Bid to create new ponds in Nidderdale for Britain’s biggest amphibian

New habitats for one of the UK’s most iconic protected species could be created in Nidderdale if a planning application is approved. 

Wildscapes, a community interest company (CIC) owned by the Sheffield & Rotherham Wildlife Trust, has applied to create two ponds at Delves Ridge, near Thornthwaite, to help boost the population of great crested newts. 

The species, also known as the northern crested newt or warty newt, is Britain’s largest amphibian, reaching lengths of up to 17cm (nearly 7 inches). Globally, it is regarded as being “of least concern”, but in the UK, where habitat loss has seen a sharp downturn in numbers over the past century, it is considered to be at risk and is protected under law.

To help halt its decline, Natural England has established a programme of district level licensing, and property developers whose projects have been identified by Natural England as having caused the loss of great crested newt habitat have applied to join the scheme to offset the damage. 

As a result, a number of ponds suitable for increasing population of great crested newts must now be created or restored in North Yorkshire. 

Wildscapes CIC is Natural England’s habitat delivery body and creates around 100 new ponds a year for great crested newts. It has identified the Thornthwaite site, which is within the Nidderdale National Landscape (formerly known as the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, or AONB), as a perfect location.

But the ponds will not be entirely new to the locality, which is on land off Menwith Hill Road. According to the planning document submitted to North Yorkshire Council: 

“Evidence of current and previously existing pond structures can be seen in the surrounding area, including those which have been lost to agricultural development.  

“Creation of ponds on this site will return these features to the landscape and enhance the local wildlife and biodiversity.  

“As a local feature this is well within keeping with the existing landscape as well as offering a significant opportunity for enhancement.” 

The two proposed ponds could be just the start of a great crested newt renaissance if local conservation plans are successful, with more being created not far away, in the Washburn Valley. 

According to the planning application, Wildscapes has been in discussions with the Nidderdale National Landscape project ecologist, Kate Wright, who said she believed the proposed site was a “good location”. 

She added: 

“We did have a potential new pond for a site south along Meagill Lane, but it didn’t go ahead due to planning issues. There’s a very large toad population in the Washburn valley just over 1km WSW.

“I don’t believe I’ve had any contact with this landowner as part of the previous project. But it’s within our desired development area for wetland creation in 2023/4.

“We’ve received some interest from other landowners in the area, including potentially a series of ca. 3 ponds just west over the Washburn Valley.”

The consultation period for the application started on Monday (December 4) and is due to end on Thursday, December 28. The planning application reference code is ZC23/03802/FUL.

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Business Breakfast: Ripon bucks national footfall trend – data

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Footfall in Ripon city centre bucked the national trend last month, seeing a sharp increase on the previous year, according to the latest figures.

Record numbers were recorded in November 2023, with footfall up 81% on November 2022 and 98% up on November 2021, analysis from data firm Huq shows.

It follows an encouraging October, when footfall in the city was up by 57% on October 2022, 6% up on September 2023 and 62% up on October 2021.

Nationally, footfall tends to drop off after the summer, and this September it was down -2.8%.

Ripon’s vacancy rate of just 9% (empty city-centre ground-floor retail units) is also well below the national average for high streets, which stood at 13.8% at the end of 2022, according to the British Retail Consortium.

The figures were warmly welcomed by Ripon BID (business improvement district), which said in a statement:

“Ripon is going from strength to strength with a full programme of events plus its unique visitor offering of heritage, history, attractions and independent traders all leading to national media recognition and coverage.”

It added:

“With new traders such as Silva Bells, The Portly Pig, Elevate, Peacocks, BUD Floral coming in, expansions to larger premises from Yorkshire Bikemonger, Stuff for Offices and the Easy Learning Shop, together with the new bed stock provided by the recently opened Ripon Inn – the future looks very bright for Ripon.”

Impression becomes Show + Tell

Harrogate-based creative agency Impression Studio has rebranded and is now called Show + Tell.

The growing creative and digital products agency, established by CEO and founder Charlie Hartley in 2009, currently has 17 staff across two agency brands: the newly-minted Show + Tell, and its sister agency, Next Chapter, which specialises in digital marketing. 

The rename and brand transformation was spearheaded by the agency’s Head of Design, Jordan Donnelly. He said:

“The name Impression served us well since 2009, but as the agency has grown and developed and the services we deliver have progressed. It felt like we’d outgrown the name and we needed something that better represented our offering and what we’re about as a collective. 

“Show + Tell does exactly that. We believe in the transformative power of showcasing and storytelling. Our mission is to be the creative catalyst that enables brands to shine through captivating narratives and visually stunning designs. Just as ‘Show’ represents our dedication to presenting your brand’s unique story through outstanding creative and visual design, ‘Tell’ signifies our commitment to communicating it effectively in the digital world through strategy and brand storytelling.” 

Based in Harrogate, the agency works with clients across the UK and globally, including the likes of Bettys and Taylors Group, Omega Funds, Atlas Ventures, O&3 and Northern Energy. 

Charlie said:

“I’m incredibly proud of our growth and success, particularly in the last 2-3 years, and we’ve done a lot of growing up as a business as a result. 

“We’ve invested a lot of time and resources in the agency in recent years, from our outstanding studio space with its custom fit-out to hiring more brilliant people across the business, including in crucial senior leadership roles.” 

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Spray foam insulation can knock thousands off your home’s value, warns property expert

This story is sponsored by Kempston-Parkes.

A common form of home insulation can cause more damage than it prevents, and end up costing homeowners thousands to put right, a Harrogate property expert has warned. 

Spray foam is sold perfectly legally by insulation companies – including several in our district – as a way of stopping draughts and improving heat retention, and some vendors even claim it can act as a pest repellent. There are an estimated 250,000 homes with spray foam insulation in the UK.

But chartered surveyor Andrew Kempston-Parkes said it can seriously affect a property’s value and structural integrity. He said: 

“When I turn up to value a property, I’ll start with the exterior but once I’m inside, my first port of call is the roof void. My heart just sinks when I see that the underside of the roof has had spray foam insulation applied. 

“All too often, the foam expands and encases the timbers, so if they become wet, they can’t dry out and will rot. In the vast majority of cases, the whole roof will have to be stripped off and replaced.” 

He said as a result lenders will typically ask for full retention on the mortgage – that is, they won’t release the funds to the buyer until the vendor has carried out the remedial work. 

The alternative is for the vendor to drop the price substantially – by around £15,000 off a small terraced house, or £25-40,000 off a large, detached property. Removing spray foam insulation from one listed building recently cost an eye-watering £200,000.

Andrew, whose firm Kempston-Parkes Chartered Surveyors sees several spray-foamed homes a year, said: 

“When I tell a vendor that they’ll have to either have their house reroofed or lower the sale price, they’re often shocked, and embarrassed that they’ve been sold a pup. It never goes down well to have to renegotiate the price.” 

The alternative to spray foam is 300mm fibreglass insulation, keeping the eaves clear to allow for air-flow. If a loft is being converted, the roof will need to be boarded and insulated, but even then, there needs to be air-flow behind the boarding. 

Andrew said: 

“There are still lots of firms going out and spray-foaming roofs, but generally speaking it’s a real no-no.  

“There are some instances where it’s OK to apply spray foam insulation, but those are rare. More often than not, it’s a delaying action – a false economy.  

“If you’re considering it, you should always seek professional advice from a chartered surveyor.”

Find out more:

Kempston-Parkes Chartered Surveyors provide surveys and valuations for all purposes, including purchase, inheritance tax, capital gains tax, matrimonial assessments, boundary disputes and Land Registry plans.

For more information, go to www.kempston-parkes.co.uk, or for a confidential conversation about your requirements, call 01423 789111.

 

Kids Planet offers funded nursery places in Harrogate and Knaresborough

The Kids Planet logo.

This story is sponsored by Kids Planet Day Nurseries.

Nurseries in Harrogate and Knaresborough are offering up to 30 hours’ funded childcare, as well as tax-free childcare that can save parents up to £4,000 a year.

Kids Planet Day Nurseries is an award-winning national provider with over 170 nurseries across the North and Midlands, including settings in Harrogate, Knaresborough, Wetherby, Boston Spa, Horsforth and Leeds city centre. 

In line with government policy, it offers 15 hours’ funded childcare for three- and four-year-olds, but it also extends the offer to some two-year-olds. 

Working parents of three- and four-year-olds may be able to get as many as 30 hours’ funded childcare, depending on eligibility criteria such as salary, age of children and location. 

What’s more, parents in work with children aged 0-11 can use their tax-free childcare allowance with Kids Planet, saving them up to £2,000 a year. If their child has a disability, the age limit may be raised to 17, and the savings can reach £4,000 a year. 

A photo of a Kids Planet nursery in Leeds.

All Kids Planet nurseries provide nappies, baby formula and baby wipes at no extra charge.

CEO Clare Roberts, who set up Kids Planet in 2008, said: 

“Funded and tax-free childcare is available through many providers, but at Kids Planet we provide so much more. For example, our nurseries are all-inclusive, so we include all nappies, baby formula and baby wipes in our fees, saving parents time, stress, and money.”

Kids Planet places great emphasis on the quality of its staff, and in 2018 it launched its own Kids Planet Training Academy, which offers traineeships, apprenticeships and other higher-level courses. 

Clare said: 

“We want all our nursery employees to be experts at what they do, and the Academy ensures that they are as qualified as they can be, with skill levels that allow them to progress and enjoy long and successful careers in early years.

“That’s good for them, and great for the children they look after, as happy colleagues mean happy children.”

If you’d like to see for yourself why Kids Planet Day Nurseries is trusted to look after more than 20,000 children across the UK, you can take a look around one of our nurseries. Just book an appointment online.

For more information about how you can save money through funded and tax-free childcare at Kids Planet, visit the Funded Childcare page on the Kids Planet website.

Ripon murderer died of natural causes, report finds

A Ripon man serving a life sentence for murder died in prison last year of skin cancer, a report from the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman has revealed. 

John Hutchinson, then 57, was jailed in 2007 for the murder of father-of-six Sean Webster, of Kirkby Malzeard, in February 2006. The pair, who were good friends, had had an argument at The Unicorn pub in Ripon before going back to Hutchinson’s home in Cavendish Terrace. 

It was there that he shot Webster, 41, using a “dumdum” bullet, a prohibited type of projectile designed to fragment upon impact. 

Hutchinson pleaded not guilty to murder, claiming that the .22 rifle – which had been stolen five years earlier and that he had bought “from the back of a Land Rover” – had gone off by accident as he tried to put it in a bag to give to Webster. 

But the jury at his Leeds Crown Court trial heard that after the shooting he left his home and went to a pub for the afternoon. 

Hutchinson was sentenced to life imprisonment. In a statement released at the time, his family said: 

“We are pleased with the verdict. To lose Sean under these circumstances has been absolutely devastating for the whole family. 

“The taking of a life so young, especially one who was the father of six, a fiancé, a son and a brother was totally unnecessary.” 

Hutchinson was serving his sentence at HMP Lancaster Farms when he fell ill in 2022. He was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma in the summer and transferred to the healthcare unit at HMP Preston in the autumn. 

In November 2022, the prison applied for Hutchinson’s early release on compassionate grounds, but the Public Protection Casework Section (PPCS) of HM Prison and Probation Service turned it down as they were not satisfied that Hutchinson no longer posed a risk to the public. 

Hutchinson died on December 22, aged 73. At an inquest held on September 22, 2023, the coroner concluded that he died from natural causes.

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Cyclists brand scaled-back Harrogate gateway plans a ‘huge disappointment’

Cycling campaigners have described North Yorkshire Council’s scaled-back plans for Harrogate’s station gateway as a “huge disappointment”. 

The plans originally envisioned a radical transformation of the town centre’s main thoroughfare, with traffic on Station Parade reduced to one lane to allow for cycle lanes, as well as the part-pedestrianisation of James Street and a cycle-friendly Dutch-style roundabout at the junction of Station Bridge and East Parade. 

But a legal challenge by Hornbeam Park Developments put a stop to the scheme, and those elements have now been dropped. 

The revised scheme may now only include a redeveloped One Arch and Station Square, better traffic signals, a bus lane on lower Station Parade, new paving for pedestrians and cycling parking at Harrogate railway station. 

A computer visualisation of part of the Harrogate Station Gateway scheme, with large red x's over elements that have been scrapped.

Several of the scheme’s major elements have been scrapped.

In a statement, Harrogate District Cycle Action (HDCA) said: 

“From a cycling point of view, most of the worthwhile elements have been stripped out of the scheme. 

“If cycle parking had been proposed on its own, we would have supported it. If cycle parking is all that’s left of what was an ambitious scheme which would also have enabled people to reach the station by bike in safety and comfort, it will inevitably be a huge disappointment.” 

The Harrogate scheme is one of three in North Yorkshire – the others are in Skipton and Selby – that are being developed with £42 million from the government’s Transforming Cities Fund (TCF). 

The TCF is a £2.45 billion capital grant fund aimed at driving up productivity through investments in public and sustainable transport infrastructure in England. 

HDCA was also critical of some of the elements of the scheme which will remain, such as the coordination of traffic lights, which it said would only benefit motorists. 

It said: 

“Driving is, by definition, unsustainable transport, and in our view TCF money should not be spent on this. 

“Five sets of lights are coordinated along West Park/Parliament Street. What is the effect for pedestrians? Extremely long wait times.  

“To see the long wait times at the prestige town centre location outside Bettys is shameful. We can expect the same thing on Station Parade.” 

A computer visualisation of part of the Harrogate Station Gateway scheme, with a large red x over the Dutch-style roundabout, which has been scrapped.

The proposal for a Dutch-style roundabout at the junction of Station Bridge and East Parade has been scrapped.

HDCA member Malcolm Margolis, who was awarded the British Empire Medal in 2019 for services to cycling in Harrogate, said the gutting of the station gateway scheme meant it now fell far short of its original aims. 

He said: 

“The main way that Station Gateway could have made Harrogate a better place to live was by reducing the dominance of motor vehicles – and the noise, danger and pollution that they cause – in the town centre, by reducing Station Parade to one lane. 

“It seems that is now not going to happen, so TCF will not have a transformative effect on Harrogate, whatever the final details. 

“The most disappointing aspect of all is that it is proposed to spend sustainable transport funding to prioritise cars.” 

The council must now undertake more public consultation, publish updated Traffic Regulation Orders and submit a new business case to West Yorkshire Combined Authority, which won the initial funding. It expects this process to take another five months. 

If the business case is approved next summer, work on the scheme could begin by autumn 2024, but that will not leave much time for its construction. 

The Department for Transport has previously insisted that all projects must be built before March 2025.

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Business Breakfast: Reed Boardall awarded Silver by MOD

Excellence deserves to be recognised and celebrated. The 2024 Stray Ferret Business Awards is the event to put your business, people or great initiative in the spotlight!

Make the most of your efforts by reading our top 10 tips for writing your submission for success.

Entries close on January 19, 2024.

Reed Boardall, the cold storage food distributor based at Boroughbridge, has been given a Silver award by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) for being an armed forces-friendly organisation.

The company currently has more than 20 veterans and regular and reservist serving personnel among its 800 employees, and a further eight are soon to join.

The Silver award, which must be nominated by a third party, was given to the company in recognition of its pledge to advocate support to defence and the armed forces community, and for aligning its values with the Armed Forces Covenant. The company signed up to the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme last year, and achieved a Bronze Award in November 2022.

Reed Boardall operates an in-house driver academy, which is popular among defence personnel seeking a new career as an HGV driver. It has also adapted its employment policies to accommodate the training and deployment needs of those still serving, where possible.

The company has also built links with the prison services to increase the employment of ex-offenders, and is partnering with organisations such as Career Transition Partnership (CTP), Army Families Federation, the Department for Work and Pensions, HM Prison Service and People Plus, as well as charities Veterans into Logistics and Clean Slate Solutions.

Reed Boardall was presented with the Silver award at a special event hosted by Jo Ropner, the Lord-Lieutenant of North Yorkshire, and attended by senior military representatives.

Marcus Boardall, chief executive of Reed Boardall, said:

“This Silver award is another fantastic achievement for the team. It is a real accolade to be nominated for such a prestigious award from the MOD by CTP and some of the charities with which we work, and is a further demonstration of how much we value services personnel and our commitment to supporting military families.

“We hope that more businesses put initiatives in place to welcome those embarking on a new career, whether they are veterans, services personnel or ex-offenders, and we are already working towards the ERS Gold award.”

Workers unaware of zero-hours rights, poll finds

More than three in every five workers in Yorkshire and the Humber (61%) are unaware of the rights of people on zero-hours contracts, a new survey from Acas has found.

A zero-hours contract is usually where an employer does not have to give any minimum working hours and a worker does not have to take any work offered.

The employment status of a zero-hours worker can vary depending on the exact nature of the working arrangement.

Acas chief executive Susan Clews said:

“Acas has advice in this area and a new law next year aims to give zero-hours contracts workers the right to request more predictability around their working pattern.

“We are currently consulting on a new Code of Practice to help businesses and workers in Yorkshire and the Humber understand the new law and provide good practice around requests for a predictable working pattern.”

Acas advice is that someone on a zero-hours contract could be legally classed as an employee or a worker; their employment status will determine their legal rights.

People on zero-hours contracts are always entitled to the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage, paid holiday, rest breaks, pay slips, and protection from discrimination.

Employers must grant all relevant statutory employment rights to people who work under these arrangements.

Acas – the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service – is a publicly-funded body that works for better employment relations.

It is currently consulting on its new draft statutory Code of Practice on handling requests for a predictable working pattern. The consultation closes on January 17, 2024.

The Workers (Predictable Terms and Conditions) Act is expected to come into force in autumn 2024.

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Free bus vouchers offered as biodiesel mix-up causes travel chaos

Bus passengers across the Harrogate district were made late for school and work today, after dozens of cancellations were caused when vehicles were filled up with the wrong type of fuel. 

At least 56 services were scrapped on six routes, leading to one of the worst days for disruption so far this year for The Harrogate Bus Company. 

The company’s website stated there were numerous cancellations of the 36 service between Ripon and Leeds via Harrogate, the 1, 1A, 1B and 1D between Harrogate and Knaresborough, and the 3 from Harrogate to Jennyfield. 

This morning, it also tweeted that the S2 school bus from Bilton to Rossett School was being delayed by up to 30 minutes due to what the Harrogate Bus Company said was “a vehicle-related issue”. 

After receiving reports from readers, the Stray Ferret asked The Harrogate Bus Company about the disruptions. Operations director Vitto Pizzuti said:

“We apologise to our customers for the issues on some of our routes today. Since summer 2023, all our diesel buses have been running on a blend of biodiesel, leading to reduced emissions: the proportion of biodiesel in the fuel blend is normally higher in summer, and lower in winter.

“Unfortunately, it seems our fuel supplier delivered a higher bio blend to our depot last week, which meant that some of our buses were unable to run in the low temperatures over the weekend and this morning. Our supplier, Argent, is currently investigating what happened and has assured us that any necessary lessons will be learned.” 

He said the company’s engineers were working through the affected vehicles and normal levels of service were expected to resume by tomorrow (Tuesday, December 5).  

He added: 

“In the meantime, our advice to customers is to check before travelling on the free Transdev Go app and if your service is cancelled today, please let us know and we will send you a voucher for a free trip next time.” 

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New electricity sub-station to be built at Crescent Gardens in Harrogate

Work has started on the construction of a new twin electricity sub-station next to the old council offices in Harrogate‘s Crescent Gardens. 

The existing sub-station is located in the basement of the council building, but this will be removed and replaced with a more modern version at ground level. 

The council building was bought in 2020 by Harrogate-based property developer Impala Estates for £4 million, and the company has planning permission to turn it into offices, a roof garden restaurant and gym, and to create a two-storey extension. 

A spokesperson for Northern Powergrid, which is responsible for electricity supply in the region, told the Stray Ferret: 

“We’re relocating the sub-station for three reasons. The old one in the basement of the old council building was not particularly accessible, but the new one at ground level will be. 

“It will also be more secure from the elements, as its old location underground made it more susceptible to flooding. 

“And more modern equipment will help make this section of the network stronger, improving security of supply for more than 230 properties in the immediate area.” 

The spokesperson estimated the project could take between 12 and 18 months in total and said the work represented a £275,000 investment by the power company. 

They added: 

“The transition from shutting down the old sub-station to energising the new one is usually seamless, but if any interruption to supply is required for safety reasons, we will let local residents and businesses know.”

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Business Breakfast: Harrogate Town announce hydration tie-up

Excellence deserves to be recognised and celebrated. The 2024 Stray Ferret Business Awards is the event to put your business, people or great initiative in the spotlight!

Make the most of your efforts by reading our top 10 tips for writing your submission for success.

Entries close on January 19, 2024.

Harrogate Town AFC have announced a new sponsorship deal with sports drink brand Cellnutrition Sport.

The Sunderland-based company will be the official hydration partner of the club, providing its HYDRATE 78 and HYDRATE 78 Night products to the entire first-team squad for the 2023/24 season.

Both products, which are included in the company’s Cellular Fitness protocol, are designed to aid fast recovery from exertion, sustain focus, eradicate cramps, help deeper sleep, prolong stamina and enhance brain hydration.

First-team manager Simon Weaver said:

“We are thrilled to partner with Cellnutrition Sport, a company that shares our commitment to excellence. Hydration is essential for athletes of all levels, and the Cellular Fitness protocol provides the best hydration solution on the market.

“We are confident that this partnership will help our players perform at their best and recover quickly after games.”

Town trialled the Cellular Fitness protocol for a period of three months at the end of last season.

Ben Rome, first-team strength and conditioning coach said:

“We had an issue with three of our first-team athletes becoming susceptible to cramping in the latter stages of games.

“The three players started to use HYDRATE 78 before, during and after training and matches, along with taking HYDRATE 78 night on an evening before bed.

“The results we saw was an instant improvement in all player’s hydration testing scores, along with a reported improvement in both sleep quality and muscle soreness.

“The three players were able to complete all remaining fixtures without reporting any problems with muscle cramping; one player even scored a crucial equaliser in the 98th minute of a game.”

Spa declared best in region

Rudding Park in Harrogate is celebrating after being named Best Spa in the North East at the annual Good Spa Guide Awards in London.

Rudding Park was a runner-up in this category last year, and this time beat stiff competition from six other finalists across Yorkshire and the North East.

Sarah Johnson, head of Rudding Park Spa, said:

“We are thrilled to have won this award, particularly against such strong competition. We always strive to offer guests the very best experience and are looking forward to launching some new spa experience in the new year.”

Rudding Park Spa has expanded in recent years with £9.5 million of investment and now has a roof-top spa and garden, hydrotherapy pool, spa bath, oxygen pod, garden cabin sauna and cabana.

In September, the estate announced it would invest between £30 million and £40 million to build a brand-new five-star country club.

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