Arrests made after 2am crash near Harrogate Asda

North Yorkshire Police has arrested two teenagers after a stolen car crashed into several parked vehicles on Dragon Parade in Harrogate.

The Stray Ferret reported on the crash on November 17 after a bystander sent us photos of the aftermath.

Police said today the occupants abandoned the vehicle, which was later found to be stolen.

They added a 17-year-old male had been arrested on suspicion of aggravated vehicle taking and property damage. He was interviewed and released on bail.

A 16-year-old male voluntarily handed himself into the police and was also interviewed on suspicion of aggravated vehicle taking and property damage. He has been released under investigation.

Enquiries are ongoing.

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Snow globe from Netflix’s The Witcher to come to Ripon

Netflix will bring to Ripon a giant 18ft snow globe to promote the second series of The Witcher.

The fantasy series featuring Henry Cavill premieres on December 17 and part of it was filmed in our district at Fountain’s Abbey and Plumpton Rocks.

The globe, which has a monster from the show inside it, is on a tour of the UK and will be at Ripon Market Square on Monday.

The Witcher is based on a series of books and video games and features battles between humans, elves, witchers, gnomes, and monsters.

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Blubberhouses to host Christmas Tree Festival this weekend

Blubberhouses will host its annual Christmas Tree Festival this weekend at St Andrew’s Church.

The event is free to attend from 11am to 4pm both days this weekend.

This year, trees have been decorated by Crafters, Fewston Bellringers, The People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals, Friends of Blubberhouses Church and Farnley Estate Young Farmers. 

Hot drinks, mulled wine and mince pies will be available to add to the festive atmosphere.

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Pat Anderson, who organises the event, praised the Young Farmers’ effort.

She said:

“Many local young people enjoy the thriving activities of the Young Farmers – they are an essential part of the local community”.

 

The Young Farmers’ tree

Consultation launched for 480 homes on Harrogate’s Otley Road

Homes England has begun a public consultation on plans to build 480 homes at Bluecoat Wood, opposite Cardale Park and Harrogate police station.

The government housing agency bought the site this year after previous plans to develop it stalled. It plans to call the development Bluecoat Park.

The site covers 28 hectares of largely green fields and homes would wrap around Horticap.

The scheme would include a new pitch for Pannal Ash Cricket Club, a sports hub and a children’s play area. Homes England said 40% of the homes would be “affordable”.

A new community woodland would also be planted.

The consultation, which will end on January 10, will inform the submission of a full planning application to Harrogate Borough Council. A website has been created for people to submit their thoughts on the scheme.

Harrogate Borough Council‘s Harrogate district Local Plan 2014-35, the council’s plan for development in the district until 2035, says 450 homes can be built on the site.

Traffic concerns

Separate plans for 780 homes and a new primary school have been proposed by Taylor Wimpey and Redrow at nearby Bluecoat Wood on Otley Road.

Local residents group Harlow and Pannal Ash Residents Association has raised concerns about congestion on Otley Road as well as extra traffic through nearby villages such as Beckwithshaw, North Rigton and Burn Bridge.

Homes England said its Bluecoat Park development would help inform the West Harrogate Parameters Plan, a document that will assess transport and infrastructure needs associated with wider plans to build up to 4,000 homes on the western side of Harrogate.

The plan was expected last year but has been delayed until February 2022.

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The site’s history

Housing has been mooted at Bluecoat Wood for many years.

In February 2016, HBC granted planning permission to a partnership of developers called HTH Harrogate LLP to build 450 homes.

It followed an earlier refusal of permission on the grounds of road safety and traffic flow problems.

However, Homes England bought the site in February after the developer pulled out.

In the summer, Homes England submitted an environmental impact assessment for 530 homes on the site. The number has now been reduced.

97 more covid infections in Harrogate district as rate falls to 430

The Harrogate district has reported a further 97 covid cases, according to today’s government figures.

The district’s covid rate now stands at 430 infections per 100,000 people. It was 450 yesterday.

Across the county, the average stands at 390 and the England rate is 503.

No further deaths from patients who tested positive for covid have been reported at Harrogate District Hospital, according to NHS England.

A total of 200 patients have died with covid at the hospital since the start of the pandemic.

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Harrogate’s Great Yorkshire Showground reopened this week as a vaccination site.

Those eligible can book appointments on the NHS booking site here.

Anyone over 18 who had their second covid jab over three months ago can also walk-in for a jab. The walk-ins are available until Sunday when they will be reviewed again.

The showground site has also said it is closed for walk-ins between 1215pm and 115pm each day when staff change shifts.

 

Investigation into ‘sea of bubbles’ in Harrogate’s Hookstone Beck

Yorkshire Water says it is investigating an unusual incident where bubbles filled a section of Hookstone Beck today.

Two Stray Ferret readers contacted us with photos of the beck this morning when what appeared to be a sea of washing-up liquid bubbles appeared on the surface.

Andrew Mann said he was out for a walk near the Yorkshire Event Centre when he noticed “something clearly had gone wrong”.

He said bubbles had risen 10-feet-high and raised concerns about any fish that might be swimming in the beck, which feeds into Crimple Beck.

A spokesman for Yorkshire Water said the incident was not related to sewage pollution. He suspected somebody had poured detergent down a drain that is intended for rainwater and runs off into the beck.

An investigation is underway to find the source of the problem and whether the substance is harmful to wildlife. Yorkshire Water will then share its findings with the Environment Agency.

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Birstwith school appoints new headmaster

Nathan Sadler has been appointed the next headmaster of independent prep school Belmont Grosvenor.

Father-of-three Mr Sadler will take up the role in September next year. He is moving from GEMS Wellington Academy Silicon Oasis in Dubai, which he helped open more than a decade ago.

Set in 20-acres of grounds in Birstwith, the school and nursery welcomes boys and girls from three months to 11 years old.

Mr Sadler said he was looking forward to taking the Harrogate prep school forward “to its next chapter”.

He said:

“It is my absolute privilege to be joining Belmont Grosvenor School as headmaster starting next academic year and I am excited by the opportunity to collectively work with staff, pupils, parents and the governors to celebrate and build on the school’s successes and identity and continue to provide the children with strong foundations to thrive in their ever-changing world.

“I’m very impressed with the school grounds and emphasis placed on outdoor learning opportunities and look forward to embracing the whole school community and collectively creating life-long memories for the children.”

Gordon Milne, chair of the governors, said Mr Sadler brought a wealth of experience, including seven years in a senior leadership role in Dubai. He added:

“Nathan displayed a real passion for learning and primary education.”

Mr Sadler will visit the school in March to meet pupils, parents and staff, before taking up his position at the start of the next academic year.

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Otley Road cycle route works set to finish next week

Building work for the first phase of the Otley Road cycle route is set to finish on Thursday December 16.

North Yorkshire County Council said works would have been completed earlier but contractors have been delayed due to the recent spells of stormy weather.

Works have continued throughout November and December to build the new cycle route, which is part of a package of sustainable transport measures in the west of Harrogate.

For its first phase, a section is being created between Harlow Moor Road and Cold Bath Road.

NYCC’s highways area manager Melisa Burnham said:

“Adverse weather caused by storms Arwen and Barra has extended the completion date for the first phase of the Otley Road cycleway. We are aiming to complete the bulk of the work by 16 December.

“However, some remedial work will remain to be completed in the New Year.”

The second phase from Arthur’s Avenue to Beech Grove will be built at a later date.

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Whilst many people are looking forward to new cycling infrastructure on Otley Road, others have complained about the disruption it’s caused so far with work continuing late into the night.

Rene Dziabas, chair of the Harlow and Pannal Ash Residents Association, said the group has gained several new members from local residents who have been annoyed by the building works.

In late November, a resident told the Stray Ferret that he was “upset and angry” a mature tree was felled to make way for the route.

Harrogate planning committee ‘shambles and embarrassing’, says residents group

The chair of Harlow and Pannal Ash Residents Association has described yesterday’s planning committee meeting, at which councillors approved controversial plans to build 200 homes at the former police training centre, as a “shambles” and “embarrassing”.

Councillors debated the application from Homes England, the government’s housing agency, for three hours. Concerns were raised about traffic congestion and the loss of a football pitch on the site.

The planning committee had previously voted in June against a recommendation to approve the application.

Councillors said back then that the scheme should not be passed until publication of the West Harrogate Parameters Plan, a document that will assess transport and infrastructure needs associated with wider plans to build up to 4,000 homes on the western side of Harrogate.

Councillors were told this week a draft version of the parameters plan would not be published until February 2022 but, this time, they decided to approve the plans by seven votes to three.

Rene Dziabas, chair of HAPARA, criticised the decision of councillors on the committee, who he said were “badly briefed” by officers.

He told the Stray Ferret:

“The meeting was a shambles. What communication was there between councillors and the planning department? Given this was a controversial deferral in June, you’d have thought there would have been a great deal of detail buttoned down, and a clear understanding from councillors about what the parameters plan is.

“I felt very let down [by the councillors]”.

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David Stephenson, senior planning manager at Homes England, warned councillors that while launching a costly appeal against the council was an “absolute last resort” for the body it was a route it was willing to take.

During the meeting, Liberal Democrat councillor Pat Marsh accused Homes England of “bullying” councillors into approving the plans.

Mr Dziabas said the decision to grant planning permission in the face of impending legal action from Homes England had damaged local democracy.

He added:

“There’s a great deal of talk about local democracy — this was not a good example of it.”

Arctic Monkeys to headline Leeds Festival 2022

Sheffield indie band Arctic Monkeys have been announced today as one of six headliners for Leeds Festival 2022.

They previously headlined the festival in 2009 and 2014.

The event returned to its usual location at Bramham Park this year after being cancelled last year due to the pandemic.

Next year’s Leeds Fest will take place from August 25 to 28, over the bank holiday weekend, and will once again have two main stages and six headliners.

Veteran rockers Rage Against the Machine, UK hip hop artist Dave, pop star Halsey, metal band Bring Me The Horizon and US rapper Megan Thee Stallion were also confirmed at the top of the bill.

Other confirmed acts include Polo G, Little Simz, Circa Waves, Griff, Fever 333, Wolf Alice, Fontaines D.C., Jack Harlow, Enter Shikari, Madison Beer, Run The Jewels, Måneskin, and Bastille.

For more information visit the festival’s website.

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