A1 service station decision ‘flies in the face of localism’, say campaigners

Campaigners in Kirby Hill have said a government decision to approve a motorway service station on the A1 “flies in the face of localism”.

Gareth Owens, chair of Kirby Hill Residents Against Motorway Services, said the approval by planning inspector David Rose reversed 25 years worth of rejection by central government.

The proposal was submitted by Dublin-based company Applegreen and went to its latest public inquiry in February, which lasted for two weeks.

Mr Rose gave approval to the plan yesterday, which will see the service station built on the A1 northbound between junctions 48 and 49.

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In a saga that has spanned a quarter of a century, the application has been before multiple council planning committees, faced four public inquiries and been turned down twice by the Secretary of State and the High Court.

Now, the plan has been given the go ahead after Mr Rose decided the benefits of the proposal outweighed the harm.

Gareth Owens, chair of the Kirby Hill RAMS, speaking against the application at Harrogate Borough Council’s planning committee in 2019. Picture: Kirby Hill RAMS

Mr Owens described the decision as “disappointing” and added it had undone all the hard work by residents who have opposed the proposal over the years.

He said:

“We are disappointed as a community. 

“It flies in the face of localism that a man from central government can turn up and change the decision.

“The community has gone through a lot of effort to demonstrate that it is not an appropriate site for a motorway service station.”

In a decision notice yesterday, Mr Rose said after considering the evidence that the benefits of a service station would outweigh the harm.

He said:

“In summary, considerable weight attaches to the less than substantial harm relative to the identified designated heritage assets. 

“Loss of best and most versatile agricultural land is also a further negative factor of moderate weight. 

“However, individually, and cumulatively, the wider public benefit in meeting the demonstrable need for a motorway service area, for the safety and welfare of motorists, would outweigh that harm.”

The Kirby Hill RAMS group held a meeting last night to decide its response to the inspector’s decision.

Speaking to the Stray Ferret this month, Mr Owens said the group was prepared to continue to oppose the plan whatever the outcome of the appeal.

Government approves A1 service station after fourth appeal in 25 years

The government has approved a motorway service station on the A1 near Kirby Hill after 25 years of public inquiries and planning battles.

The proposal from Dublin-based company Applegreen will see the service station built between junctions 48 and 49 of the A1(M) northbound, between Boroughbridge and Ripon.

A filling station, hot and cold food outlets, a drive-through coffee shop will be built and 364 car parking spaces created.

However, a separate appeal from Moto Hospitality Ltd for a motorway service station on the A1 near Ripon has been rejected.

In a saga which has spanned a quarter of a century, Applegreen’s application has been before multiple council planning committees, faced four public inquiries and been turned down twice by the Secretary of State and the High Court.

Councillors on Harrogate Borough Council initially rejected the latest plan in 2019, but Applegreen took the decision to an appeal hearing, which was held in February.

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The inquiry, which was held by planning inspector David Rose and streamed onto YouTube, lasted two weeks and included multiple testimonies from residents, campaigners and developer Applegreen.

The motorway service station site, as proposed by Applegreen, on the A1 northbound near Kirby Hill.

The proposed motorway service station site on the A1 northbound near Kirby Hill.

In a decision notice today, Mr Rose said after considering the evidence that the benefits of a service station would outweigh the harm.

He said:

“In summary, considerable weight attaches to the less than substantial harm relative to the identified designated heritage assets. 

“Loss of best and most versatile agricultural land is also a further negative factor of moderate weight. 

“However, individually, and cumulatively, the wider public benefit in meeting the demonstrable need for a motorway service area, for the safety and welfare of motorists, would outweigh that harm.”

Speaking to the Stray Ferret earlier this month, Gareth Owens, chair of the Kirby Hill Residents Against Motorway Services, said the group was prepared to continue to oppose the plan whatever the outcome of the appeal.

 

Footfall in Harrogate will decline without change, says council leader

Footfall in Harrogate town centre will continue to decline if things do not change after the covid crisis, claims Harrogate Borough Council’s leader.

Speaking at a meeting of Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce, Cllr Richard Cooper said the pandemic had left more people shopping online and craving an “experience” in town centres.

Cllr Cooper’s comments last night came on the day retail and hospitality reopened for the first time since the third lockdown was imposed in January.

Businesses in the district pressed the council leader on what direction the town was going in after reopening, with some expressing concern over the Station Gateway project.

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Cllr Cooper said the vision for Harrogate was one that would see more people living and working in the town centre, more events and a high street that offered an experience.

He said:

“For the past seven years that I have been leader of the council, I have heard traders talking to me about footfall going down.

“If we carry on doing things as we are doing them, footfall will continue to go down.

“We need to do something different to get people into the town centre and to support retail because anchor stores are no longer going to be there. Debenhams is gone.”

Cllr Cooper added that the pandemic had accelerated the amount of people shopping online and the town needed to adapt.

However, Graham Strugnell, a chamber member for 20 years, said he had heard some of the council’s plans “time and time again” and added that businesses often saw proposals “fall away”.

Station Gateway

Cllr Cooper was pressed on whether he would listen to concerns raised by organisations, such as Harrogate Business Improvement District, Independent Harrogate and Harrogate Civic Society, about the gateway project.

The £7.9 million project is being led by North Yorkshire County Council, Harrogate Borough Council and West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

It could see James Street pedestrianised and Station Parade turned into a single lane with cycle routes.

Independent Harrogate has warned Harrogate’s hospitality and retail sector is in a ‘fragile and critical state’ and has ‘serious concerns’ about the scheme’s economic impact.

William Woods, of Independent Harrogate, asked the council leader whether he would listen to the organisations’ concerns.

Cllr Cooper said he would listen to all business bodies, but would commit to whatever the outcome of the consultation on the project was.

However, he added that people had supported changes to the town centre.

He said:

“It doesn’t matter what businesses say and it doesn’t matter what councillors say, if customers have a different view about how things should develop and about the kind of town centre that they are willing to go to, then they will simply vote with their feet.”

Classical stars to play at Harewood House this September

Classical stars are set to perform at Harewood House this September when live music returns after a year of lockdowns.

The Picnic Proms will feature top names such as Alfie Boe, Sir Willard White, Aled Jones and The Three Tenors and Queen Symphonic.

A series of concerts will be held over three days from Friday, September 3, in the picturesque grounds of Harewood House, which is between Harrogate and Leeds.

A veteran of the London stage and Broadway, Alfie Boe will open the event before Aled Jones hosts the second night with special guests Sir Willard White, Sophie Evans, Peyee Chen and Tenors Unlimited.

The Yorkshire Symphony Orchestra, a professional orchestra specifically created to support freelance musicians from Yorkshire who have been hit hardest by the pandemic, will also join them on stage.

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Finally, The Queen Symphonic will close the proms playing a series of greatest hits from rock band Queen blended with symphonic arrangements.

Firework displays will also take place on the Saturday and Sunday nights.

Ben Crick, conductor for Vivo Entertainment and the Yorkshire Symphony Orchestra, said: 

“We’re sure event-goers can’t wait to enjoy live music once again and it’s our pleasure to present this spectacular series of outdoor events. Harewood House is the perfect setting for such prestigious artists and legendary musicians to showcase their talents. 

“We’re sure Picnic Proms will be a truly magnificent series of events for everyone involved, including our wonderful audiences.”

The event has been created and designed to ensure potential government restrictions, including social distancing and household bubbles, can be adhered to if required. 

Additional safety measures such as on-site hand sanitising stations and queuing systems will also be in place.

Tickets are priced at £35 and will go on sale from Friday at 9am at the Vivo Entertainment website.

First covid death at Harrogate hospital in nearly two weeks

Harrogate District Hospital has reported its first covid death in nearly two weeks.

The death was reported on April 11, according to NHS England figures.

It’s the first death since March 29 of a patient who tested positive for covid.

It takes the total deaths at the hospital since the start of the pandemic to 179.

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Meanwhile, 11 covid cases have been recorded in the Harrogate district according to latest Public Health England statistics.

The number takes the total number of cases since last March to 7,596.

According to the government dashboard, the only areas to have had any infections in the last seven days are Killinghall and Hampsthwaite, Harrogate east and Hookstone.

Nidderdale Museum granted £54,800 to sustain heritage

Nidderdale Museum in Pateley Bridge has been awarded £54,800 as part of a project to sustain the heritage of the area.

The volunteer-run museum has a collection of over 32,000 items, including costumes, artefacts and photographs.

The funding, secured from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, will help to fund a 15-month project called Sustaining Nidderdale’s Heritage.

The project aims to ensure the museum can continue to preserve and display local heritage.

It will enable the facility to expand its volunteers and set up recruitment and training programmes.

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A part-time project manager will be appointed to oversee the scheme, which will start in May. There will also be an opportunity for a young person to be taken on as part of a trainee placement.

The museum, which receives more than 6,000 visitors a year, also hopes the grant will help it to put measures in place to secure Arts Council England accreditation, which would enable it to apply for future funding.

Sue Welch, chairman of the Nidderdale Museum, said: 

“We’re delighted to receive this funding, which will mean we can safeguard the future of Nidderdale’s heritage, and give more people the opportunity to learn about it.  

“We’re grateful to all those who, by buying lottery tickets, have made this funding possible.”

The museum expects to re-open on May 21, and will then be open from 1.30 – 4.30pm every Friday, Saturday and Sunday throughout May and June.  

Last chance to have your say on Harrogate travel schemes

Today is the last chance to have your say on plans to overhaul three highways in the Harrogate district to give greater priority for cyclists and pedestrians.

North Yorkshire County Council is behind the schemes for Victoria Avenue, Oatlands Drive and the A59 near Knaresborough, which are being backed by the government’s active travel fund and have been out for consultation since February.

The plans are designed to get more people walking and cycling as the district emerges from the pandemic.

But they have proved controversial, with a proposal to make traffic on Oatlands Drive one-way being scrapped after a backlash from residents.

And while new proposals for a 20mph limit, junction upgrades and restrictions on cars using the nearby St Hilda’s Road and St Winifred’s Drive have now been put forward, there are still concerns from some locals who say the changes will turn streets into “rat runs” and make the area “more dangerous” for pedestrians and cyclists.

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Under the plans for Victoria Avenue, it was revealed last month that the street could get the county’s first Cyclops junction. which would work by separating cyclists from general traffic with the aim of improving safety for all road users.

These are the plans for the A59 near Knaresborough. Photo: NYCC.

These are the plans for the A59 near Knaresborough. Photo: NYCC.

The UK’s first Cyclops junction was built in Manchester last year and the proposal for Harrogate could link up with the town’s £7.9 million Gateway project, which includes major road changes and public space improvements in the Station Parade area.

Other proposals for Victoria Avenue include new cycle lanes, a zebra crossing and a ‘floating’ bus stop, which would see a stop being repositioned from the curb side to between bike lanes and the road.

The final scheme for the A59 between Harrogate and Knaresborough also includes new cycle lanes, as well as a 40mph limit between Badger Mount and Maple Close, junction upgrades and improvements to a crossing near Harrogate Golf Club.

These are the plans for Victoria Avenue. Photo: NYCC

The plans for Victoria Avenue. Photo: NYCC

Designs for all three schemes were revealed at the end of March as part of a second stage of the consultation, which will end at midnight tonight.

The feedback from residents will be used to develop the draft designs further before a final decision on which schemes will progress is made.

Cllr Don Mackenzie, executive member for access at North Yorkshire County Council, previously said:

“We have listened and are trying to reach a broad consensus about the measures we put in place, given that these directly affect people’s movements and their property.

“We think we can come up with something that addresses most of the concerns raised, but that still provides significant benefits for people who are cycling and walking.

“We encourage residents to take part in this latest consultation. Your views are important to us and they will help shape the final designs of these four schemes.”

The county council received more than £1 million from the government’s active travel fund for the schemes and must spend the money before April 2022.

You can have your say here.

Harrogate businesses to grill council leader over town’s future

Businesses owners are set to grill Harrogate council’s leader over concern about the future of the town centre.

Cllr Richard Cooper will join an online meeting of the Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce tonight, which is expected to see questions on reopening plans, sustainable transport and the town’s future.

Business owners have been left concerned over the direction of the town amid various proposals for sustainable transport and council measures to support traders reopening, which includes a buy a bike scheme.

It comes as Harrogate Borough Council revealed a plan to help retail and hospitality reopen from today as part of the Government’s “roadmap” out of lockdown.

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The blueprint includes a “Buy Local By Bike” scheme and a “London Tube style” app that aims to urge shoppers to get cycling and support businesses around Harrogate and Knaresborough.

But Sandra Doherty, chair of the chamber of commerce, said the plans have left businesses “bemused” about the focus on cyclists.

She said:

“It seems unrealistic to focus just on cyclists. It should have been a much broader offering.”

Further measures include shops being allowed to stay open until 10pm and pavement licences, which form part of national measures.

Cllr Richard Cooper, leader of Harrogate Borough Council.

Cllr Richard Cooper, leader of Harrogate Borough Council.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service previously, Cllr Cooper said he was optimistic ahead of lockdown being relaxed but added it must be in a safe way.

He said:

“All the statistics we see show infections and hospitalisations heading in the right direction because of the effect the vaccine is having coupled with the lockdown.

“I know it has been the toughest year for business. We all know that. That is why we should all make that extra effort to shop locally where possible and to choose a local retailer where we can, if we are shopping online.”

But Ms Doherty said business owners will want to ask the council leader what the town as a whole will look like in future.

Local business organisations, such as Harrogate BID and Independent Harrogate, have already expressed concern over the £7.9million Station Gateway plan, which could see more cycle routes and pedestrianisation of James Street.

The project is being led by North Yorkshire County Council, the borough council and West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

Ms Doherty said of the chamber’s members:

“They will be asking what benefits this will bring the to the town.

“Most businesses will be looking to the future. It would be nice to see where Harrogate council are hoping to go.”

The Stray Ferret asked Andrew Jones, MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, how he would be supporting the town ahead of reopening but did not receive a response.

Yorkshire Agricultural Society pays tribute to Duke of Edinburgh

The Yorkshire Agricultural Society which runs the Great Yorkshire Show has paid tribute to Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth’s husband, and said he played an “integral part” in the  society’s heritage.

A statement from Buckingham Palace confirmed that Prince Philip “passed away peacefully this morning” at Windsor Castle, aged 99.

The Duke of Edinburgh first paid a visit to the show in 1977 and attended the show on its landmark 150th anniversary in 2008.

He visited the show on the third and final day along with Her Majesty the Queen to meet exhibitors and inspect livestock.

The Queen was patron of Yorkshire Agricultural Society, which organised the show, from 1952 to 1997.

Nigel Pulling, chief executive of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, said the Royal Family have been an “integral part” of the society’s heritage and paid tribute to Prince Philip.

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Mr Pulling said:

“It is with deep sadness that we learn of the passing of His Royal Highness Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. The Yorkshire Agricultural Society sends its sincere condolences to the Royal Family at this sad time.

“The Royal Family and Her Majesty The Queen have been an integral part of the Society’s heritage since it first formed in 1837 and on two occasions, in 1977 and 2008, we were honoured to welcome HRH Prince Philip along with Her Majesty The Queen to the Great Yorkshire Show.”

As part of his engagements with the Queen, Prince Philip often visited North Yorkshire to lend his support to various initiatives and events.

In May 2010, he opened the Scarborough Open Air Theatre and supported military events across the county.

The Lord-Lieutenant of North Yorkshire described Prince Philip as a “hugely charismatic man, who was much loved and respected by so many”.

Tribute have also been paid by politicians, organisations and the Dean of Ripon Cathedral this afternoon.

Harrogate hospital goes 10 days without a covid death

Harrogate District Hospital has gone 10 days without reporting a death from a patient who tested positive for coronavirus.

The last time it recorded a death was March 29, according to NHS England data.

Currently, the number of covid-positive patients who have died at the hospital since last March stands at 178.

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Meanwhile, the district’s seven-day covid rate stands at 14 cases per 100,000 people.

The North Yorkshire average is 25 and the England rate is 29.

Due to a change in the way Public Health England reports cases of covid, the daily cases for April 9 has been left out.

A post on the Public Health England website said of the change:

“Newly reported cases at regional and local authority level within England are calculated as the daily change in the total number of cases.

“This means that for 9 April 2021, these show significantly lower numbers or zero, and should not be considered as the actual number of new cases reported on that date.”