Developer cuts larger homes at Boroughbridge due to ‘market conditions’

Linden Homes will cut the number of four- and five-bedroom homes at its Riverside Mills development as a response to “market conditions”.

This week, Harrogate Borough Council approved a planning application from the developer to alter the already-agreed 95 homes on the site, where work has already begun.

Linden will replace nine 3-bedroom, sixteen 4-bedroom and seven 5-bedroom homes with four 4-bedroom, 34 three-bedroom and eight 2-bedroom homes. This will increase the total number of homes in the development by 14, and the total number of bedrooms by eight.

The application to make the changes was first submitted in October 2019.

The Stray Ferret asked Linden Homes to comment but the company had not responded by the time of publication. A document submitted to HBC by Pegasus Group on behalf of Linden Homes said:

“The proposed scheme seeks [to] maintain the existing infrastructure layout of the site, whilst introducing a number of smaller units to reflect market conditions in Boroughbridge.”

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There have been signs locally that, since lockdown, housebuilders are being more cautious with developments. In July, the UK’s largest housebuilder, Barratt Homes, pulled out of a 390-home development in Littlethorpe, Ripon.

In August, Harrogate Borough Council agreed to buy 52 homes for £4.5m at Stonebridge Homes’ Castle Hill Farm development on Whinney Lane.

Despite some caution from housebuilders, estate agents in the district have reported a “manic” period since June.

Alex Atkinson, sales manager at Linley & Simpson, told the Stray Ferret that 2020 will end strongly thanks to the government’s Stamp Duty holiday, which ends in March 2021.

He said:

“Since lockdown we’ve seen a massive shift in our village and rural properties. Anything with land or outdoor space is selling like hotcakes at the moment.”

Another 42 coronavirus cases in Harrogate district

A further 42 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in the Harrogate district, according to the latest Public Health England figures.

It takes the total number of cases in the district since the start of the pandemic to 1,412.

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Earlier this week, Harrogate Borough Council was allocated £57,951 as part of government attempts to enforce coronavirus restrictions.

The government has awarded £60 million to councils and police forces across the country.

North Yorkshire’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner has been allocated £291,987 as part of the deal.

Councils are expected to use the money for compliance and enforcement, such as recruiting covid marshals, carrying out inspections, issuing fines and closing premises in the case of non-compliance.

Although covid marshals will not have any enforcement powers, government guidance says they should “engage, explain and encourage best practice and national covid secure guidance”.

‘Mindless vandals’ damage trees on the Stray

Several trees on the Stray have been damaged, believed to be by vandals.

Sgt Andy Graham from North Yorkshire Police tweeted that he saw the trees, which are on the York Place section of the Stray, when walking to work this morning.

https://twitter.com/KnaresPolice/status/1314819033053757440?s=20

Responding to Sgt Graham’s tweet, the Stray Defence Association tweeted:

“What motivates these mindless vandals? Why would anyone destroy their local environment?”

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It is not the first time this year trees have been damaged on the Stray.

In June, two young trees were pulled up following reports of large gatherings.

Newby Hall’s ‘great relief’ at £450,000 government grant

The owner of Newby Hall has expressed ‘great relief and gratitude’ at receiving a £450,000 government grant to ensure the popular attraction remains open to the public into 2021 and beyond.

The money has come from a £103m Cultural Recovery Fund for Heritage, aimed at safeguarding the future of heritage venues such as Newby, which have been hit hard by coronavirus restrictions.

2020 has seen all major events, weddings and corporate events cancelled at Newby Hall. While the gardens opened to the public in early June, visitor numbers are down by around 75%.

Owner Richard Compton said without the funding there was a “real threat” that Newby could close to the public.

He said:

“Our business model, relying on day visitors and events, has allowed us to stand alone financially and add a little each year in terms of restoration and improvements. Covid and 2020 has shattered all plans and posed a real financial threat to Newby.

“This funding has allowed the business model to be rebuilt for 2021, thus safeguarding the wonderful house and the award-winning gardens for future generations of visitors to enjoy.”

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Menwith Hill protest to take place tomorrow

A protest will take place tomorrow both online and outside Menwith Hill against what campaigners say is the increasing “militarisation of space”.

It’s been organised by the Menwith Hill Accountability Campaign (MHAC) and the Yorkshire branch of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (YCND). The event will include speakers, film, and an online link with protesters at the base.

The event forms part of “Keep Space for Peace Week”, which aims to highlight concerns about the US Space Force, a new branch of the US Armed Forces.

One of the speakers, Will Griffin, will be showing extracts from his recent film about the role of Menwith Hill.

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Built in the 1950s on the edge of Nidderdale, Menwith Hill is the United States’ largest overseas surveillance base. Giant radomes, or “golf balls”, are a distinctive feature of the site. 

Since 2000, protestors have taken part in a weekly demonstration outside Menwith Hill, which has been halted due to lockdown.

In February this year, Harrogate Borough Council granted planning permission for the Ministry of Defence to build three new radomes at the site.

It’s goodbye Doncaster for Harrogate Town

Harrogate Town have played their final ‘home’ fixture at Doncaster Rovers’ Keepmoat Stadium.

Following promotion from the National League, Town were forced by the English Football League to remove its artificial 3G surface at Wetherby Road and replace it with grass.

This meant the team has been playing its home fixtures at Doncaster, 46 miles from Harrogate.

Harrogate Town chairman Irving Weaver’s housing company, Strata Homes, is also based in the South Yorkshire town.

The team signed off from the Keepmoat with an impressive 3-1 win against Leicester City’s under-23 side on Tuesday in the EFL Trophy.

Work on Town’s new pitch at the club’s EnviroVent Stadium is now nearly complete.

Playing at the Keepmoat seemed to be popular with Town’s players, with veteran striker Jon Stead tweeting yesterday:

“What a venue, unreal hospitality, and fantastic ground staff. Thank you Donny.”

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Town’s next fixture will be a hotly anticipated local derby against Bradford City at Valley Parade on Monday night. The game will be shown live on Sky Sports.

Simon Weaver’s men will play at Wetherby Road for the first time since July on October 17 when they face last season’s National League champions Barrow.

Meanwhile, a petition has now been signed by over 180,000 people urging the government to allow fans to safely return to football stadiums, amid reports that several EFL clubs face a precarious financial situation.

Initially in the summer, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said fans would be able to return to grounds from October 1. But rising coronavirus infection rates put this plan on hold indefinitely.

Plan to convert Little Ouseburn pub into housing

Plans have been submitted to convert the Green Tree pub in Little Ouseburn into housing.

The application to Harrogate Borough Council bids to turn the pub into two one-bedroom apartments and one three-bedroom semi-detached home.

Another two three-bedroom semi-detached homes would be built in the rear car park.

The pub, which is on the main B6265 from Green Hammerton to Boroughbridge, closed in late 2019.

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In 2017, owners Michael and Barbara Briggs were granted permission to convert the property into housing while retaining part of the downstairs as a micro pub.

However, planning documents state Mr Briggs died in January 2017 and Mrs Briggs struggled to maintain the pub alone.

After three years of trying to market the micro pub, Mrs Briggs decided it was no longer a viable business, and now wants to convert more of the building into homes.

Planning reforms will ‘erode local democracy’, says council report

Government planning reforms will give local authorities less control over planning applications, according to a Harrogate Borough Council report.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government opened a consultation in August on sweeping changes to “streamline and modernise” the English planning system.

As part of its response to the consultation, HBC planning officers Tracey Rathmell and Natasha Durham have produced a report, which will be discussed by councillors next week.

The report says the reforms could have “significant implications” for the district and disagrees with the government’s central premise that the current system has led to not enough homes being built. It says:

“The proposals will lead to an increasing centralisation of the planning system and erosion of local democracy to the detriment of bottom up, locally led place shaping.”

“Whilst the aims of the paper are laudable on the whole, and some elements are welcomed (such as increased use of technology and focus on design), some proposals are of great concern.”

The white paper suggests local authorities could develop local plans by zoning land into three categories: “growth”, “renewal” or “protection”.

Other suggestions include digitalising the planning system, allowing more permitted development applications, replacing section 106 payments with a new system for developers and giving government the final say on how many homes should be built in an area.

In the foreword to the white paper, Prime Minister Boris Johnson was critical of the current planning system.

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He wrote:

“Thanks to our planning system, we have nowhere near enough homes in the right places. People cannot afford to move to where their talents can be matched with opportunity. Businesses cannot afford to grow and create jobs. The whole thing is beginning to crumble and the time has come to do what too many have for too long lacked the courage to do – tear it down and start again.”

Harrogate Town manager and player up for EFL awards

Harrogate Town’s impressive start to life in the English Football League has been recognised with manager Simon Weaver and striker Aaron Martin nominated for League Two manager and player of the month awards.

Town picked up five points from their first three games, beating Southend on the opening day 4-0 and drawing against early pacesetters Walsall and Port Vale.

They lost at the weekend 1-2 to Bolton Wanderers, which may dampen Weaver’s chances of winning the managerial award but the nomination shows that Town’s bright start to the season has not gone unnoticed.

The other managers nominated are John Askey (Port Vale), Mark Bonner (Cambridge United) and Mike Flynn (Newport County).

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Striker Aaron Martin, who has scored twice so far this season, is a contender for player of the month.

Martin was signed from Guiseley just before lockdown in March and made his debut for the club in the National League playoff semi-final against Boreham Wood in July.

Also nominated are Ian Henderson (Salford), Paul Mullin (Cambridge United) and Adam Phillips (Morecambe)

The winners will be announced on Friday morning.

Town’s next league fixture is a hotly anticipated local derby at Bradford City on Monday evening. The game will be shown live on Sky Sports.

Motorway services plan near Ripon rejected

Councillors have rejected a bid to build a new motorway service area five miles from Ripon.

Harrogate Borough Council’s planning committee voted this afternoon by 11 to 1 against the proposal by Moto Hospitality, which operates 45 similar sites across the country,

The proposal included a petrol filling station, small hotel, food and retail units and parking for HGVs and coaches on land west of the A61 and A6055 at junction 50 of the A1(M).

Steve Masters, property director at Moto, told committee members the site would support haulage drivers travelling through the district and create 200 jobs.

He said:

“Covid has demonstrated the critical nature of food and medicine logistics and has increased the need for a motorway service area to support the haulage sector.”

A motorway service station at Kirby Hill, about five miles to the south of this site, was refused permission by HBC in November 2019 and is now at appeal. A public inquiry is scheduled later this year.

Moto Hospitality has planning permission from Hambleton Council to expand its Leeming Bar services near Northallerton, which is north of the proposed site.

However, Mr Masters told the committee the company had decided not to go ahead with this redevelopment.

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Gordon Gledson, chair of Hewick and Hutton Parish Council, spoke against the proposals.

He said:

“I do not think there is a need for another service station. The A61 is already a heavily used road and the increase in traffic on a large roundabout will lead to a decrease in road safety”.

Cllr Windass, the only councillor to back the proposals, said the plans were “less harmful and controversial” than the Kirby Hill motorway service area rejected by HBC last year.

Cllr Pat Marsh said she was concerned about the impact the site would have on the environment.

She said:

“This is all about our landscape and what heritage we are leaving for our children. What we’re doing is putting within a landscape, buildings, earth mound and trees that are totally alien to this part of our wonderful district. I think it is wrong.”