John Plummer, Author at The Stray Ferret

Residents object to plans for new Knaresborough development

About 30 Knaresborough residents and the town council have objected to plans to build nine flats on the site of one of the town’s oldest houses and its garden.

Paul Franklin has submitted plans to demolish the property and build the homes on land off Stockwell Road.

Mr Franklin said the scheme would “provide local people a quality and sustainable place to live and enjoy Knaresborough”.

But some 30 objections have been made to the North Yorkshire Council, which will approve or reject the application. The decision will either be made by the council’s planning committee, which consists of elected councillors, or by an individual planning officer.

The objectors include Knaresborough Town Council, which said in its submission the development would be “overbearing and will overlook neighbouring properties particularly gardens affecting other residents privacy”, create parking problems and increase congestion.

It added trees were removed from the site during nesting season and the application was “not sufficiently different from the previous one” refused in 2007.

Its concluded:

“Knaresborough Town Council ask that the application is strongly rejected and that it should go to the North Yorkshire Council’s planning committee for consideration.”

A group of residents recently asked to meet the Stray Ferret at the site to voice their concerns.

Estelle Green, whose garden on St Margaret’s Road has traditionally overlooked trees, now faces the prospect of neighbours being able to see into her home. She said:

“Our community is devastated, we are all standing together.”

The green area where the flats would be built.

Ann Briscoe agreed, adding:

“We would lose our privacy and the scheme is completely out of keeping with the area.”

Tony Sandland said traffic problems and pollution were major concerns, along with fears that concreting over the garden would increase the risk of flooding.

The objections submitted on the council website include concerns about the scheme worsening “gridlock across the railway bridge” on Stockwell Road, the “inadequate” number of parking places in a residential area close to the town centre, a GP surgery and schools.

There is also concern about the loss of the current stone building, which one objector says is “steeped in history, farming, once a bakery and many years ago a sweetshop”.

Another objection says the size of the proposed three-storey development, overlooking two-storey properties, “is completely out of proportion and would lead not only to a loss of privacy but to a significant loss in natural light”.

There are fears the development will heighten parking difficulties on adjoining St Margaret’s Road.

‘Quality and sustainable places to live’

A design and access statement submitted as part of the planning process said the applicant has identified a need for housing in the specific area and “the proposals will have no detrimental effect to the surrounding properties”.

The Stray Ferret asked Mr Franklin to respond to concerns. He said:

“For over 12 months we have been in consultation with the council. Under the guidance of external consultees, we have carefully designed a scheme to provide local people a quality and sustainable place to live and enjoy Knaresborough.

“Comments have been received from local residents mainly covering historically-recurring issues which need to be raised with the relevant bodies – Yorkshire Water, highways authority etc.

“Knaresborough has a rich history, but the site is not a historical asset or listed building and is beyond economical repair despite significant investment during ownership.

“Our garden was cleared of nettles, perennial weeds and thistles and four disease-ridden / choked trees over the past two years. Felling of diseased trees was done outside of nesting season, and no Tree Protection Orders were in place.

“For further comment, please see the responses made to individual commentators that will be submitted to the council as part of the consultation.”

Ripon hospital to provide more health checks after £1m award

Ripon Community Hospital has been awarded £1 million to expand the number of health checks and scans.

It means GPs will be able to refer more patients to the hospital for life-saving checks closer to home and be diagnosed for a range of conditions.

The NHS England funding is part of an expansion of community diagnostic services announced by the government.

Ripon Community Hospital will refurbish its X-Ray room and equipment and expand the service to six days a week.

The ultrasound room will be extended and its services expanded to six days a week and a second audiology room will be created, with additional staff, to provide more hearing tests in Ripon.

The funding will also help to create two clinic rooms to offer more frequent blood samples and local access to tests such as spirometry, ambulatory ECG and ambulatory blood pressure.

The hospital on Firby Lane, which is part of Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, will have capacity for 27,000 checks a year once services are expanded.

A report by Professor Sir Mike Richards called for a significant increase in community diagnostic services outside of acute hospitals.

Building work will be carried out at the hospital before the extra services can start by the end of this year.

Sue Eddleston, a public governor representing Ripon and outlying villages on the Council of Governors for the Harrogate District Foundation Trust, said she “could not be more delighted” by the news, which she added would benefit Ripon residents.

Travellers leave Harrogate’s Ashville College

Travellers left Harrogate’s Ashville College last night, three days after they arrived.

The fee-paying school postponed home sports fixtures when caravans pitched up on the sports field off Yew Tree Lane on Friday night.

North Yorkshire Police said last night all vehicles had vacated the field by 7.15pm.

A police spokesperson said:

“The Harrogate neighbourhood policing team has worked closely with the college and community partners to resolve this issue.

“Our officers are continuing to liaise with all parties and are carrying out patrols in the area to address safety and security concerns.”

Ashville College

An Ashville spokesman said it served notice on the travellers to leave the school grounds yesterday morning. He added:

“The police successfully handled the departure and we are delighted to confirm that they all have left the site.

“Crucially, the order served today prohibits a return to our site within the next twelve months.

“We have secured the entrance they forced themselves through on Friday night.

Ashville head Rhiannon Wilkinson said in a letter to parents:

“It has been a challenging three days and I am enormously grateful to my colleagues in boarding who have done an exceptional job looking after the boarders this weekend in what have been difficult circumstances.”

Police patrols monitoring travellers at Harrogate’s Ashville School

Ashville College in Harrogate said today police were conducting regular patrols after travellers set up camp on the sports field.

An encampment arrived at the independent school on Friday night.

In an update today, a spokesman for the college said it had been working with North Yorkshire Police “and other authorities to expedite the removal of the travellers from our sports field”.

He added:

“As a precautionary measure, there is a fence running the width of the site to separate the school from the travellers.

“They have been instructed by the police, who are carrying out regular patrols, not to go near school buildings or any pupils.”

Home sports fixtures were postponed following the weekend arrival of travellers.

The spokesman said:

“Thanks to the hard work and vigilance of all our teaching and support staff, the school is fully operational today, although there have been some minor adjustments for our youngest pupils in Acorns pre-prep and reception.

“GCSE and A-level examinations are running as usual in the sports centre. Sports lessons, and after-school clubs and activities, are also uninterrupted.

“We are providing regular updates to families until the situation is resolved, and thank them for their continued support and understanding.”

Travellers previously pitched up on Ashville’s sports fields off Yew Tree Lane in August 2021 and demanded money to leave.

The Stray Ferret asked North Yorkshire Police what action it had taken but has not received a response.

How the wheels came off Knaresborough’s bid to win bed race

Knaresborough’s hopes of a home town bed race winner ended in bizarre fashion on Saturday when their bed malfunctioned early in the race.

The town has proudly hosted the whacky annual event since 1966 but its men’s running club, Knaresborough Striders, has never won.

The club’s fastest runners trained hard in the months leading up to the 2.4-mile race in the hope of putting that right.

They lined-up third on the grid behind defending champions GH Brooks and Ripon Runners, confident they could mount a challenge in what is a fiercely contested event amongst local running clubs.

But hardly had the team got out the traps at Conyngham Hall than its bed started wobbling and shortly afterwards a wheel seized up completely on Waterside.

As other teams raced by, their hopes of victory shattered, they ditched the bed, sprinted along Waterside to collect a spare bed one of the team had at their nearby home and rejoined the race.

They managed a remarkable 16 minutes and 12 seconds, which would have been good enough for 10th place, but it is not listed among the official results because the spare bed did not have a timing chip.

Guy Close, chairman of Knaresborough Striders, hailed the “incredible team spirit” shown at a time of crushing disappointment. He said:

“This was the first time a team has ever had to stop and then replaced its bed mid-race.

“We were all absolutely gutted because we hoped to challenge the top couple of teams, but these things happen.”

A still from the bed camera showing the team marooned on Waterside.

This video shot by a camera on board the bed captured the team’s bad luck. Mr Close said:

“The bed broke almost immediately. You can hear from the link to the YouTube video that it wasn’t right from the start.

“We were all so determined and the support from the crowds was incredible.”

Full results of this year’s bed race are available here.

Harrogate teenagers found safe and well

Two teenage girls who were missing from their homes in Harrogate have been found safe.

North Yorkshire Police said the 16-year-old and 13-year-old were both reported missing in the early hours of yesterday.

However, a police statement this morning has confirmed that both have been found safe and well.

Conservatives lose majority on North Yorkshire Council

The Conservatives have lost their majority on North Yorkshire Council following the defection of a councillor.

Mike Jordan resigned today from the Conservatives to become an independent.

He added he would support Pateley Bridge man Keith Tordoff, the Yorkshire Party candidate, in next year’s mayoral election for York and North Yorkshire and he also “might join the Yorkshire Party”.

It means the Tories now have 45 of the 90 seats on North Yorkshire Council — precisely half. However, if a vote is tied, the Tory chair David Ireton would get the casting vote.

Cllr Jordan said:

“I have listened to my constituents and I recognise their frustration with the Conservative Party and how their policies nationally and locally are affecting their health and wealth whilst destroying their communities.”

Yorkshire-born Cllr Jordan, who represents Camblesforth and Carlton, said his disillusionment with the Conservatives was more national than local, with the exception of the 20’s Plenty for Us campaign, which wants 20mph speed limits to be the norm on residential streets and in town and village centres.

He said he supported the initiative whereas “most of the Conservatives on north Yorkshire Council think it’s a waste of time”.

Cllr Jordan said the North Yorkshire Conservatives had not backed his bid to become the county’s first mayor next year and he would therefore support Mr Tordoff:

“I strongly believe Keith Tordoff, if elected mayor would make York and North Yorkshire an economic powerhouse, improve transport, whilst also through sustainability initiatives enrich the quality of the lives of people in the county.”

Tories and Greens name candidates as local by-election looms

The Conservative and Greens have named their candidates to fight a local by-election following the resignation of Nigel Adams MP.

Many villages close to Harrogate, Knaresborough and Boroughbridge, including Spofforth, Follifoot, Kirkby Overblow, Goldsborough, Little Ouseburn, Nun Monkton, Green Hammerton and Kirk Hammerton are set to go to the polls to elect a new Westminster representative.

The by-election was triggered by the decision by Boris Johnson loyalist Nigel Adams to relinquish his Selby and Ainsty seat with immediate effect.

The Tories were quick to announce Michael Naughton as their candidate to succeed Mr Adams yesterday.

Mr Naughton, who has twice stood unsuccessfully for Parliament, said it would be a tough task replacing Mr Adams, adding:

“People working and living in Selby want an MP who can help deliver on the people’s priorities and I will work with the government to halve inflation, grow the economy, reduce debt, cut waiting lists and stop the boats.

“Selby needs a Conservative MP to work alongside a Conservative government and help us improve everybody’s lives.”

Selby and District Green Party quickly followed yesterday by announcing Arnold Warneken, who represents Ouseburn on North Yorkshire Council, as its prospective parliamentary candidate.

Mr Warneken became the first Green Party councillor in the north of England in 1991 when he was elected to Harrogate Borough Council. He stood unsuccessfully for the Greens against Robert Banks in Harrogate in 1992 and Nigel Adams in Selby and Ainsty in 2019.

He said:

“I am an experienced hands-on politician. I have a proven track record and I work tirelessly for the people I represent.

“My ability to engage with people at all levels, and to negotiate compromises, leads to positive results and the best outcome for everyone, and the environment.”

Fewston’s beauty hides harrowing past

With its picturesque setting alongside Fewston reservoir, and famously good cakes, Washburn Heritage Centre is a popular place to visit.

But the centre’s tranquil location belies a harrowing and less well known past that local volunteers have helped to piece together over the last decade.

In 2009 and 2010, before the centre was built alongside St Michael and St Lawrence Church, volunteers worked alongside academics and archaeologist John Buglass to investigate human remains buried in the graveyard.

Child workers were transported from London to the Washburn Valley to work on mills in Blubberhouses in Victorian times. The bodies of many lay unmarked alongside Fewston.

Sally Robinson (left) and fellow volunteer Sarah Stead outside the heritage centre.

Sally Robinson, chair of the management committee at the centre, who led the team of volunteers, said:

“We knew there were remains, but we didn’t know how many.”

The remains of 154 individuals and artefacts were discovered and now form what has become known as the Fewston assemblage.

The assemblage has assumed international significance for archeologists because of the social history it reveals.

Scientists and community volunteers analysing the skeletal remains from Fewston

An academic paper published last month detailed how the investigation led by Durham University pieced together the story of forgotten ‘pauper apprentices’ from Washburn Valley. Many were aged between eight and 20 years when they died.

Analysis showed the children were distinctive from locals because of their stunted growth and malnutrition, as well as evidence of diseases associated with hazardous labour.

Examination of the bones and teeth highlighted many had died from tuberculosis and respiratory disease associated with millwork, or from diseases of deprivation, such as rickets.

Lead author Rebecca Gowland, a professor in the department of archaeology at Durham University, said:

“This is the first bioarchaeological evidence for pauper apprentices in the past and it unequivocally highlights the toll placed on their developing bodies. To see direct evidence, written in the bones, of the hardships these children had faced was very moving.

“It was important to the scientists and the local community that these findings could provide a testimony of their short lives.”

From the excavation site in Fewston where the remains were discovered. Pic: John Buglass Archaeology

The remains were reburied in a ceremony in 2016. Artwork inspired by the analysis and an exhibition are on now on permanent display at Washburn Heritage Centre.

Ms Robinson said:

“It’s easy to forget that the Washburn valley had an industrial past given the beauty of the reservoirs that visitors see today. It was important to us to find out about the children who worked in the mills.

“They were overlooked in life and treated as a commodity — but we hope we have done them some justice by telling their stories and creating a lasting commemoration.”

Refugee organises Afghanistan Day at Harrogate College

Harrogate College is hosting its first Afghanistan Day next Tuesday.

The college is seeking to shine a light on Afghan culture in a variety of forms. Artwork and traditional dress will be on display, and poems and songs will be performed throughout the day.

There will also be traditional Afghan food available for a small fee to raise money for women’s healthcare and education.

Afghan refugee Sabreyah Nowrozi is organising the festivities.

Sabreyah said:

“I think most people just know about the war and troubles we’ve had in Afghanistan, but this day will be a chance to show the other side and share information about our culture and the country’s positive qualities.”

Sabreyah is currently studying English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) at Harrogate college after being forced to flee the Taliban in Afghanistan in 2021.

She was captain of the Afghan women’s development football team, so was targeted by the Taliban which has banned all women from playing sports.

Sabreyah said her escape was fraught with danger due to the numerous Taliban checkpoints. She managed to flee with help from former captain of her team Khalida Popal, Leeds United F.C and a flight funded by Kim Kardashian.

She has since managed to continue her footballing career at Harrogate Town AFC Women.

Now with herself and her family settled in the UK, she has set her sights on a psychology course at the University of York.

Afghanistan Day on 13 June comes just before refugee week beginning June 19. The theme selected for this year is compassion.

If you are interested in booking a free place at Afghanistan Day click here.

‘Quality and sustainable places to live’

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