Travellers remain in Knaresborough despite eviction notice

A large number of caravans remain in place in Knaresborough despite an eviction notice from Harrogate Borough Council giving them 24 hours to leave.

The group of people, thought to be from the Traveller community, pitched up in Hay-A-Park near the rugby club during the last week.

The council has said it is an “illegal encampment” and served the Travellers with a 24-hour notice to vacate yesterday afternoon.

However, the caravans remained on site this afternoon. The council said in a statement today “further action would be explored”.

Many locals think the caravans will move on to Appleby Horse Fair in Cumbria this weekend.

Read more:

Sharon Calvert, from Knaresborough, called for a long-term solution to prevent the issue re-occurring. She said transit camps should be opened in the weeks around the horse fair.

Ms Calvert, the women’s and equality officer for Harrogate and Knaresborough Labour Party, said providing transit camps with the necessary facilities would stop conflict arising between Travellers and residents.

“This will keep happening each year so there needs to be something in place. Why can’t councils link up and put something in place for the Travellers? We should be looking for positive solutions.”

There are two official Gypsy and Traveller sites in the Harrogate district, at Bickerton and Thistle Hill, both owned and managed by North Yorkshire County Council.

A county council spokesman said:

“The responsibility for ensuring there is appropriate accommodation provision for gypsies and travellers lies with district councils within their housing function.”
Plans for 36 homes in Goldsborough sent back to drawing board

The housebuilders behind a 36-home development in Goldsborough have been sent back to the drawing board for the second time this year after claims residents’ concerns have been “ignored”.

Stonebridge Homes has outline permission for the Station Road scheme but has now twice failed to get a final go-ahead after Harrogate Borough Council’s planning committee voted for another deferral on Tuesday.

This comes after a meeting in March ended in the same result.

At Tuesday’s meeting, Andrew Paraskos, the Conservative councillor for Spofforth with Lower Wharfedale, said residents have accepted the development will eventually go-ahead but concerns over the density and design of the homes remained.

Photograph: Stonebridge Homes

These revised plans included two two-storey homes being reduced to bungalows, as well as more tree planting.

Cllr Paraskos said:

“Everybody realises that this site will be developed but no discussion has been made between the developers, the village and ourselves. We were asked for a meeting but due to holidays and other commitments we were unable to attend.

“The materials are still the same, the layout is the same, everything else is exactly as it was before.

“The revised application was also sent in before any meetings were tried to be arranged which really defeats the object.”

Read more:

Jacqueline Dowker, chair of Goldsborough and Flaxby Parish Council, also spoke in objection to the plans and described the changes as “minimal and superficial”.

No final decision for three years

In response, Mark Johnson, an agent for Stonebridge Homes, said the developers have “always been available” for discussions with residents and that not having a final decision after first submitting the plans in 2018 was now becoming an “issue”.

Mr Johnson was also questioned by councillor Victoria Oldham if he thought residents’ concerns should be “ignored” and he said:

“No I don’t – what you have to understand though is that when the architects approach every scheme they are looking at the character of the area.

“When the site was allocated for a particular number of dwellings, those issues were already considered.

“On that basis, the scheme has been found acceptable by the council’s design officer twice.”

The plans – which include a mix of one to five-bedroom properties – received 37 objections from residents.

It was agreed at Tuesday’s meeting that residents and councillors would meet with the developers before revised plans are brought back before the committee later this summer.

Eviction notice served on Knaresborough travellers

Harrogate Borough Council has begun moves to evict travellers from a field at Hay-A-Park Lane in Knaresborough.

Numerous caravans have pitched up at the site near the rugby field in the last week. Many locals think they will move on to Appleby Horse Fair in Cumbria this weekend.

But a council spokesman said today the site was not designated for use by travellers and Gypsies. He said:

“We have visited the illegal encampment and served a notice to vacate.”

Christine Willoughby, the Liberal Democrat councillor for Knaresborough Eastfield, said:

“We do suffer from these illegal encampments in Knaresborough. They stay long enough to make a mess and make residents unhappy. I just wish they would be respectful of local residents.

“I’ve had a few residents get in touch about the travellers. So far they seem to be tidy and maybe they will leave peacefully but in previous years they’ve left a mess.”

The travellers have polarised opinion on social media, with some local residents saying people should “leave them be” and others expressing concerns about tidiness.

Read more:

The council’s website says:

“There are two official Gypsy and traveller sites in the Harrogate district, at Bickerton and Thistle Hill, both owned and managed by North Yorkshire County Council.

“Outside of these sites, if Gypsies and travellers set up a camp on council-owned land, and if they’re causing problems, they’ll be moved on as soon as is possible and reasonable. We consider each case on its merits.

“If they’re on private land, it’s usually the landowner’s responsibility.”

 

Harrogate district covid infection rate begins to rise again

The Harrogate district’s covid rate has begun to increase again after another 74 infections were confirmed today.

The weekly rate had fallen rapidly from 534 cases per 100,000 people on July 18 to 247 cases yesterday.

But after a spate of infections in recent days the district’s rate now stands at 267, which is above the North Yorkshire rate of 257 but below the England rate of 282.

Data from Public Health England also showed that a total of 229,143 people in the district have had covid vaccines and 123,145 have received one dose.

Currently, eight people are in Harrogate District Hospital for coronavirus treatment and no deaths from covid have been recorded at the hospital for almost four months.

Read more:

 

Ripon man jailed for grooming and sexual abuse of 15-year-old girl

A 68-year-old man has been jailed for over six years for historic child abuse in Harrogate.

Malcolm Peter Barwick, who now lives in Ripon, was sentenced to six and a half years in jail today after pleading guilty to seven counts of sexual activity with a child.

The abuse occurred at Woodfield Drive in Harrogate where the victim was sexually abused by Barwick between April 2014 and April 2015.

The victim, now in her early 20’s, reported the abuse to North Yorkshire Police in June last year. An investigation was then launched by Harrogate CID.

Barwick appeared at York Crown Court today. As well as the jail sentence he is subject to an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order and he will remain on the Sex Offenders’ Register for life.

Detective Constable Matthew Reeve said:

“The effect this case has had on the victim has caused a lifetime of trauma and has deeply affected her.

“She showed true bravery in reporting the matter to the police and seeing the case through. I really hope this outcome will give her the strength to move on from this horrendous experience.”

“Barwick is a predator who targets vulnerable youths and grooms them for his own sexual gratification. Dangerous and manipulative offenders like him deserve to be behind bars.”

Read more:

To seek advice and further support, or report child abuse, you can contact one of these organisations:

Police say be vigilant as scammers flag down motorists on A59 for money

North Yorkshire Police has issued a warning after receiving a rising number of reports of scammers attempting to flag down motorists asking for money to fix their car.

The police said it received at least seven reports in the past two days in the Harrogate, Scarborough and Ryedale areas.

The force said suspect’s descriptions range from Asian, Portuguese and Eastern European men driving a silver Volkswagen or a dark-coloured Fiat.

In one incident on the A59 near Harrogate yesterday two men in separate lay-bys were seen trying to flag down motorists. One was described as a smartly dressed Asian man with a silver Passat and the other as European with a dark-coloured Fiat.

Soon after, another man managed to flag down a car on the A61 near Ripley. He was descried as Romanian and was then joined by two other men asking for money after breaking down.

Throughout the evening and into this morning similar reports were received in the Scarborough and Kirbymoorside area.

In one of those incidents the suspect wanted to take motorists to a cash machine to withdraw money and in others children were in the suspect vehicles.

Read more:

The police said most motorists realised it was a scam and drove away without giving any money.

The police has urged the public not to give money to anyone on the side of the road and be vigilant against anyone trying to flag down cars.

To report any information, call 101.

Remote church near Ripon to be re-developed into education centre

A former church in Dallowgill, near Ripon, is under consultation to be sold to an academy trust and turned into an education centre for young people.

Dallowgill St Peter, a Church of England church, was built between 1843 to 1846 along Greystone Head. The remote church was closed in May 2017 due to a dwindling congregation.

The Church Commissioners, the body that deals with the sale of churches, published a proposal to sell the site this week.

If agreed, the church would be sold to Delta Academies Trust for an undisclosed fee and changed into a non-residential education centre.

The trust owns a number of schools, secondary and primary, across Yorkshire.

In the plans the church is described as an “annex” to another of the trust’s nearby developments.

Just a few minutes north of the church, the academy trust is developing a former primary school into a large outdoor education centre.

The Delta Trust has invested £1.5million into the refurbishment of the former school. The trust described it as the “jewel in the crown of Delta’s outdoor education provision”.

The graveyard will not included in the sale of the land. It is the responsibility of Yorkshire Water after being bought in the 1950’s for the construction of a reservoir that eventually fell through.

The public have been invited to offer their thoughts before September 7 and send them to closedchurches.reps@churchofengland.org.

Read more:

 

Boroughbridge flood defences get £50,000 government boost

Boroughbridge’s flood defences are set to see a boost after the government offered £50,000 as part of a national investment into flood and coastal defences.

The investment will go towards the refurbishment of the Boroughbridge Pumping Station and flood defences. However, construction is not set to start until 2025.

The government has launched a Flood and Coastal Erosion Investment Plan in which £5.2 billion is being invested over the next six years to protect homes and business across England.

The plans for Boroughbridge is one of 1,000 schemes to benefit.

Boroughbridge has been a local hotspot for floods for years with new housing estates and local businesses fighting floods in recent months.

Boroughbridge business owner Malcolm Angus, owner of Canal Garage said:

“Flooding is a real problem here and the answer is to slow the water down. It’s coming down from the Dales too fast and the rivers down here then fill up. It’s a catch 22 because if you manage to slow it in one area it’ll only end up somewhere else.

“It used to be more infrequent but now its four to five times a year.”

This year alone the fund will invest an extra £40 million compared with last year for schemes in Yorkshire and the Humber.

Read more:

Following the investment announcement, environment secretary George Eustice said:

“We are standing by communities and will bolster defences against flooding across England with many thousands more properties better protected by 2027.

“It’s important we take action right across the system. Our comprehensive plan will achieve this by tightening planning procedures, helping more people access insurance and making homes more resilient to the effects of flooding.”

Knaresborough Thai boxer returns to the ring with a win

A Muay Thai boxer from Knaresborough made a successful return to the ring in London on Saturday in his first fight for two years.

Nathaniel Kalogiannidis trains at Kao Loi Gym on Skipton Road in Harrogate under head coach Pierre Mahon. Fists, elbows, knees and shins can all be used during Muay Thai bouts.

The 23-year-old fighter competed in front of almost 2,000 fans at Fairfield Halls in Croydon against local fighter Luke Thompson in the Combat Fight Series promotion. Covid had halted his appearances in the ring.

Speaking after the fight, Mr Kalogiannidis said:

“I was really pleased but I’m my biggest critic so coming away from it I know there’s lots I need to work on.

“We’ve spent a lot of time on skills-based training and working on my mindset over the pandemic. It’s important for me to stay switched on. I’m excited to get back out there again.”

The Harrogate fighter was ahead by the third round and upped his pace in rounds four and five to achieve a points victory.

Kalogiannidis (right) in action during Saturday’s fight against Luke Thompson. Photo: Dean John Films

Kalogiannidis fell in love with Muay Thai when he was at King James’s School in Knaresborough. He said he knew from the beginning he’d found his passion.

He trains six days a week, twice a day in the Harrogate gym under the watchful eye of his coach.

He started at Kao Loi aged 13 but then trained full-time in Greece, where his dad lives, for two years before returning to Kao Loi in 2018.

He added:

“I want to mix with the top guys in the world. It’s not about the big titles for me. I just want to keep working hard. It’s what I love to do and I want to keep going.”

Read more:

Kalogiannidis is already back in the gym training for his next fight in October.

Pierre Mahon, head coach at Kao Loi, said:

“I am very pleased with this performance after such a long time out of the ring. We have been working on lots of new things in the gym and he has implemented them all in a terrific fight against a tough and more experienced opponent.

“We have another three bouts this year and I can only see him going from strength to strength.”

Live: Harrogate district traffic and travel

Good morning, it’s nearly the weekend! It’s Suzannah with you for the last time this week. As usual, I’ll be bringing you all the latest traffic news.

The aim of these blogs, brought to you by The HACS Group, is to make sure your journey is as smooth as possible.

I’ll include all the latest roadworks, traffic hotspots and any delays to public transport.

If you spot anything or get stuck in a jam, give me a call on 01423 276197.

9am – Full Update 

Traffic is building here:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

8.45am – Full Update 

Traffic Hotspots:

Traffic is building here:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

8.30am – Full Update

Traffic Hotspots:

Traffic is building here:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

8.15am – Full Update

Traffic is building here:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

8am – Full Update

Traffic is building here:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

7.45am – Full Update

Traffic is building here:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

7.30am – Full Update 

Roads 

Traffic is building here:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

7.15am – Full Update 

Roads 

The roads are still looking clear this morning, today’s traffic hotspots are likely to show up a little later. Keep checking in.

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

7am – Full Update 

Roads 

The roads still look clear this morning, today’s traffic hotspots are likely to show up a little later. Keep checking in.

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

6.45am – Full Update 

Roads 

The roads are still looking clear this morning, today’s traffic hotspots are likely to show up a little later. Keep checking in.

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

6.30am – Full Update 

Roads 

The roads are looking clear so far this morning, today’s traffic hotspots are likely to show up a little later. Keep checking in.

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses