Plans have been approved to convert the former Ripon Cathedral Choir School into four townhouses.
Persimmon Homes lodged the proposal for the building, which had previously been earmarked to be demolished to make way for 12 flats.
Harrogate Borough Council has now approved the proposal.
The developer tabled the fresh application after the demolition plan was met “negatively by the public”.
A total of 68 objections from residents were lodged to the council against the previous proposal.
In documents submitted to the council, Persimmon said the new bid to convert the building followed discussions with council officers.
It said:
“Following feedback and discussions with the case officer, Persimmon Homes have sought to amend the proposal, withdraw the application and submit a new application for the conversion of the school building.
“The conservation officer confirmed via email in April 2021 that retaining the building is ‘the way forward’.”
Read more:
- Persimmon Homes submits plans to demolish Ripon Cathedral Choir School
- New £6m plans to extend Ripon Cathedral facilities proposed
Persimmon said in its plans that the current building is in “extremely poor condition”.
The new proposal will see the existing brickwork retained but the roof replaced in its entirety due to its poor condition.
The building was originally constructed as a late 19th Century grandstand. It was converted in the early 20th century into two semi-detached dwellings, then extended for use as a school.
Ripon Cathedral Choir School began using the site in 1960 until it closed in 2012. It had planned to merge with a local preparatory school but this fell through.
Home Office asylum centre near Harrogate district an ‘abuse of power’, says MPA Conservative MP has described plans by his own government to build an asylum centre in Linton-On-Ouse as an “abuse of power”.
Kevin Hollinrake, who represents Thirsk and Malton, called a debate in the House of Commons on the matter yesterday.
The government is pressing ahead with plans to house 1,500 asylum seekers for up to six months in a ‘reception centre’ a former RAF base in the village, which is four miles from Great Ouseburn and Little Ouseburn in the Harrogate district, nine miles from Boroughbridge and 13 miles from Knaresborough.
However, the plan has been widely criticised by residents and politicians.
During the debate yesterday, Mr Hollinrake said:
He said:
“I said right at the start that this is an abuse of power, and I do not think that is putting it too strongly. The Home Office is using its emergency powers, with a Q notice, so it did not have to go through the planning process for this material change of use, which it undoubtedly is.
“The reason for those powers—why is it an emergency?—was, we were told, covid. Well, we thought that covid was actually largely behind us, especially at this time of year.
“I do not think it is right to say that covid can be one of the reasons why we are using emergency powers in this way.”
Read more:
- Ripon refugee charity joins calls opposing 1,500 asylum seekers at Linton
- Village on fringes of Harrogate district to house asylum seekers
Mr Hollinrake went on to question what support and funding would be in place ahead of asylum seekers arriving at the centre.
Police car and CCTV to be deployed
He said he had been told a double manned police car would be located in the village 24/7 and CCTV would be installed.
However, Mr Hollinrake said it was unclear when those plans would be put in place.
He said:
“Those potential mitigations would help, but it is not clear that those plans will be in place on May 31 when service users move in. I have also not seen a clear plan anywhere.”
He added that there has been “an indication” by the Home Office that next week’s first set of arrivals, which includes 60 people, may be delayed.
Last week the chair of Ripon City of Sanctuary joined calls to pause plans for the centre.
Residents in Linton-On-Ouse ahead of a public meeting over the planned asylum centre. Picture: Linton-On-Ouse Action Group.
Nicola David, chair of the sanctuary, told the Stray Ferret the centre was not suitable for refugees or the village.
She said there would be too many asylum seekers to residents at the site.
She said:
“Everybody is in agreement. Everybody is saying it is completely unsuitable.
“The only people who are saying it is [a good idea] is the Home Office.”
Why are refugees being sent to Linton?
The controversial proposal for Linton-on-Ouse is part of a wider plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda to have their claims processed.
Before potentially being flown out to the African country, asylum seekers will be held in ‘reception centres’ across the UK for up to six months, with the first announced being at Linton-on-Ouse.
Ms Patel said:
Former Leeds Rhinos captain joins Harrogate Rugby Club as coach“The global migration crisis and how we tackle illegal migration requires new world-leading solutions. There are an estimated 80 million people displaced in the world and the global approach to asylum and migration is broken.
“Existing approaches have failed and there is no single solution to tackle these problems. Change is needed because people are dying attempting to come to the UK illegally.”
Former Leeds Rhinos and New Zealand rugby league international Gary Mercer has joined Harrogate Rugby Club as defence coach.
Mercer, who played rugby league before switching to union as a coach, will join the club alongside newly appointed director of rugby Martyn Wood, who was capped by England.
The former Rhinos captain made more than 150 appearances for Leeds and represented his country 21 times.
Mercer said:
“I’m very much looking forward to taking on the new role of defence coach with the Aces.
“I am very confident about the team’s future. An excellent plan has been put in place and things are certainly happening at the club.”
During his career, Mercer also played for Bradford, Warrington and Halifax at rugby league.
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He had a spell as coach at Halifax before switching codes to union where he went on to coach Yorkshire Carnegie, Glasgow Warriors and Biggar in Scotland.
Mercer will continue his role as head of rugby and tutor at Ashville College while coaching at Harrogate.
Martyn Wood said:
Housing plan for Lamb and Flag pub refused“Gary Mercer has incredible experience in both codes at club and international level, and we will be drawing upon his knowledge to produce the required step-change in our defence.
“Having Gary join us will add a new range of skills to our coaching set-up. Working alongside our existing head coach Sam Fox, we are expecting great things.”
Harrogate Borough Council has refused plans to build five houses at the Lamb and Flag pub in Bishop Monkton.
The proposal was tabled by Carol and Trevor Pawson for the 200-year-old pub, which also had a bed and breakfast.
As part of the plan, two houses would be created by converting the pub itself and another would be created at the barn next door.
A further two homes would be built at the car park at the back of the pub.
However, council officials have refused the application on the grounds that “insufficient marketing” has been done to demonstrate that the pub could not be used for community use.
Officers added in a decision notice that two of the houses on the car park are outside the development limits.
Officials said:
“Insufficient marketing has been carried to demonstrate that in the absence of any use as a public house there is no alternative community use for which the property may be suitable and the proposed use of the public house as two dwellings consequently is in conflict with Policy HP8 of the Harrogate District Local Plan 2014-2035.”
Read more:
Bishop Monkton, which the Domesday Book referred to as the Tun of the monks, has seen a significant increase in residential development in recent years.
Despite new developments and growing populations, village pubs have found it difficult to survive.
At one time, there were seven pubs within Bishop Monkton’s parish boundaries but it is now currently served by just the Mason’s Arms.
Five Harrogate firefighters could lose jobs in plans to reduce serviceFive Harrogate firefighters could lose their jobs under plans to halve the number of fire engines operating in the town overnight,
The Stray Ferret revealed yesterday proposals for the station on Skipton Road to operate just one fire engine at night, as opposed to the current two.
North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Zoë Metcalfe has suggested the move as part of a three-month consultation on proposed changes to fire and rescue services.
The station would continue to be resourced for two fire engines during the day but it would have just one appliance from 10pm to 9am, when fewer incidents usually occur.
The move would also see the station lose its tactical response vehicle, which would be moved to an on-call station elsewhere in the county, and a self-rostering staffing system introduced.
At a commissioner public accountability meeting today, Jonathan Foster, interim chief fire officer at North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue, said the reduction in posts would come from either retirements or redeployments.
He said:
“We would look towards the retirement profile, we would look towards redeployment opportunities and we would look also towards the growth opportunities in prevention and protection areas.
“I must also say that this is a progressive approach. There are some really good opportunities for our firefighters to advance into other areas if they chose to. If not, that is fine.
“There are a range of different alternatives there which will help and we will work very closely with representatives bodies to manage this process in the best way that we can.”
Read more:
- Masham Police House to be sold as officers relocate to fire station
- Harrogate set to have just one fire engine at night
Mr Foster added that the changes were justified as the service’s modelling showed peak times were between 9am and 10pm.
The changes are part of Ms Metcalfe’s Risk and Resource Model 2022-2025, which sets out how the fire service will deploy its people, equipment and resources.
Fire officials told today’s meeting that the proposals would help to save £1.5 million a year from 2025.
Mr Foster said:
“I stress this very much so, this is about reinvestment back into the on-call duty system to improve overall availability and then also to reinvest in protection and prevention activities so that we can protect the people of North Yorkshire and City of York in a much more effective manner.”
Final Harrogate borough mayor takes office
Conservative councillor Victoria Oldham has taken office as the final mayor of the Harrogate borough as other top roles were handed out during an official ceremony.
Cllr Oldham said it was her aim to bring “harmony and peace” during her one-year term before Harrogate Borough Council is abolished in April.
She was sworn in at the Royal Hall in Harrogate yesterday and took over from Liberal Democrat councillor Trevor Chapman, who served as mayor for the past 12 months.
Conservative councillor Robert Windass was also made deputy mayor.
Cllr Oldham, who represents the Washburn ward and works as an accountant and farmer, said:
“Throughout the year there will be a need to take stock, but more importantly it is a matter of bringing people together.
“I’d like to thank councillor Trevor Chapman for all of his hard work in the last year.
“I naturally am looking forward to continuing with this civic tradition, albeit until Harrogate Borough Council unfortunately will be no more.”
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- Have devolution fears that Harrogate will be voiceless come true?
- ‘Tough cookie’ Masham councillor becomes final chair of county council
Also at yesterday’s meeting, re-elected council leader Richard Cooper appointed councillor Sam Gibbs as cabinet member for environment, waste reduction and recycling.
Cllr Gibbs succeeds councillor Andy Paraskos who was previously a member of the seven-person cabinet.
Rebecca Burnett returns to planning
Cllr Rebecca Burnett, who previously oversaw the creation of the Harrogate district Local Plan as cabinet member for planning, was made chair of the planning committee.
She replaces councillor John Mann, who will remain a committee member.
Newly-elected mayor Cllr Oldham also passed her previous title of chair of the licensing committee to Cllr Ed Darling.
The role of the mayor is to chair full council meetings and represent the borough at ceremonies and events. They also raise money for charities and are required to put their political affiliations aside to be impartial.
Cllr Oldham has chosen Yorkshire Air Ambulance as the first of her nominated charities.
Speaking at yesterday’s meeting, Cllr Cooper said councillor Oldham will be an “outstanding mayor for all of our borough.”
He said:
“During this year she will meet hundreds of community groups, businesses and individuals. They will see in her what many of us have seen since we met her in 2017.
“She will see us out with flair, fun and dedication.”
Cllr Cooper, who will step down as the longest-serving leader of the borough council in April, also said the authority would continue pushing ahead with major projects during its final year before the new North Yorkshire Council takes over.
He said:
Three bins in Harrogate set alight deliberately last night“I pledge to you – on behalf of the cabinet – that this will not be a year of winding down. It will be a year of handover.
“As part of that handover, we continue to have a string of exciting initiatives and projects to take forward.
“And in the cabinet I have appointed, we have a team that can do a great job for the people of the borough.”
Harrogate firefighters believe three separate bin fires in Harrogate last night were started deliberately.
Firefighters were initially called to a fire in a bin on Cambridge Street at 6.25pm, which had been doused on arrival by a member of the public using a coffee cup.
Fire crews then used a hose to cool the bin down.
They were then alerted to another bin fire on Beech Grove an hour later.
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The fire was put out using a hose reel.
Another deliberate fire was reported in a wheelie bin on Oxford Street at 8pm.The bin was close to commercial properties and fire crews used a hose reel to put out the blaze.
A spokesman for Harrogate fire station said they believed the fires were deliberately started by the same people and have informed the police.
Harrogate’s Sun Pavilion awarded Grade II listed building statusThe Sun Pavilion and Colonnade in Harrogate has been given Grade II listed status as part of the Queen’s platinum jubilee.
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has announced six new sites across the country will be given the status.
The Sun Pavilion and Colonnade were constructed in 1933 to designs by Leonard Clarke, the borough surveyor, as part of a £60,000 spa development scheme intended to be one of the finest in Europe.
The classical building with Art Deco details was opened by noted medic Lord Horder of Ashford and the opening ceremony was captured on film by British Pathé. The pavilion was designed as a place to take refreshment and rest after taking exercise or after taking the spa waters in the town centre.
After a period of decline in the 1980s, the site was restored following a campaign led by local citizen Anne Smith and supported by celebrities including author James Herriot.
In 1998, the Sun Pavilion was officially re-opened by Queen Elizabeth II, and in 2018 celebrations were held to mark the 20th anniversary of Her Majesty’s visit.
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The five other sites given listed status include the M62 motorway, the Imperial Hotel in Stroud, Gloucestershire, All Saints’ Church in Shard End, Birmingham, the Queen’s Theatre in Hornchurch, Greater London and the Hampshire Archives in Winchester.
The listings aim to highlight some of the important places from the Queen’s reign and to reflect the important social, technical and cultural changes which have taken place over the past 70 years.
Duncan Wilson, chief executive of Historic England which advised on the new listed buildings, said:
“These new listings celebrate the diversity and richness of our heritage overseen by Her Majesty during her 70-year reign, showing how the fabric of the nation has changed and developed.
“These sites cover the length and breadth of the country – from All Saints’ Church near Birmingham, which she opened in 1955 when she was newly crowned, to the high-tech Hampshire Public Records Office, completed in 1993.”
Nigel Huddleston, heritage minister, added:
Plan to convert Harrogate office block into flats“These historic sites provide a fantastic opportunity to reflect on how much life in the UK has changed during Her Majesty The Queen’s 70-year reign. Listing them as part of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations is a fitting way to pay tribute to the longevity of her service.”
Plans have been lodged to convert a Harrogate office block into seven flats.
Artium Group has submitted the proposal to Harrogate Borough Council to create the flats at Simpson House, off Clarence Drive.
It would see the vacant offices turned into one one-bedroom, five two-bedroom and one three-bedroom flats.
The developer also plans to use the current 14 car parking spaces and create storage for seven bicycles.
In documents submitted to the council, Artium Group said the proposal would help to make efficient use of the building.
It said:
“The conversion of the building is considered to be entirely appropriate give the lack of any viable interest in retaining the existing employment use.
“The property is in a highly sustainable location and surrounded by existing buildings which have also been converted in recent years.
“The provision of additional residential units within a highly sustainable location should therefore be welcomed.”
Harrogate Borough Council will make a decision on the proposal at a later date.
Read more:
Police search of Harrogate’s Pinewoods found nobody with a weapon
North Yorkshire Police has said that officers were unable to find anyone with a weapon following reports of gunfire in the Pinewoods last night.
In a statement published just after 11am today, police said that enquiries with residents revealed there had been “no sightings of anyone carrying a weapon”.
Armed officers sealed off the woodland and a police helicopter was deployed shortly after 5pm.
The statement said:
“At 5.01pm yesterday police were called to reports of several “loud bangs” in the Pinewoods area of Harrogate.
“Officers immediately attended and carried out an extensive search in the area. Specialist resources which included a firearms support unit and the police helicopter (NPAS) were brought in to assist.
“Further enquires with the members of the public who made the initial reports confirmed that there had been no sightings of anyone carrying a weapon. Officers concluded their search at just before 7.30pm and no individual
A police spokesman added that they believed the initial report “was made with good intent” and “We take all reports of this nature extremely seriously”.
Numerous residents told the Stray Ferret last night and today they had heard three gunshots.
Read more:
- Armed police close off Pinewoods after suspected gunfire
- Pinewoods gunfire: ‘Children were playing – people were terrified’
Responding to the police statement, one resident remain convinced they heard gunfire.
They also disputed the claim that police, whose Harrogate headquarters is less than a mile away, responded “immediately” and said one man was seen being detained in a police van before being later released.
The woman said:
“I’m surprised by the statement and it should have been communicated last night rather than have residents terrified. We aren’t making this up.”