Harrogate business groups call for Station Gateway vote to be delayed

Business groups in Harrogate have called for a vote on the town’s Station Gateway to be delayed after an economic case for the project was published just days before the key vote takes place.

In a letter to Cllr Carl Les, leader of North Yorkshire County Council, Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce, Harrogate Business Improvement District and Independent Harrogate said there was a “lack of opportunity” to comment on the paper.

The report, which is due before the county council’s executive next week, argues that the gateway will tackle “some of the economic challenges facing the Harrogate economy”.

The 18-page report goes on to cite various case studies and figures from the Office for National Statistics to support its case.

However, the three business groups said  they have had no opportunity to comment on the paper and called for a vote on the scheme to be delayed until they have had chance to scrutinise it.

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They also criticise the council for releasing the report just a week before the vote on the project.

The letter says:

“Because of this lack of opportunity to comment on the economic impact study, we are now asking that the vote on the project is postponed until your next executive meeting, allowing us, and others, time to digest its contents.

“However, having had a cursory glance through it, it appears the authors have looked to cities for case studies and not towns comparable to Harrogate. Also, they give examples from as along ago as 2007. The world has moved on a lot since then.

“It fails to take into account the impact of covid, out-of-town shopping centres with acres of free parking, and online shopping. And again, we say what of those residents living in our surrounding villages whose only way of getting around is via their car, or the tens-of-thousands of visitors who live outside the district?”

Station Gateway designs

Some of the proposed changes to Station Parade.

The letter also questions whether the study takes into account the effect of construction of the project on businesses who are “already on their knees through to the ongoing impact of covid”.

The letter comes at the same business groups accused the county council of ignoring their views and the opinions of residents during the Station Gateway consultation.

The Stray Ferret revealed this week that the county council is set to give the £10.9m project the green light at a meeting on Tuesday next week — even though the latest consultation revealed the majority of respondents feel negatively towards the scheme.

Earlier this week, Cllr Don Mackenzie, executive county councillor for access, described the scheme as the biggest investment in Harrogate “in decades”.

He said:

“These proposals represent the biggest investment in Harrogate, Selby and Skipton town centres in decades.

“We want to encourage more people to travel by foot, bike and public transport because it is good for health and the environment by promoting fitness and reducing congestion.

“The spending will also provide a welcome boost for our town centres after two difficult years of trading during the pandemic.

“We have listened to feedback from the public consultations and are confident people will be pleased with the results.”

Missing teen sighted at Harrogate train station this morning

Police are searching for a missing teenager who may be in the Harrogate area.

Benjamin Robert Leach, 16, has been reported missing after leaving a property in Selby on Wednesday, January 19.

Officers carried out enquiries and believe he is in the Harrogate area after a sighting at Harrogate train station in the early hours of this morning.

A North Yorkshire Police statement added:

“Benjamin is described as 5ft 5in tall, with short dark brown hair and brown eyes.

“Any immediate sightings should be reported to North Yorkshire Police via 999 quoting reference 12220010596. Any information which would assist officers to locate Benjamin should be reported via 101 quoting the same reference number.”

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Improved Harrogate to London train service delayed

Concerns over infrastructure and rolling stock have delayed the introduction of improved direct train services between Harrogate and London.

A new timetable, with an earlier direct service to London King’s Cross, was due to be implemented in May 2022.

The shake-up was announced by LNER in June last year as part of wider changes to services on the east coast main line.

LNER said times between Harrogate and London would be about 10 minutes faster as part of the new timetable, which included:

In the opposite direction, from London direct to Harrogate:

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However, the improved services will now not be introduced after Network Rail recommended that the Department for Transport, which has the final decision on the timetable, delays the implementation.

The organisation said it had “concerns around infrastructure, rolling stock and performance and stakeholder feedback” with the changes.

Simon Leyshon, industry programme director for Network Rail’s east coast route, said it hoped to implement the changes as soon as possible.

He said:

“Postponing the new timetable change for the east coast main line allows us to dedicate more time to considering the views passengers and stakeholders shared with us during the consultation process last year.

“We’re now working closely with train operating companies and the wider rail industry to develop a timetable that meets passenger’s changing travel patterns and makes the most of the increased capacity on the East Coast main line following the £1.2 billion East Coast upgrade.”

Network Rail also pointed out that Harrogate had already seen an additional Northern service introduced on the Leeds to York line in December 2021.

Harrogate hospital covid death toll rises to 207

Harrogate District Hospital has recorded another death from a patient who tested positive for coronavirus.

The hospital reported the death on Tuesday, according to NHS England figures. It takes the covid-related death toll at the hospital to 207.

Meanwhile, the number of patients who have tested positive for covid and being treated at the hospital has fallen to 20 – down by seven on last week.

Today’s figures from the UK Health Security Agency show that another 313 infections have been recorded in the Harrogate district.

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Government figures show that the district’s seven-day covid average is 1,061 per 100,000 people, slightly down on yesterday’s figure of 1,078.

It remains above both the county average, which is 976, and the England rate which is 971.

The data also shows that 106,176 booster or third jabs have been given in the Harrogate district, as of today.

Taylor Wimpey submits plans for 390 homes in Ripon

Housebuilder Taylor Wimpey has submitted plans for 390 homes in Ripon.

Government housing agency Homes England commissioned the company to build the scheme off West Lane as part of an £89.5 million contract.

The proposal, which already has outline permission, would see a mixture of two, three and four-bedroom homes built on the site.

Most of the houses will be for market sale, but 156 properties will be designated as affordable housing.

Sarah Armstrong, land director for Taylor Wimpey North Yorkshire, said: 

“We’re delighted to have been selected as preferred developer to deliver this site in partnership with Homes England.

“We’ve taken a landscape-led design approach to develop a residential masterplan that will enhance the character and identity of the site.

“The development will include locally-equipped play facilities and attractive biodiverse landscape features, and we are providing significant areas of open space to allow new residents and visitors to enjoy a high-quality living environment with an attractive outlook.”

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Should planning permission be approved, Taylor Wimpey expects work to start in spring this year.

Homes England intervened to buy the site after Barrett Homes pulled out of the scheme in July 2020.

Marie Kiddell, head of planning and enabling north at Homes England said:

‘We intervened to buy West Lane in Ripon to unlock this stalled housing site. 

“We’ve since appointed Taylor Wimpey, as our preferred developer, to take on the mantle of providing quality new homes, including 40% affordable provision – that’s 156 affordable homes in an area where they are most needed.

“Submitting the reserved matters application marks another step forward in bringing these vital new homes one step closer to reality.”

Harrogate Borough Council will make a decision on the plan at a later date.

Councillors back calls for 5% increase in Harrogate district taxi fares

Councillors have backed calls for a 5% increase in taxi fares to help cover soaring fuel prices and a drop in earnings for drivers during the covid pandemic.

The rise request was made to Harrogate Borough Council whose cabinet member for housing and safer communities, Cllr Mike Chambers, will now make a final decision whether prices should go up.

If approved, the increase would make the Harrogate district the 14th most expensive council area in the UK for taxi fares, according to national trade newspaper Private Hire and Taxi Monthly.

However, local taxi drivers have argued the district’s position is not as high for journeys above two miles.

Speaking at a meeting of the council’s licensing committee on Wednesday, Cllr John Mann, a Conservative who represents Harrogate Pannal, said he appreciated that prices may be higher than some areas but taxi drivers needed support.

He said: 

“We seem to be in the middle of a cost of living crisis at the moment and we are all aware prices are going up rapidly.

“If you are a taxi driver all of this is not good because it eats into your profit. I do have sympathy with the trade.”

Cllr Sue Lumby, a Conservative who represents Harrogate Coppice Valley, added: 

“If the trade is not profitable, no one is going to do it.

“It may help the public to have the rise if it means we keep the taxi drivers.”

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The 5% rise would be on the running mile and waiting times of journeys, and there would also be an increase in starting prices from £3.40 to £3.60 if approved.

The request comes after warnings that as many as 50 taxi drivers in the Harrogate district quit during the previous lockdowns and many have now found new jobs with little desire to return to the trade.

Last year also saw record costs for both petrol and diesel in the UK, with diesel hitting prices of over £1.50 per litre for the first time in history.

Driver shortages

During a consultation held in September, drivers said the trade had been “badly affected” by rising costs, not just on fuel but also vehicle prices and parts.

One driver told the council:

“Needless to say we are trading in difficult circumstances due to increasing costs, driver shortages and backlogs at DVLA and other agencies which is hindering the testing of new drivers.

“Although fuel prices seem to be rising on a daily basis one has to accept this trend cannot continue indefinitely.”

The consultation was held with 500 taxi drivers, although only 30 responses were received.

Speaking at Wednesday’s meeting, Gareth Bentley, licensing manager at the council, said this was a “fairly normal” response rate for consultations held with the trade.

He added: 

“Clearly the trade is finding running vehicles considerably more expensive now.

“We do start from quite a high point in terms of our fares at the moment – and we have got to balance the needs of the travelling public with the trade’s ability to make a reasonable living.”

Harrogate covid rate stable as 285 cases recorded

The Harrogate district’s covid rate has stabilised after another 285 cases were reported today.

Latest government figures show that the district’s seven-day covid average has dropped to 1,078 per 100,000 people, up on yesterday’s figure of 1,074.

However, it is above the county average, which is 992, and the England rate of 972.

No further deaths from patients who tested positive for covid have been reported at Harrogate District Hospital, according to NHS England.

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The number of positive covid patients currently being treated at the hospital stands at 27.

According to government figures, 106,142 booster or third jabs have been given in the Harrogate district, as of today.

£4 million of Harrogate district housing developer funds left unspent

Harrogate Borough Council has held onto almost £4 million of unspent money given to it from housing developers for social and community projects.

The Section 106 cash is agreed during planning talks to offset the impact of new housing and is intended to be used for improvements such as village hall refurbishments and new sports facilities.

More than £613,000 was spent on projects during 2020/21 – and the council has been praised by some communities.

But with around £3,730,000 unspent at the end of that period, there are concerns that many residents are not feeling the benefits at a time when the construction of hundreds of new homes is piling pressure on the need for community facilities.

Residents left with no community improvements

John Hansard, a member of Kingsley Ward Action Group, said the area faced the construction of around 700 new homes but residents have had “nothing at all” in terms of community improvements.

He said:

“Some of this money needs to come our way.

“Harrogate can’t cope with much more new housing and to think they want to build an extra 700 homes in our area is absolutely crazy.”

Tim Ellis, who also lives in the Kingsley ward, added: 

“There is no community hall, no church halls and not even a pub any more, therefore nowhere local groups can have meetings.

“With all the new housing destroying the last of the fields, and new houses having tiny gardens, we will need a public park.

“The triangle of meadow and trees to the east of Kingsley Farmhouse bordering Kingsley Road would be ideal… but greedy developers are threatening to put houses even on this.”

Most of the money spent by Harrogate Borough Council during 2020/21 was on the purchase of affordable housing.

Cllr Tim Myatt, cabinet member for planning at the council, described the funding as a tool to “support future communities across the Harrogate district” and said other projects included new play areas and open space.

He also said the authority helped North Yorkshire County Council secure around £1.2 million in the last year for improvements to roads, sustainable travel and schools.

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But when questioned by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the county council did not say how much unspent money it has held onto.

A county council spokesperson said Section 106 money has a “significant lifespan” and that the funds will be used for their intended purpose “at the appropriate time”.

Call for review of section 106 contributions

Harrogate Borough Council said it was “not unusual” for the authority to have large sums of unspent money and there were several reasons why this is the case.

It said the money is sometimes paid in instalments and cannot be spent until it has all been received. It also said parish councils often ask for the money to be saved up for larger projects.

Despite this, Cllr Pat Marsh, leader of the opposition Liberal Democrat party, said the almost £4 million unspent by Harrogate Borough Council “does seem a lot” and has called for more regular reviews of how the money is spent.

The council also collects cash through Community Infrastructure Levy contributions, which are another type of charge on new housing.

These work on a pounds-per-square-metre basis and because of recent changes to Harrogate Borough Council’s charging schedules no contributions were collected during the last financial year.

It is now intended that a review will be carried out to develop a list of spending priorities and projects.

Cllr Myatt added: 

“Payment of CIL is due upon commencement of development, therefore there will be a time lag of up to two years before the first CIL contributions are received.

“In the future, the CIL will provide us with a pot of money so that we can work with local communities and partners to provide the right infrastructure in the right places to support development and the continued growth of the Harrogate district.”

Ripon’s Old Deanery to reopen after licence granted

The new business owners of The Old Deanery in Ripon have been granted a licence to reopen the 16th century building as a hotel, restaurant and wedding venue this month.

Hoteliers Rebecca Hill and Chris Layton took over the historic building last year after it was forced to close following months of coronavirus lockdowns.

The pair – who also run York’s Galtres Lodge Hotel – plan to renovate the building and have now been granted a premises licence after a meeting of Harrogate Borough Council’s sub-licensing committee today.

Ms Hill told the committee that Ripon residents wanted to see The Old Deanery “thrive” as a new business and that support from locals had been “huge”.

She said: 

“The Old Deanery is one of the most significant businesses in Ripon.

“It is a key part of the city, both for the business community and tourism economy, as well as the wider residential community.”

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Despite the support of residents, Ms Hill said the licence application had been hit by “unnecessary” conditions put forward by environmental protection officers at Harrogate Borough Council.

These included a ban on speakers and music being played outdoors.

Ms Hill said the rules were suggested with “little knowledge” of the area and would have been a “detriment” to the new business, which wants to ensure The Old Deanery’s gardens remain open to the public and music is permitted outdoors.

Council officers argued the rules were “fair and lenient” – but they were later dropped by members of the sub-licensing committee.

Ms Hill said: 

“The representations from Harrogate Borough Council’s environmental protection team centre around noise disturbance – something that we hold in the highest importance.

“We do not believe our application will cause any issues in this respect.”

The Old Deanery neighbours and is owned by Ripon Cathedral.

It dates from 1625 and has 11 bedrooms, gardens, and several public areas which are being restored back to a country house that will be available for weddings and other events.

Don’t judge Otley Road cycle path until its complete, says campaign group

Harrogate District Cycle Action has urged people to hold judgement on the new Otley Road cycle path until it is completed in full.

The first phase of the long-delayed Harrogate cycle path between Harlow Moor Road and Arthurs Avenue was due for completion last week but has now been pushed back again until 21 February 2022.

Kevin Douglas, chairman of Harrogate District Cycle Action, said while the campaign group had raised some concerns over the works completed so far, people would only see the full benefits when all three phases of the project are completed.

He said:

“This is only one phase and a very small part of the whole project.

“What we wanted to see was a scheme that was going to be an exemplar for other cycle routes and at the moment we haven’t got that because it is only part of the bigger picture.

“When the whole thing is done it should be better and encourage more people to cycle and walk.”

The cycle path is part of a wider package of sustainable transport measures for Harrogate, which will cost around £4.6 million once completed.

Funding was first secured by North Yorkshire County Council in 2017 and there have since been several delays involving utility and construction works.

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There have also been drawn-out discussions with the Duchy of Lancaster – the owners of the Stray – over the use of grass verges protected by law.

Despite the long-awaited progress on the first phase, the county council has said it is still unable to say when the project could be completed in full.

It said phase two could start in April and that the final phase connecting Cardale Park relies on developer funding, which is currently being worked on and will lead to more detailed planning, including a feasibility study.

Junction concerns

The concerns raised by Harrogate District Cycle Action over the first phase involve changes to Otley Road’s junction with Harlow Moor Road, as well as priority for pedestrians.

Mr Douglas said the campaign group would soon meet with council officers to highlight the issues.

He said: 

“We said right at the beginning that this is one of the most difficult parts of Otley Road to work on. There are constraints and we acknowledge that.

“But the Harlow Moor Road junction has been widened to allow traffic through which is frustrating and has narrowed the turning for pedestrians and cyclists.”

Mr Douglas added:

“With all the delays that are going on we will keep pressing the council which should have been doing one phase and then straight onto the next one.

“I couldn’t see them doing a new road scheme in this way – they just wouldn’t do it.”