A petition to honour England footballer Rachel Daly in Harrogate has been submitted to North Yorkshire Council after attracting more than 700 signatures.

There are now hopes it will be debated by the Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee, and local councillors can push officers for action.

The petition forms part of a campaign by Killinghall Nomads, backed by the Stray Ferret, to ensure the Lioness was recognised after playing in the World Cup Final.

As well as being available online, paper copies were signed by attendees at the club’s World Cup watch party last weekend.

Her former football club has called for Harrogate’s Hydro leisure centre to be named after her.

Following a 16-month refurbishment, it is set to open next week under its new name, Harrogate Leisure and Wellness Centre.

North Yorkshire Council has said it is “urgently” looking at creating a policy for recognising successful local people.

Ripon’s new leisure centre has already been named after the city’s Olympic gold medal winner, diver Jack Laugher.

Read more:

• Rossett sports pitches to be renamed in honour of Rachel Daly
• Petition launched calling for Harrogate to honour Rachel Daly

Killinghall Nomads, which has honoured Daly by naming its cafe after her, said it is important that there is a public recognition.

That sentiment has been echoed by her former school.

While Rossett School will name its sports centre’s 3G pitches after her, both the headteacher, Tim Milburn, and her former coach, Mike Sweetman, said a civic honour was needed.

Mr Sweetman added:

“Killinghall Nomads have done their bit and we are doing our bit. I still feel the council needs to do something for her.”

Daly was a crucial member of the England squad, playing in all of the group stage matches, as well as the last 16, quarter final and semi-final matches.

She played the first half of the final against Spain, before being substituted at half time. The Lionesses went on to lose 1-0, finishing as runners up in the tournament.

Young Rachel Daly fans from Killinghall Nomads watch the World Cup Final

Harrogate Fire Station will welcome members of the public to its popular annual open day next weekend.

The Skipton Road site will open its doors on Sunday, September 3 from 10am until 3pm.

Visitors will be able to see a variety of fire engines, including some demonstrations and interaction, and speak to members of North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service.

Children will have the chance to pretend to be a firefighter, as well as learning basic first aid from St John Ambulance.

North Yorkshire Police, Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue and the Red Cross will also be represented, along with some police vehicles on site too.

The open day is free, though there is a charge for some of the activities.

A bouncy castle, refreshments and a raffle will all be held, and donations can also be made to the Fire Fighters Charity.

Visitors get to know the emergency services at last year’s open day

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Stray Views is a weekly column giving you the chance to have your say on issues affecting the Harrogate district. It is an opinion column and does not reflect the views of the Stray Ferret. Send your views to letters@thestrayferret.co.uk.

I’m a mental health patient in hospital receiving help for anorexia. I have over 15 years’ experience in and out of many medical and psychiatric wards and I have never experienced such exceptional care as I have here on Nidderdale ward at Harrogate District Hospital.

From the ward sisters, to staff nurses, health carers and domestics – everyone shows such respect, making my long stay so comfortable and reassuring. I feel this team don’t get enough credit for their incredible skills. Ward sister Rachael Little and sister Emily Jonas have given me an outstanding level of care which I can’t thank them enough for.

I’ve experienced at least 10 different mental health units in my life and had many medical admissions and never experienced the level of care I have here, so I felt they needed to be noticed!

I’d also like to add that the mental health liaison team within the hospital was absolutely excellent. They came to visit me daily and made such a difference to my progress and mindset. Their level of professionalism and dedication is something I’ve never experienced in the many other hospitals I’ve been in.

Vicky Somerville, Harrogate

‘I know what it’s like to live near a building site’

I have much sympathy for residents of the Kingsley area.

In one road in our small village .building has dragged on for years. Proportionately our rural residence has doubled.

There’s no consideration for extra noise.dirt.or parking in a route well used by locals and caravanners.

Polite requests are met mostly with abuse. Threats to summon police are laughed at, empty as they prove to be.

Building and planning regulations are laughably non existent.

If houses have still to be built – though three new builds remain unsold in our village after a year – could the industry legislation have a mandatory code of conduct  to make life tolerable to those who live  here already?

Helen Watkinson, Scotton

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A new application has been submitted to build 138 homes on Water Lane in Knaresborough.

The plans, put forward by Cunnane Town Planning on behalf of landowner Geoffrey Holland, also include a playground, a pond, and tree-lined streets.

The site had previously been subject to a proposal for 170 homes, which was rejected by Harrogate Borough Council in August 2021.

An appeal over that decision was unsuccessful, with the government’s planning inspector saying the plans would have caused “significant harm” to the surrounding area.

In the new plans submitted to North Yorkshire Council, Haines Phillips Architects said:

“The submission now presents a well-balanced, landscape dominated proposal where front gardens are generous, dwellings are no longer cramped, parking or garaging no longer remote or dominant, and casual surveillance and street activity visible in all locations.

“Thus this revised proposal addresses both the inspector’s concerns at appeal and the subsequent comments of the planning officers throughout the recent pre-application dialogue.”

The documents reveal that plans for 148 homes were initially considered after the appeal failed, but a council case officer suggested the scheme be “wholly redesigned”.

After this was done, the planning officer said the proposal was “moving in the right direction”, and further discussions resulted in the new plans being submitted this month.

The previous plan for 170 homes, which was rejected on appeal

The site, a former nursery, lies adjacent to housing on Halfpenny Lane, and to the Hay-a-Park site of special scientific interest.

Road access would be created via Mint Garth, with footpaths onto the site from Guinea Croft and Water Lane.

To view or comment on the application, visit North Yorkshire Council’s planning website and use reference ZC23/02886/FULMAJ.

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