess Mead, Midgely Land and Nr Roundabout.

Read More:

 

Business Breakfast: Harrogate digital agency appoints commercial director

Business Breakfast is sponsored by Harrogate law firm Truth Legal.

A Harrogate digital agency has announced the appointment of a new commercial director.

IDHL Group, which is based on Otley Road and specialises in e-commerce, digital PR and social media, has appointed Tom Rigden to the newly created role at the company.

Mr Rigden will be tasked with overseeing the company’s web division as part of the new position.

He said:

“Idhl is an exceptionally well-run agency group with a proven growth model. The clear vision and ambition presented to me by the board made it hugely compelling for me to join. 

“I’m looking forward to bringing my experience and energy to the talented team here and am excited about what we can achieve together.”

Dennis Engel, chief executive of the company, added:

“As we continue to see tremendous growth within the digital space, this latest appointment signifies our commitment to bring onboard people that strengthen who we are and what we offer. Tom has the expertise and know-how to bring a new proposition to the business.

“We’re delighted to welcome him to IDHL and to get started on this new chapter within the group.”

Harrogate business event to focus on hospitality support

Support for the hospitality sector in Harrogate will be discussed at a business event this week.

Organised by Philip Bolson of Mr B Hospitality in partnership with York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub, the event will hear from experts and politicians on how the industry can grow in the coming years.

Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones and Helen Suckling, partnership and commercial manager at Destination Harrogate, will be among the speakers.

Mr Bolson will also address the discussion, as well as Danny Wild, principal of Harrogate College, and Ross Tatham, general manager of Goldsborough Hall.

There will also be an opportunity for attendees to network and develop contacts.

The event will be held at Goldsborough Hall on Friday, November 25, at 1pm. You can find out more information on how to register here.

Read more:

 

Harrogate district braced for rail and postal strikes

The Harrogate district is set to be affected by rail and postal strikes this week.

No trains will run through Harrogate and Knaresborough to Leeds and York on Saturday due to a walk-out by members of the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen as part of a dispute over pay and conditions.

Northern, which operates local services between Leeds and York, has urged passengers not to travel as no rail replacement services will be operated.

The company said:

“On strike days, only travel by rail if necessary and if you do travel, expect severe disruption and plan ahead – especially the first and last trains of the day.

“If you do decide to travel, there will be very limited services running across the whole rail network so remember to check your entire journey as other train service providers may be affected.”

Read More:

LNER, which operates trains from Harrogate to London King’s Cross, has urged passengers to check services before they travel.

The company is set to operate a limited timetable on Saturday when strike action is being held.

Mick Whelan, general secretary of the ASLEF, said staging a walkout was a “last resort” for the union.

Further strikes are planned after the RMT union announced today it planned four 48-hour strikes on December 13-14 and 16-17 and January 3-4 and 6-7.

Postal strike

The Communication Workers Union has notified Royal Mail they plan to call on their members who collect, sort and deliver parcels and letters to take national strike action on Thursday and Friday this week as well as on November 30 and December 1.

Royal Mail said in a statement:

“Royal Mail has well-developed contingency plans, but we cannot fully replace the daily efforts of our frontline workforce.

“We’ll be doing what we can to keep services running, but we are sorry this planned strike action is likely to cause you some disruption.”

International squash tournament to be held in Harrogate

An international squash tournament featuring many of the world’s top players is set to come to Harrogate.

The Harrogate Squash Open 2022 tournament will be held at Harrogate Sports and Fitness Centre, Hookstone Wood Road, on December 8.

It forms part of the PSA World Tour and Challenge Tour, which sees competitions held across the world.

The tournament will see an array of international squash players come to the town to compete, including top ranked New Zealand brothers Lwamba and Temwa Chileshe.

Local player Josh Rowley will also compete as a wildcard.

The event is free to attend and the final will be held on December 11.

Read more:

Harrogate Sports and Fitness Centre, which had to pay about £5,000 to host the event, is a hub for squash, attracting many top players and coaches, including former world champion and Commonwealth Games gold medallist James Willstrop.

The club has increased membership from fewer than 300 to more than 1,000 in recent years, helped by the new padel tennis courts.

James Gaston, general manager of the club, said:

“We’ve been growing for the last five or six years and are trying to reach out to people and show we are a hotbed for squash.”

For more information on the tournament, visit the PSA World Tour website here.

Controversial plan for 35 homes in Crimple Valley rejected

A controversial plan to build 35 homes in Harrogate’s Crimple Valley has been refused.

The application by Square Feet Ltd and Antela Developments Ltd would have seen homes built at Almsford Bank Stables on Leeds Road.

It included plans for 14 affordable homes, seven first homes and 14 self or custom build plots.

The proposal was objected to by residents, who described it as “ludicrous” and unsafe.

A total of 247 letters of objection were submitted to Harrogate Borough Council against the scheme.

The council rejected the development on the grounds that the site was not allocated for housing under the Harrogate district Local Plan 2014-35, which outlines where development can take place, and “would result in harm to the character and appearance of its surroundings”.

It said in its reasons for refusal:

“The proposed development would result in harm to the character and appearance of its surroundings, including the Crimple Valley Special Landscape Area, through the loss of open fields and woodland and the introduction of unacceptable and incongruous (sub)urban development into an area of high landscape value, important to the setting of Harrogate and the grade II* listed Crimple Valley viaduct.”

Read more:

The application was the third for the site since 2018, when plans for 65 homes were put forward but withdrawn. 

The following year, a reduced proposal of 35 homes was submitted, but again withdrawn in the face of extensive objections.

Campaign group Save Crimple Valley urged the public to submit objections to the new proposal.

Among them was Judith Hooper, who told the council that the site was unsafe for such a housing scheme.

She said:

“In the time we have been resident in Harrogate there have been numerous car accidents on Almsford bank, the most recent very serious one being only a few weeks ago.

“Cars accelerate down the bank on reaching the 50mph sign and already have to contend with traffic coming out of Crimple Hall.

“Putting access at the bottom of such a busy section of road, on a bend, seems to invite accidents. At night there are many cars clearly speeding on this stretch. At busy periods traffic is queuing both up and down the hill.”

Business rates to reduce for majority of Harrogate firms, says BID

A Harrogate business organisation has said a new business rates valuation will see the majority of local firms pay less.

Following a government review, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt decided to progress with new valuations of properties as part of his autumn statement.

An online service is available to show firms whether their rates will increase from April 1, 2023.

Sara Ferguson, chair of the Harrogate Business Improvement District, said she welcomed the review by government.

She added that while some businesses will see their rateable value rise, they will still receive support from government.

Ms Ferguson said:

“For a number of years, Harrogate BID has been asking the government to review business rates, and I’m really pleased this has now happened.

“Looking at the website, it appears that the majority of the business have seen their business rates reduced, which will be a relief to many, particularly with the rise in fuel, raw materials and energy costs.

“And for those that have seen their rate rise, those at the lower end of the scale will still benefit from rate relief, with plenty of small business not paying anything at all.”

Read more:

Last week, Mr Hunt announced £13.6 billion worth of business rates relief targeted at businesses that may see their rates increase.

Mr Hunt said the move would help to “soften the blow” for businesses with new valuations.

Business owners can check their valuations on the government website here.