Killinghall Parish Council has pleaded with locals to stop feeding peacocks that it says are “feral” and causing damage to the village.

A post on the council’s Facebook page says the birds are damaging homes, gardens and vehicles, and people should “stop encouraging them” by giving them food.

It reads:

“Whilst these birds are beautiful to look at it must be emphasised that they are FERAL.

The parish council would be grateful if the birds were not to be encouraged, especially by leaving food out for them as they are causing damage to properties, gardens and vehicles in the village.”

Peacocks are also known for their loud and distinctive squark, with many councils across the country receiving complaints from residents about the noise.

‘I love to see them’

The majority of villagers on a Killinghall Facebook group have leaped to the defence of the “awesome birds”, with one person saying they are “part of our village identity”.

Another person said seeing the peacocks has a positive impact on their mental health:

“I think we are really blessed to have them in the village. I love to see them!”.

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Peacocks are classed as peafowl and are a non-indigenous species that are not covered by any UK wildlife protection laws.

Known for their extravagant display feathers, the birds were believed to be introduced from India by the Romans.

There was a suggestion that the Killinghall peacocks could be relocated outside of the village, which was unpopular with one local who said the peacocks have lived in fields that have now being built on with housing.

“We have invaded their home, it would be wrong to relocate them now”.

Another person conceded that the birds have caused scratches on the roof of their car “but that doesn’t bother me” as the car is old anyway.

Harrogate’s top peacock

A post on the RSPB’s forum says a large part of a peacock’s diet is grass, so there is no need to worry about their survival if they are not fed by humans.

The Killinghall birds rival Bilton’s Peter the peacock for Harrogate’s top peacock. Peter even has his own Facebook page with almost 500 followers.

A Lidl supermarket could be the latest addition to Ripon’s new St Michael’s Retail Park.

The German chain announced its intention to expand into the city last year and has now said its preferred location is the £10m retail park that opened its doors in July 2020.

The public has now been asked to comment on the plans, which would see the supermarket in a unit next door to Marks and Spencer Foodhall.

The new store has a planned sales area of 1,100 sqm and could create 40 new full and part-time jobs if it’s granted planning permission.

Lidl already has plans to open its first store in Harrogate on Knaresborough Road.

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As well as the M&S, Ripon is served by an Aldi, Booths, Morrisons and Sainsbury’s.

On a website for the proposals, Lidl argues its “offer is different” from other city centre supermarkets and would not compete directly with shops in the city centre.

A Lidl spokesperson said:

“We are delighted to announce plans to open a new store at St Michael’s Retail Park, creating new job opportunities and bringing more shopping choice to Ripon.

“We have a long-standing desire to open a store in the city and after many years of searching for an available site, St Michael’s Retail Park presents a fantastic opportunity for us to serve the local community and deliver our high quality products at low prices to Ripon.”

Lidl said a planning application will be submitted to Harrogate Borough Council in the coming weeks. Anyone wanting to view the plans and have their say should visit www.stmichaelsripon-lidl.co.uk.

North Yorkshire County Council has launched a public consultation for three schemes to improve cycling infrastructure in Harrogate.

In December, NYCC accepted £1,011,750 as part of a five-year, £2 billion programme by the Department for Transport to improve walking and cycling infrastructure.

The money will be spent on three projects in Harrogate plus one in Whitby.

The public can have their say on the proposals here. The consultation will close on February 23.

The schemes under consideration in Harrogate are:

• Oatlands Drive, Harrogate: segregated cycle lanes along an existing cycle route, improved crossing facilities at four locations and other improvements;
• A59, Maple Close, Harrogate to Knaresborough: segregated cycle lanes along an existing cycle route and improved crossing facilities at either end;
• Victoria Avenue, Harrogate, Princes Square to Station Parade: pedestrian crossing improvements, segregated cycling infrastructure and bike storage facilities.

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Cllr Don Mackenzie, executive member for access at the county council, said:

“To help us to develop our proposals, we are inviting local people to give us their views on the proposed corridors and potential improvements. Detailed designs will follow, taking account of the feedback we receive, and we will consult further on those later in March.

“The grant comes with strict conditions. Schemes must be delivered quickly, should reallocate road space from vehicles in favour of cyclists and pedestrians, and offer alternatives to existing, well-used bus routes.”

A new 70-home housing development on Kingsley Farm in Harrogate will contribute to a growing “nightmare” scenario for traffic on nearby Knaresborough Road, says a local residents group.

Over 600 homes will eventually be built in the Kingsley ward of Harrogate.

John Hansard from the Kingsley Ward Action Group told the Stray Ferret that the scale of development has led to a “tipping point” for congestion, which he said is affecting quality of life for locals and commuters using the busy Knaresborough Road.

Clogged with traffic

Stonebridge Homes has already built 60 homes at Kingsley Farm on Kingsley Drive and the developer is now preparing for phase two of the scheme, which received outline planning permission in 2019.

Next Tuesday, Harrogate Borough Council’s planning committee will consider a reserved matters application for the proposals which deal with appearance, layout and access.

The developer has reduced the number of homes from 90 to 70, which it says “is in the interests of good design”.

However, Mr Hansard told the Stray Ferret that traffic from the development will still impact on Kingsley Drive, Bogs Lane and Knaresborough Road, with the latter regularly clogged with traffic.

He said:

“At Kingsley Farm there are too many houses, too close together. The extra traffic means quality of life has decreased for residents. It’s becoming an absolute nightmare.”

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In August 2020, the planning committee refused a different planning application for 149 homes in Kingsley, citing congestion as a reason for refusal.

Councillors said this was because the development would make already clogged roads in the area even worse.

‘Not severe’

The Stray Ferret asked Stonebridge Homes to comment but we did not receive a response at the time of publication.

In a transport assessment attached to the original planning application, transport consultants Sanderson concluded extra traffic generated through the homes would not be severe.

It said:

“The impact of the additional vehicle trips has been assessed at the key junctions on the local highway network and this has demonstrated that the effect of the generated traffic is not severe.”

Some Harrogate entrepreneurs have made the most of lockdown by selling everything from brownies to burgers made from their home kitchen.

However, new businesses have been warned they face being sent to court and fined if they don’t register with the council.

Food businesses who plan to operate for five or more days in any five consecutive weeks must register with Harrogate Borough Council 28 days before starting trading. A food safety officer will then check whether the kitchen is clean.

Steve Pepper runs food safety courses for people in the Harrogate district. He told the Stray Ferret that home cooks risk an unlimited fine at the magistrates’ court if they fall foul of the law.

He said:

“A lot of people think, I’m a good cook so I will just sell some brownies.

“But some people know they wouldn’t meet the hygiene regulations so they carry on regardless, or they have ignorance of the law.”

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Whilst a food hygiene certificate is not compulsory, businesses need to also inform HMRC that they are self-employed.

Mr Pepper said kitchens must be adapted to meet hygiene standards. This includes making sure plants and pets are in different rooms.

The council also requires two sinks with one used only for washing hands.

Mr Pepper is concerned some people might be looking to cut corners due to falling on hard times due to covid. He has been running workshops to help educate people on what steps need to be taken before launching a new business.

He added:

“It is happening. Covid has cost people their normal jobs and they will do things they wouldn’t normally do”.

Drinkers in Starbeck could soon be spoilt for choice with the opening of a new micropub called The Office Ale House.

IT consultant Kevin Jones, who has had experience running pubs in the past, said he hopes to get the venue on 67d High Street up and running by May, subject to planning permission and covid rules.

It would be another addition to Starbeck’s high street after plans were unveiled last week for a bar at the former Greenalls carpet shop at the high street’s junction with Spa Lane.

Kevin told the Stray Ferret that The Office Ale House will be in the vein of smaller hostelries such as Blind Jack’s in Knaresborough which specialises in cask ale, bottled craft beer, and the best from local breweries.

He said:

“I believe Starbeck needs it and covid has made us all desperate for human interaction.”

Kevin Jones.

Kevin says he is confident that Starbeck is big enough for the two new venues, and thinks covid has highlighted how important pubs are for local communities.

He added:

“I’m not worried about covid. I think it’s shown us we have to get out and socialise. I want somewhere where people can get off the train, have a couple of pints and a chat.”

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If approved by Harrogate Borough Council, the pub will be open seven days a week from 12pm to 9pm. It will also be dog friendly.

Starbeck is currently served by one pub, the Prince of Wales, plus two clubs.

The Henry Peacock closed in 2012 and has now been demolished and replaced with retail units.

Councillors will next week consider proposals for 69 retirement apartments with care near to St James Retail Park in Knaresborough — but concerns have been raised that it will worsen traffic on Grimbald Bridge.

Adlington, part of the Gladman group, is behind the development which would be built on land adjacent to the single-track Grimbald Bridge on Wetherby Road which passes the River Nidd.

Adlington has built similar developments for retirees across the north of England, including Adlington House on Bridge Street in Otley.

The company said the Knaresborough scheme will follow its ‘extra care’ model which tries to maintain the residents’ independence.

It said in its plans:

“Residents can live with as much independence as they wish, but have care support available to suit their needs with advancing age, without moving to more specialised accommodation.”

The developer wants to demolish a derelict bungalow and house that is currently on the site. The three-storey development includes 22 one-bedroom, 37 two-bedroom and 10 three-bedroom apartments.

Harrogate Borough Council’s planning committee will meet a week on Tuesday (February 16) to consider the proposals, which have been recommended for approval by a council officer.

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Grimbald Bridge is a pressure point for congestion and the proposals include a new, single priority-controlled junction on Wetherby Road.

The development would be built to the left of Grimbald Bridge on Wetherby Road.

However, this has not been enough to allay concerns over traffic and pedestrian safety, with both Knaresborough Civic Society and Knaresborough Town Council objecting on transport grounds.

Knaresborough Town Council called the development “over-intense with poor access”.

It added:

“The scale of the development is overpowering, blocking natural daylight from adjacent properties.”

Bilton in Ainsty Cricket Club look set to build a new state-of-the-art pavilion thanks to a major refurbishment of Bilton Hall.

The club’s ground is on the Bilton Hall Estate near York but the club could only get funding from the England Cricket Board to build a new pavilion if they owned the land. So the Lloyd family, which owns the estate, stepped in to offer to pay for it.

The family is currently undergoing a multi-million-pound refurbishment of Bilton Hall.

Phil said it was an “amazing opportunity” to replace the previous wooden pavilion which is on its last legs. He said the new structure will cost six figures and will also include new changing rooms, a kitchen and a club room.

He added:

“Gifts like that don’t come across often.”

Phil said the village club regularly punches above its weight and last season played against bigger hitters such as Scarborough, Ripon, Easingwold.

Bilton Hall.

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The club recently submitted a planning application for the new pavilion and Phil said he hopes the parish council and Harrogate Borough Council can get behind it. He said it will be a “facility the local community can be proud of”

He added:

“I have played for the cricket club for my whole life. We’re all mates who have grown up together and now had children. The club is a focal point for the community.”

Harrogate Borough Council has appointed three different consultancy firms to help prepare for a potentially controversial 40-home housing development at Harlow Nurseries.

Harlow Nurseries is currently used by the council to sell plants, pots and compost to the public. It would be relocated to another site if the housing went ahead.

The group of consultants will be led by architects BDP who will work with global investment management company Colliers and construction consultants RPP.

Plans to redevelop the site could be unpopular. In 2020, HBC asked residents their views about Harlow Nurseries, with one respondent saying “it would be a very, very sad day if the site was sold off for housing”.

A spokesperson for Pinewoods Conservation Group called on the council to work on an “environmentally conscientious” development.

“We suspect the development of the council nurseries into a possible 40 home development will be another controversial planning application with likely impact on the Pinewoods. We know the Nursery Lane access is well used by many residents and this development could impact on the borders of the woods.

“However, we welcome the early engagement as a key stakeholder and hope that the council continues to engage openly on their plans. This could be a unique opportunity for the council to look at the most environmentally conscientious development within the district.”

The three firms will also work with council officers to develop a masterplan for housing and business space on Dragon Road car park near Asda, which is currently being used as Harrogate’s covid-19 testing centre.

They will also bring forward a plan for 12.7 hectares of land south of Almsford Bridge in Pannal, which could be used for offices or storage.

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All three sites have been designated within the council’s Local Plan, which says where development can happen in the district over the next 14 years.

The consultants will be paid with funding secured by the council in 2018.

The council received £200,000 from the Leeds City Region Business Rates Pool and £36,000 from the York, North Yorkshire and East Riding Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).

A report with a draft programme for the three sites is expected in September 2021.

Talented Knaresborough photographer Alex Heron is working on a unique portrait photography project that she hopes will break down barriers around autism.

The 24-year-old former King James’s pupil has Asperger’s syndrome and wants to take portrait photographs of local people who are on the autism spectrum to help them feel more comfortable with the disorder and change negative perceptions about what autism is.

Alex has had her work published in Italian Vogue and is passionate about shooting on 35mm and 120 medium format film photography.

She said:

“I didn’t tell anyone I had Asperger’s until I went to university. I was so scared to tell people because I thought they would judge me.

“On TV and film, autism is portrayed as someone rocking back or forth in a chair, or a Rain Man ‘savant’ type character, but there is a spectrum.

“I really want to show it’s a broad spectrum from all ages and walks of life. This project will help people see the ordinary face of autism”.

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Alex got into film photography after she inherited an old camera from her grandfather. She said shooting on film helps her slow down from the frantic pace of life.

“Being autistic, the world can be a busy and scary place, but film photography forces you to be within that moment and slow down. It really calms me down.”

Some of Alex’s previous work.

Her ambition is to turn her autism portraits into a coffee table book or have them shown at a gallery exhibition.

Alex said she wants to reassure anyone who might be nervous about having their photo taken that the project is “just about showing them how they authentically are”.

She will begin shooting the portraits once covid restrictions are eased. If you would like to take part in Alex’s project, email: her.on.shoots@gmail.com or visit her website.