Ripon housing development refused

Harrogate councillors have refused a 38-home development in Ripon, citing concerns around the number of homes proposed and its impact on a nearby Grade 2 listed building.

Meeting virtually yesterday on Zoom and streamed live on YouTube, Harrogate Borough Council’s Planning Committee refused a full planning permission application from developer Newett Homes by a near-unanimous decision.

The site is designated for development within HBC’s Local Plan but was criticised for being almost double the suggested yield of 20.

Harrogate Borough Council’s Planning Committee meets on Zoom.

Mr James Mortimer, owner of the Grade 2 listed Prospect House, which stands around 30 metres away from the proposed development told the Committee that the homes would bring “substantial harm” to Prospect House.

He said:

“The development of this site fails to provide any unique public benefit and harms Prospect House a listed asset.”

However, Richard Mowatt, speaking on behalf of the developers, told the Committee that the development will have “environmental, societal and economic” benefits for the area.

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Cllr Pat Marsh objected to the plans calling it a “compromise” due to the density of the site. She also said the 15 affordable homes were not enough.

She said:

“Rather than reaching for quality, we’re saying, ‘that’s just acceptable’.”

She also criticised the plans for not being environmentally friendly.

She added:

“There’s nothing in here for zero-carbon and homes that produce their own electricity. I’m saddened by that as well.

Responding, HBC housing officer Kate Williams, said affordable housing targets in the Local Plan are not “prescriptive”. She also said in Ripon there’s more of a demand for more 2 and 3 bedroom housing for market.

Other objections raised at the Committee included worries over a sinkhole in the woodland to the east of the site.

Major Harrogate housing scheme blocked for second time

Developers have been asked to “go away and rework” a major housing scheme near to Harrogate High School after councillors failed to approve it for a second time.

Meeting virtually today on Zoom and streamed live on YouTube, Harrogate Borough Council’s Planning Committee passed a motion submitted by Cllr Andrew Paraskos to defer the plans for 155 homes until developer Richborough Estates addresses concerns over housing density, transport provision and sustainability.

Plans for 170 homes on Kingsley Road were initially considered the Planning Committee at a meeting on January 28 but councillors passed a motion to refuse it, saying it would lead to a loss of green space and put local schools and the roads network under pressure.

However, HBC’s solicitor, who spoke at the Committee, said a full refusal could leave the authority open to a legal challenge from the developer as the site has been already been allocated in the Local Plan.

The revised plan reduced the number of homes from 170 to 155 which satisfied HBC housing officer who said it “mitigates concerns over being over-intensive.”

Speaking against the development, Cllr Pat Marsh said local infrastructure would be unable to cope with the added demand.

She told the Committee:

“It doesn’t serve any purpose for the existing community and it just brings more pain and aggravation. It adds nothing for the area other than misery for the local residents. The roads will be horrendous.”

Speaking to the Committee, local resident Mr Hansard said he was “aghast” that the plans were coming before the Planning Committee for a second time.

He said:

“The fact that Richborough Estates have reduced housing by 15 does nothing to change the fact that this proposal is nonsensical. No amount of legal interference will change the fact that this development is unethical and a potential risk to public health.”

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Speaking on behalf of the developer, James Hall, agent for planning consultants Barton Willmore told the Committee that the plans have been revised after discussions with HBC officers and said he didn’t think the layout was over-intense.

He said:

“We’ve listened. We want to make the scheme work well”.

He also said changes have been made to the road layout to tackle congestion and a cycleway has been added to create a new “greenway” to the school and the town centre.

The development had 91 objections with one saying that the matter should not be considered virtually.

Several objections pointed to the impact the development would have on local schools. Harrogate High School has asked for a contribution of £307,435 and Grove Road primary school has asked for £263,422 to cover extra demand for places.

Harrogate restaurant suppliers anxiously await one metre update

The suppliers that provide Harrogate and Ripon’s restaurants with its meat, vegetables and dairy are hoping a government announcement on social distancing today will help kickstart their businesses.

JG Bellerby in Killinghall supplies several well-known restaurants in Harrogate with a range of produce — from fruit and veg to milk and cream.

But Luke Derbyshire of JG Bellerby told the Stray Ferret that it’s been a difficult few months.

He said:

“It’s been pretty rough, to be honest. Most of our customers were restaurants, hotels and cafes. Quite literally overnight that changed so we had to diversify with deliveries. But we’ve been hard hit, that’s for sure.”

With new social distancing guidelines for restaurants expected to be announced by the government tomorrow, Mr Derbyshire is hoping a relaxation of the two-metre rule will give his clients some confidence.

He added:

“It’s all very much up in the air with social distancing and it’s a difficult time. A lot of our customers are saying, ‘we’re a rural pub and with the two-metre rule we can’t justify opening’.

Mr Derbyshire suggested that due to a fear over catching coronavirus the “new normal” could spell the end of some familiar eating-out traditions.

“Some [restaurants] are starting to re-emerge but volume-wise it’s not what it was. I think we’ll be back by the end of the year, but the effects will go on a lot longer.

“Will still people want to eat out? Are the days of the Sunday dinner at the pub gone? Will people risk it?”

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Marleys butchers in Ripon supply every restaurant in the city with meat as well as several in Harrogate.

Wayne Morgan from Marleys told the Stray Ferret that several restaurants have told them that with social distancing it may not be worth re-opening until they are allowed to be at full capacity.

The announcement on restaurants will have big implications for businesses like Marleys and Mr Morgan said the butchers is anxiously awaiting fresh guidance.

“We’re going to wait until they change it to one metre, then we’ll call out restaurants and have a chat with them.”

Like JG Bellerby, Marleys has relied on home deliveries to bring in some crucial revenue whilst restaurants have been closed.

Mr Morgan added:

“It hasn’t worked out so bad for us. A house isn’t as big as a restaurant but at least we had something to fall back on.”

Harrogate restaurants battle for survival

Harrogate’s highly competitive restaurant scene is preparing for an announcement this week from government on when restaurants are allowed to reopen but the financial scars of lockdown could mean some don’t survive.

David Straker, co-owner of popular Harrogate restaurant William & Victoria told the Stray Ferret that the situation is perilous for many restaurants in the town.

He said:

“It’s hard. It’s really, really hard. We’re fortunate here as we own our property and we have a fantastic loyal clientele which is absolutely paramount to a business.”

William & Victoria received a government grant and has taken advantage of the Bounce Back Loan scheme. From Thursday to Sunday it has also been providing a takeaway service which Mr Straker said has helped keep the restaurant afloat.

Mr Straker added that Harrogate restaurants were already having a “hard ride” before lockdown and many could cease trading the longer they are not able to open at full capacity. He said running a restaurant is all about “getting as many people through the door as possible”.

David Straker, William & Victoria.

He added:

“The streets in Harrogate aren’t paved with gold. It’s hard work. There are big rents and they need a big turnover.

“We’re all fighting. At the minute, it’s about survival. That’s what it’s all about.”

Nick Rahman, owner of Cardamom Black on Cheltenham Parade, told the Stray Ferret that due to the size of his property he wasn’t eligible to apply for a government grant of up to £25,000. He said this has created haves and have-nots in the town.

He said:

“There are two stark realities [for restaurants] and I’m on the dark side of it. All of my rivals are doing full fit-outs and decorating but it’s not something we could do. It’s been really tough for us.”

“We’re in a really bad position and we’ve had a big loss over the last 12 weeks. We’re just trying to survive. We just hope we can make that money back quickly.”

Cardamom Black is preparing to re-open on July 4th but Mr Rahman said extra cleaning and social distancing measures are “huge, significant costs.”

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Sara Ferguson, owner of Sasso on Princes Square, said because of economies of scale, the larger restaurant chains in the town have been able to better protect themselves against the losses incurred by lockdown.

She said:

“It gets tougher all the time to be an independent”

Like William & Victoria and Cardamom Black, Sasso has been providing a takeaway service to customers throughout lockdown. Not only has it provided a vital revenue stream it has been “psychologically” important to Ms Ferguson as it has continued the relationship with loyal customers. She said it’s important for the town that independent restaurants survive the months ahead.

She added:

“The more independents there are, the more vibrant we are as a town and more diverse our offering is but there may well be restaurants unable to go forward”.

Brimham Rocks visitors urged not to light BBQs

Visitors to Brimham Rocks are being urged not to light BBQs over the weekend as they pose a fire risk to its rare moorlands.

The National Trust, who owns Brimham Rocks, issued the warning as temperatures are expected to hit 25 degrees on Saturday.

In May 2018, firefighters were called to the 400-acre site after a disposable BBQ started a fire which damaged around 8,700 square metres of moorland.

Brimham Rocks is home to three rare species of heather including ling, bell and cross-leaved heath. These plants have helped give Brimham its site of special scientific interest (SSSI) status.

Brimham Rocks park ranger Catherine Barber told the Stray Ferret that even though it has been wet this week, ling heather is still particularly flammable so if there’s a fire and the wind changes they could “lose the whole lot”.

She added that during the height of lockdown in March and April she found discarded BBQs nearly every day at the site.

Firefighters tackle the 2018 fire at Brimham Rocks.

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Ben McCarthy, head of nature conservation for the National Trust added:

“Many areas of land are still very dry and all it takes is a single spark from a barbecue or a dropped cigarette to cause a serious fire.”

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service also released a statement to the Stray Ferret warning the public about the dangers of lighting BBQs on dry grass.

They said:

“With the warm weather returning at the weekend North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service is reminding people to take care if they’re visiting the countryside or local parks and open spaces.

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Meanwhile in Harrogate, images have been posted across social media this week of discarded litter as people enjoyed the recent spell of warm weather.

BBQs are prohibited on the Stray and culprits could be subject to a fixed penalty notice from the council.

Lack of Harrogate toilets could force shoppers to ‘go behind a bush’

A Harrogate retailer has criticised the number of open public toilets in the town since shops reopened on Monday, saying shoppers could be forced “to go behind a bush”.

Bob Kennedy, who owns G23 and Porters in Harrogate, said his stores have had several customers this week who have travelled from outside Harrogate and cannot find anywhere to go when they need the toilet.

Harrogate Borough Council reopened its Valley Gardens and Library Gardens toilets on June 13. However, the toilets at Victoria Shopping Centre, which are not owned by the council, are currently closed until further notice.

Currently, the nearest public toilet to the town centre is Library Gardens, which Mr Kennedy said is ‘not good enough’ as it’s too far away for shoppers.

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With toilets in cafes and restaurants still unavailable, he suggested it could force people into some uncomfortable situations.

Mr Kennedy said:

“How can you say to people, ‘come to shop in Harrogate, but you better not drink anything because if you want to go to the loo you’re absolutely knackered unless you want to go behind a bush?’

“What about people who have small children? Where will they go? They’ll go up a back alley.”

Mr Kennedy, who was the chairman of the Harrogate Business Improvement District (BID) until March when he resigned, also criticised Harrogate Borough Council and the BID for not providing alternatives to shoppers such as portaloos.

Harrogate BID declined to make a comment.

A spokesperson for the Victoria Shopping Centre told the Stray Ferret that its toilets will not reopen until they believe it is safe to do so.

They said:

“Initially when we open and until we are happy our plans around social distancing are working, we don’t intend to open the public toilets. It is important that we get a feel for how busy the shopping centre and town are before further reviewing. We are reviewing our risk assessments on a continuous basis and due to the narrow entrances to the toilets, we have concluded that for the time being, the public toilets will not be open.

“Our primary concern is opening the centre in a safe way and also considering the welfare of both customers, tenants and staff at all times.”

Harrogate Town ‘delighted and relieved’ at play-off confirmation

Harrogate Town managing director Garry Plant said he is “delighted and relieved” after the National League confirmed last night that the club will enter the play-offs for the chance to win promotion.

The decision ends an agonising three-month wait for the club and its supporters who have been waiting to find out how the season will be concluded since the season was paused in March.

National League clubs agreed to send Barrow AFC up as champions with the second to seventh-placed teams competing for the final promotion place in a play-off competition in July.

It means Town, who finished in second place, will play for the chance to compete in the English Football League for the first time in its history. It’s estimated that promotion could be worth between £1million to £1.5million to the club.

Harrogate will play the winners of Boreham Wood vs Halifax at Wetherby Road in July, with the final played at a neutral venue later that month. All games will be played behind closed doors.

Mr Plant told the Stray Ferret that the club is especially pleased for the supporters who “have been anxiously awaiting the outcome” of the vote.

He added:

“We are advised that the semi-final will be broadcast by BT Sports and now we are firming up on all the contingency plans we have been working on over the last 10 weeks.”

Even though the club’s supporters would miss out on an unforgettable day out at Wembley if they reach the final, they still hope to be able to watch the play-off games together, albeit socially distanced.

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Jordan Ford from the Harrogate Town Supporters Club told us that a big screen could be put up on the Stray to allow fans to watch the televised games together two metres apart.

But another Town Fan, Rob Nixon, told the Stray Ferret that watching the play-off away from Wetherby Road will take some getting used to.

He said:

“It will be strange, especially if I can’t watch it with other people. The greatest thing about watching Town is the atmosphere at matches.”

Bilton homes would be ‘catastrophic’ for environment, residents say

A controversial 73-home development in Bilton would clog already busy roads with traffic and be ‘catastrophic’ for local wildlife, residents say.

The development at Knox Lane has had 222 objections. The formal consultation period for the houses was extended until Monday June 22 due to coronavirus.

Developer Jomast and Leeds-based architects Spawforths are behind the plans, which would see a mix of 1,2,3 and 4-bedroom homes built with 130 car parking spaces and new open public space.

As well as concerns over the environment and transport, residents said the development would effectively remove a valued green space and join Bilton and Knox together.

One resident told the Stray Ferret that the fields are currently home to several animals including deer and badgers.

“The local residents are distraught and can’t believe it’s happening. It would be catastrophic for the local environment.”

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Speaking to the Stray Ferret, Old Bilton Councillor Paul Haslam raised concerns over the number of homes proposed.

The site is designated as a site for development in Harrogate’s Local Plan, which was adopted in March. However, the plan identifies 52 potential homes for the site Jomast’s proposals include an extra 21 homes on land that is not designated in the Plan.

Cllr Haslam said:

“The Local Plan contains more than enough houses and there should be no need to build more.

“The extra area was deliberately left out of the Local Plan because it is prone to flooding.”

Jomast and Spawforths issued a joint statement to the Stray Ferret:

It said:

“The Planning Application has been carefully considered and is supported by a suite of technical reports including an Ecological Impact Assessment, trees reports, and a Landscape Visual Impact Assessment. These specialist reports demonstrate that the proposed development would not have a significant impact on the local environment.

“The planning application is supported by a Transport Assessment (TA) which has been produced by the Transport Consultant’s Fore.   The TA looked at the amount of traffic generated by the Proposal and concluded the traffic impacts associated with the development are limited.

“At peak times, the proposed development would result in fewer than 40 vehicles per hour in both directions on Knox Lane.  Therefore the changes in traffic flows associated with the development would not represent a significant impact on the operation of the highway network.”

Harrogate driving instructors fearful of returning to work

Harrogate driving instructors are worried about the health risks of returning to work after struggling financially during lockdown.

Tam Gallagher, chairman of the Harrogate Association of Approved Driving Instructors (HAADI), said that instructors have been told to expect to go back to work on July 6. That’s alongside other professions that can’t work with the two-metre social distancing rule, such as hairdressers. But they are aware of the ongoing risks involved with working in an enclosed space.

He said:

“Some instructors who have underlying health issues are fearful of going back. They are going to go back to work with the hope that they don’t catch anything, but if they don’t work then they don’t make money.”

A handful of instructors of Harrogate have been teaching key workers how to drive during the lockdown but most have had to cancel or postpone lessons.

Mr Gallagher estimated that each instructor will miss out on £15,000 to £20,000 this year, even after the government’s self-employment grant of £6,000 is paid out.

All instructors in Harrogate are self-employed but some are attached to franchises, such as Bill Plant, which provides instructors with pupils and a car.

However, some instructors didn’t qualify for the grant because last year they were employed and only recently qualified recently to be an instructor.

Mr Gallagher said one instructor in the town has had to take drastic measures to balance the books.

He said:

“I know one who said he had to sell his caravan in Harrogate. He can’t afford to pay his rent so had to sell the caravan to offset the losses. He doesn’t get anything.”

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On Monday, the government issued guidance on driving tests which ended three months of uncertainty for HAADI’s 28 driving instructors. This included how instructors can protect themselves and their students with PPE.

Mr Gallagher said:

“It was a long time coming. We just didn’t know what was happening. The government wouldn’t even say all tests were cancelled. We were sitting and waiting. They didn’t tell us soon enough.”

Unemployment rises in Harrogate district by 186%

There were 3,990 people in the Harrogate district claiming out-of-work benefits in May, up 186% on the previous month.

The figures were published today by the Office for National Statistics and are accurate as of May 14. They reveal that 4.5% of the district’s population is now claiming out-of-work benefits, which rose from 1.5% before the lockdown.

The figures show how the coronavirus lockdown has hit the workforce in the district, in spite of the furlough scheme, which was brought in by the government to protect employees from redundancy.

2,290 of the claimants were men and 1700 were women.

Harrogate is below the UK figure of 6.4% for people claiming the benefits, which includes Job Seekers Allowance and Universal Credit.

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The ONS said that changes to Universal Credit as part of the UK government’s response to coronavirus meant more people became eligible for unemployment-related benefit support, even if they were still employed.

Sandra Doherty, Chief Executive of Harrogate Chamber of Trade and Commerce, told the Stray Ferret that she fears there will be further job losses when the furlough scheme winds down.

She said:

“Given the devasting effect of COVID-19 on the economy, the rise in unemployment, whilst always regrettable, was only expected.

“For the time being the Government’s furlough scheme, taken up by a significant number of businesses, has enabled many people to retain their jobs, However, when this cash-lifeline is withdrawn, I fear the figure will rise again.

“There is also the chance that many young people, working part-time on zero-hour contracts within the town’s yet to open hospitality sector, could well be missing from the statistics.”

Ms Doherty also said the Harrogate Convention Centre should return to running events as soon as possible to protect further job losses.

She added:

“Although the conversion into a Nightingale Hospital was something we were incredibly proud of, it’s vital this facility is handed back to the town, sooner rather than later. Any delay will only add to an already high level of uncertainty, and could lead to businesses closing and more job losses, something we want to avoid at all costs.”

The Harrogate Jobcentre was closed on March 19 when the government suspended all in-person Jobcentre appointments for three months.

The ONS told the Stray Ferret that out-of-work claims have been centralised, meaning that a small number of claims processed at Harrogate’s Jobcentre were from people living outside of the district.