Planning regulations should change to require developers to include infrastructure to support new homes, Harrogate and Knaresborough’s MP has said.

Andrew Jones told North Yorkshire County Council‘s Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee yesterday he had raised the issue in parliament.

He was asked by Green Party councillor Arnold Warneken, whose Ouseburn division includes the planned up to 4,000-home Maltkiln settlement, whether more should be done to ensure infrastructure could cope with a sudden rise in the population.

Cllr Warneken said:

“When I’ve had meetings with the developers for Maltkiln, it has become apparent that they are going to use existing infrastructure until it bursts before they do anything about it.

“In reference to the sewage they are going to use an existing, archaic sewage system until it’s up to bursting level and then they’re going to put efforts in to have new infrastructure put in and new sewage, working with the water authority.

“I would like to see the planning system changed that allows us to say, if you are going to build something as big as 4,000 houses, that the road infrastructure, the sewage infrastructure, has to be put in place as part of that process.

“I know it sounds naive, because who is going to pick up that tab? But if we make it that it’s part of the planning process, we can maybe enforce the investment in it before it actually happens.”

Mr Jones said the development was not in his constituency but in Selby and Ainsty, represented by fellow Conservative MP, Nigel Adams.

However, he said he agreed with the principle of ensuring infrastructure was fit for new development, digital connectivity, micro-generation of power and insulation of new homes.

He added:

“I have raised the issue of building standards in parliament. I agree with the basic point that we need to have build standards that are fit for the future.

“It’s significantly easier to construct things during the earliest phases of a construction project rather than go back and retro-fit.

“That applies to more than just water but it certainly applies to water.”

Read more:

• Parliament debates bathing water status for River Nidd at Knaresborough
• Call to restart consultation on new Harrogate district town

‘Over-developed’

Liberal Democrat councillor Chris Aldred said he was frequently asked by people in his High Harrogate and Kingsley division about the amount of house-building.

He said there seemed to be too many large homes being built that were unaffordable to most local people, with no public transport, healthcare facilities or other provisions to support the growing population.

Cllr Aldred said he did not feel the planning system in the UK was fit for purpose and was too heavily weighted in favour of making profits for developers. He added:

“I really do think Harrogate and Knaresborough are over-developed. There are far too many people living in the area.

“The residents who have been here long-term are suffering because of this over-development.”

In response, Mr Jones said he had “no doubt” that more homes were needed across the country, with many people struggling to get onto the property ladder.

He said the local plan had provision for starter homes, but even creating that took a long time and would not always be popular with people who did not want to see their areas change.

He added:

“Getting the balance right between protecting areas and allowing people to get on the property ladder isn’t easy.

“I’m not sure we can say it’s over-developed. We’re certainly in a period where we have been under-developing across the country and people, I think, are very uneasy about all the work that has been done catching up on that.

“But I think if we get the right mix of houses so local people get a chance to put their roots down in their home areas and we see infrastructure developed in parallel then I think we can meet people’s needs and aspirations.”

Three village primary schools in the Harrogate district face an uncertain future after plans to become part of a multi-academy trust fell through.

Beckwithshaw Primary and Ripley Endowed C of E schools are both required to become part of an academy after they received ‘inadequate’ ratings from Ofsted this year.

The two schools are federated, along with Kettlesing Felliscliffe Primary School, and as Church of England schools are also part of the Leeds diocese.

However, plans to join Elevate Multi Academy Trust (MAT) from the beginning of this month fell through shortly before the start date.

In a letter to parents, Anne Vetch, vice-chair of the schools’ interim executive board (IEB), said:

While Ripley and Beckwithshaw schools are required to join a MAT because of their Ofsted ratings, Kettlesing Felliscliffe, which is rated ‘good’, is not. A consultation with parents was held earlier this year over whether to remain part of the federated schools and join the MAT.

Since the two ‘inadequate’ ratings were given last year, the three schools had had two interim executive headteachers since the spring: Victoria Kirkman and Chris Whitehead.

Mr Whitehead left during the October half-term, having expected the schools to become part of the MAT immediately afterwards. Ms Kirkman has stayed on part-time as co-executive interim headteacher, alongside her role as head of Admiral Long and Birstwith primary schools.

She will be joined by Rebecca Foy, who has been the schools’ special educational needs coordinator.

Read more:

• Beckwithshaw primary school rated ‘inadequate’ by Ofsted
• Ofsted rates Ripley primary school as ‘inadequate’

Parents have been invited to an information evening on December 5, when representatives of the IEB, North Yorkshire County Council and the Leeds diocese will explain what could happen next.

The situation has followed a similar pattern to Woodfield Community Primary School, which was rated ‘inadequate’ and then failed to find a MAT to join. With falling roll numbers and just one pupil now attending, the school will close at the end of December.

However, leaders of the three federated schools said they are determined to find a trust to join and have confidence in the education provided by the schools.

In a statement issued through North Yorkshire County Council, Robert Ling, chair of the interim executive board at the three schools, said:

“We would like to reassure parents that we have increasing confidence in the educational standards at the three schools, which have fully responded to issues raised by Ofsted and are now firmly on an upward trajectory.

“With good quality teaching and strong leadership in place, children at all three federated schools are currently achieving in their education and feel school is a safe, happy place to be. The continued support of parents will enable the federation to look positively to the future.

“We recently received an interim Ofsted inspection and look forward to the results of this visit.

“We have returned to the regional director to resume our search for a multi-academy sponsor. In the interim the focus of all involved with the schools is on delivering the best possible educational experience for all of our children.”

The possibility of the River Nidd at Knaresborough achieving bathing water status has been debated in Parliament.

Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones secured the adjournment debate for the topic last night.

The Conservative told the house he wanted to achieve the status for the area at the Lido Leisure Park, which could become one of just a handful of rivers in the country to have it. He said:

“Of course the issue of water quality is not confined to one area, and while we have many designated bathing areas around our coast, there are very few inland areas and those few are overwhelmingly lakes, not rivers.

“Indeed, looking at the data from the Outdoor Swimming Society, 98% of areas with bathing water status are coastal.

“There is one river in our area of Yorkshire that has achieved that status, and it is the River Wharfe in Ilkley…

“The purpose of seeking this debate was to highlight that many more rivers must be awarded bathing water status right across our country and to promote our campaign for the River Nidd in Knaresborough.”

Mr Jones posted this picture with Frank Maguire, owner of the lido caravan park, on his website.

Mr Jones recently visited the 550-home lido, which is the focus of his campaign.

He told Parliament the recently-passed Environment Act would help progress measures to improve water quality by requiring combined sewer overflows (CSOs) to be monitored all the time. This would show how often and how much sewage was discharged into rivers including the Nidd.

In response, Trudy Harrison, parliamentary under-secretary for environment, food and rural affairs, said:

“Our aim is to announce which new sites will be eligible to be designated before the start of the next bathing season, which is officially May 15, 2023, so get your Speedos ready—other outfits are available.

“We look forward to receiving the application for the River Nidd in the very near future, and I will be delighted to work with my honourable friend, the member for Harrogate and Knaresborough.”

Read more:

• Campaign launched to achieve bathing water status on River Nidd
• Meeting called to hear concerns about state of River Nidd

Speaking to today’s meeting of North Yorkshire County Council‘s Harrogate and Knaresborough Area Constituency Committee, Mr Jones said he had contacted numerous local organisations about the river.

He said the owners of the lido, as well as landowners along the river, the Nidd Catchment Angling group, and wild swimming groups had all been contacted to ask for their support.

However, Liberal Democrats questioned why Mr Jones had not spoken to the area constituency committee, when they had raised the issue at a previous meeting and had been working with local volunteers to make progress.

Cllr Hannah Gostlow, who represents Knaresborough East, said:

“Can I ask why, months later, you have announced you are doing exactly the same? Rather than duplicating effort, will you pledge to put your support behind the work of the area committee, local town councillors and our community in Knaresborough?

“This report is going to take hours of volunteer work to gain the evidence required. This is a team effort, as you mentioned, but it’s a community effort and the area committee are at the forefront of that, along with our Knaresborough town councillors.”

Mr Jones said he recognised it was a team effort and would require the involvement of both local and national government, as well as community groups and businesses.

However, he said the area constituency committee had not contacted him about its plans, so he had been “getting on with it”.

He added:

“I hope that we can all work together on this matter because I don’t think it will be achieved individually. Many actions will need to come together.”

A school in Nidderdale has been praised by inspectors for its education – including an ‘outstanding’ rating for its nursery.

Belmont Grosvenor School in Birstwith, which caters for children up to 11 years old, was visited by the Independent Schools Inspectorate, which regulates private schools across England.

It was found to meet all eight requirements in its preparatory school, including pupil welfare, quality of education, and its leadership and management. The ISI does not give a rating to schools it inspects in this way.

Meanwhile, its Magic Tree Nursery was given a full inspection and rated ‘outstanding’. In their report, inspectors said:

“Staff demonstrate a deep knowledge of how children of this age learn and develop. All children under the age of three make at least good and often rapid progress from their starting points and are well prepared for the next stage in their education.

“Children’s personal and emotional development is clearly well supported, and the children consistently demonstrate that they feel safe, secure and happy, willing to engage not only with familiar staff but also with visitors.

“Staff have an excellent understanding of safeguarding and welfare requirements, and they fulfil their responsibility for protecting children diligently. Leaders and managers demonstrate strong commitment to continuous improvement through detailed cohesive self-evaluation and a clear vision for future developments.

“This ensures that all children receive the best possible support and care.”

Read more:

• Ofsted praise for Harrogate training centre’s new salon-based approach
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The report also praised the clear direction given to staff by the leadership, strong links with parents, and the opportunities offered to children at the nursery.

The inspectors added:

“Extremely effective care practices support children’s emotional security and the development of their character.

“The exceptional relationships that children have with the adults around them are built on strong, secure attachments. Each key person’s excellent knowledge of their children’s unique needs ensure they know how to respond effectively.”

The report said there could be more use of natural resources to enhance children’s play, and that the governors could be more involved in providing vision and oversight to the nursery to ensure it continued to perform well.

Headmaster Mr Nathan Sadler, who joined Belmont Grosvenor School at the start of the academic year, said”

“Our school community is very pleased with the outcome of the inspection. Most pleasingly, the inspection team could not sing the praises of our pupils enough, describing them as an absolute delight.

“The inspection process is a great validation tool and will also help us determine what will come next at BGS.”

Two houses which have been empty and in a state of disrepair could be brought back into use with compulsory purchase orders.

Harrogate Borough Council is considering the unusual move after extensive efforts to encourage the owners to improve the homes have failed.

A report due to be considered by the council’s committee tomorrow recommends beginning the CPO process for 16 Greenfields Drive in Harrogate and 4a Beech Lane in Spofforth.

It said:

“Compulsory purchase is usually a last resort, as the preference is to acquire by voluntary agreement wherever practicable. This is in accordance with the council’s empty homes strategy.

“It is considered, however, that the council has made every effort to secure the return to use of these properties and CPO is now the only realistic option. Although the offer of voluntary acquisition will remain open to the landowners throughout this process.”

Housing growth officer James Tuck said the “massive shortage of housing stock within the Harrogate district” justified the CPO for the two homes.

His report said there were 2,006 households on the council’s waiting list for rented housing, with a rented affordable housing shortfall of 208 homes and affordable sale housing of around half that number, according to the council’s housing and economic development needs assessment.

Regarding the Spofforth home, the report said:

“A letter was sent to the property in March 2019 as part of a complaint that it was empty. Initially it was very difficult to make contact with the owner despite numerous letters being sent.

“Once contact was made the owner agreed to resolve the external issues and plan to get the property occupied again. Despite occasional correspondence since, deadlines have frequently been missed and little progress has been made.

“The property was scored as part of the empty homes database and was observed at the time to be in a poor state of repair with overgrowth and looking generally rundown.

“Concerns have been raised by a local councillor and attempts have been made to establish a timeline with the owner but deadlines are regularly missed and the property remains empty.”

Read more:

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The home in Harrogate was brought to the housing department’s attention by the environmental health team, while the owner was being pursued for council tax payments.

The council’s empty homes officer began trying to make contact in July 2021 but received no response, the report said. It added:

“The property was scored as part of the empty homes database and was observed at the time to be in a very bad way with an overgrown garden, disused car in the drive, windows needing paintwork, a board covering the back garden, and in a very rundown state of repair.

“In August 2021 the cabinet member for housing and safer communities approved the empty homes officer to make an offer to purchase the property and a letter was sent to the owner requesting a meeting to arrange a formal, independent RICS valuation of the property.

“No response was received so a second letter was sent advising enforcement action would now be pursued.”

Any CPO would need to be approved by the government’s secretary of state for communities and local government.

A “mountain” of chocolate will be collected by a group of independent businesses in Harrogate to ensure everyone has treats to enjoy this Christmas.

The Commercial Street Retailers group is inviting people to donate festive chocolates for three weeks, to hand over to Harrogate District Foodbank.

It is the second year the businesses have united to organise the scheme and Sue Kramer, who owns Crown Jewellers, said she hopes they will do even better than last year:

“Last year, we got over 16 stones of chocolate, so we donated them in three parcels over a few weeks. It was a mountain of chocolate!

“It was amazing: heartwarming, humbling and absolutely incredible. It’s a wonderful thing for people to do.

“This year, with everything else going on – the economic crisis, the cost of living etc – it’s a wonderful thing do to again.”

Any chocolates can be donated as long as they don’t contain alcohol. Ms Kramer said everything from large tubs and selection boxes to chocolate biscuits is very welcome.

Read more:

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Collection points will be open from Saturday, November 19 to Saturday, December 10, at five shops on Commercial Street: Foxy Vintage and Interiors, Harrogate Town AFC shop, White Rose Sewing, Curtain and Blind Design, and H Nail Club.

As an added incentive, anyone who donates chocolate by Saturday, December 2 will be given a raffle ticket, with five £10 vouchers on offer from the businesses on Commercial Street. Ms Kramer said the prizes would offer a helping hand to people shopping in the run-up to Christmas Eve.

Sue added:

“The foodbank get food donations, but they don’t get things like chocolate because it is seen as a luxury.

“I can’t bear to think of local families and particularly children not getting chocolate at Christmas. I really hope people will be generous again this year and make sure everyone has a treat to enjoy on Christmas Day.”

A popular village pond that has turned into a mud bath should begin to improve over the coming weeks.

Pannal duck pond has been in an increasingly poor state over many months amid confusion over its ownership and who has responsibility for its upkeep.

The neighbouring households even received an anonymous, accusatory letter about the pond, signed off “lots of love, the people of Pannal”. It said:

“You and your neighbours have an obligation, indeed, a duty, to remedy this frightful carbuncle and provide a rejuvenated habitat for the boundless wildlife that exits [sic] on and in the surrounding area.

“You need to collaborate with each other and devise an action plan before there is no wildlife left at all – come on!! Start talking to each other and do something about it. Don’t be fat and lazy – put your backs into it and you’ll soon have it looking like it used to!

“Put on your wellies and clean-up for heaven’s sake – remove the traffic cones, the endless plastic bottles, the drinks cans – it’s an utter disgrace and should be thoroughly ashamed of yourselves.”

However, one of the neighbours, Clare Waligora, posted the letter on Facebook and gave the community an update on the pond, explaining its ownership and upkeep are not as straightforward as the letter writer appeared to believe.

Her husband Brian told the Stray Ferret a solicitor had looked into the situation and even he could not establish the pond’s ownership. While the neighbouring households pay an annual fee for an indemnity policy, it was not clear what their obligations were for long-term maintenance.

Read more:

• Campaign launched to achieve bathing water status on River Nidd
• Consultation on bid to join bridleways in Harrogate’s Crimple Valley

Mr Waligora said there was an old water wheel with a sluice that used to help with drainage, but it had not been in use for many years. Silt has since built up in the pond, leading to preventing natural drainage and reducing the pond’s capacity.

The nearby households opened a sluice gate to try to allow some of the accumulated debris to clear slowly. Then, last week, heavy rain washed it away in one day and left the pond almost completely drained.

Mr Waligora, who has lived next to the pond for almost 16 years, said:

“Now is the time to do something, but lot of companies wouldn’t even quote because of the access to the pond being so difficult.

“We managed to get one quote of £20,000, but they said it could go up if they were to encounter any issues.”

Mr Waligora said while there was willingness among the neighbouring houses to try to make improvements, that quote was more than they were able to spend.

However, he said they had since received an email from the Environment Agency concerned about the condition of the pond. Mr Waligora is now hopeful the homeowners can work with the agency to find a solution.

He said although it had been unpleasant to receive the anonymous letter through the door, the response from the community had been very supportive.

“I admit during the summer it looked awful and particularly since the heavy rain where it cleared out centuries of debris and created a bit of a stream through there.

“We’ve closed it back up and it should start filling up when we get a heavy rain. We’ve been pleased, despite the letter where the person seemed to represent the Pannal community, most people are appalled and made it clear they had nothing to do with it.

“Almost everyone has been much more helpful which is particularly reassuring for all of us. Since we’ve posted that, everyone I’ve spoken to has been positive and encouraging and willing to help.

“The ownership is a bit of a grey area, but we live around here and we want it to look good like everyone else. We’re willing to put a disproportionate amount of time and money in because we see it more than anyone else but it’s not straight forward.”

A care home in Boroughbridge is appealing for help to make a resident’s birthday extra special this month.

Marjorie, who lives at Boroughbridge Manor on Roecliffe Lane, will turn 103 on November 23.

Its staff are asking for people from far and wide to send birthday cards for her, with an ambitious target in mind.

Posting on social media, the home said:

The care home, owned by Barchester, first put out the call for cards in August – having previously found cards would still be arriving long after a birthday if they appealed nearer the time.

Staff this week said they had received almost 70 cards to date and were hopeful of reaching their milestone by the time of Marjorie’s birthday.

Cards can be sent to: Activities Team, Boroughbridge Manor Care Home, Roecliffe Lane, Boroughbridge, YO51 9LW.

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Plans to create a new business and industrial site on the southern approach to Harrogate could be progressed next week.

Harrogate Borough Council‘s cabinet will decide on Wednesday whether to begin speaking to developers to gauge interest in the site.

Allocated for employment use in the Harrogate district Local Plan 2014-35, which outlines where development can take place, the site lies along the eastern side of the A61 near Pannal. It is between the railway line and Crimple Beck, north of the Mercedes garage and the M&S Food shop at the petrol station.

A strategic sites masterplanning document prepared by consultants BDP and Colliers will be reviewed by the cabinet as part of the decision next week. It says:

“Crimple Valley Viaduct, to the north-east of the site, is a Grade II* listed building.

“Development of the site should minimise harm to the setting of this designated heritage asset and seek to enhance its significance; this should include retaining key views of the viaduct from within the site and from beyond the site through the site.”

An officer’s report summarising the document said the focus of any development should be on “high quality place-making and low carbon development”, referring to the council’s “aspirations for high-tech/high skilled job creation”.

Access to the site would be via public transport or the A61

The consultants’ report suggests the site could be accessed via traffic lights or a roundabout, with pedestrian and cycle access further south to link with bus stops on Leeds Road and the railway station in Pannal.

It says the site could be used for high-tech manufacturing, research and development, or business headquarters. Buildings would be up to three storeys and 5,000m sq in size.

The total office space allocated for the site is 10,000m sq alongside 31,500m sq of industrial space. The report says:

“In order to support the local economy there is a need to provide a range of office, manufacturing and warehousing accommodation from shared spaces to single occupiers.

“There is also the opportunity to include a hub building at the heart of the development that can offer a mix of business space and shared facilities for the business community.

“The site should feel like an extension of the existing community, rather than a gated ‘estate’. Access to the existing right of way along the eastern boundary of the site is to be retained and enhanced with new pedestrian connections through the site and safe crossing points on Leeds Road.”

With the site designed to encourage sustainable travel, one parking space has been allocated for each 40m sq of office space or 50m sq of industrial space.

As well as tree planting through the site, the document suggests a wildflower meadow and attenuation pond could be created to the north of the site, adjacent to Crimple Beck.

The suggested layout, with industrial space in orange and office in brown

The officers’ report acknowledges that any development of the site is likely to take place after Harrogate Borough Council is abolished next spring, when the new North Yorkshire Council comes into effect. It adds:

“Taking into consideration current market conditions/costs and uncertainties around the new strategic objectives of North Yorkshire Council from April 1, 2023, it is currently not clear how much direct involvement the council should or could have in the development of the site.

“Officers therefore recommend the next steps to be engagement in expressions of interest with developers to test market appetite, focussing on high quality place-making and low carbon development.

“This can then inform a future decision about the appropriate level of local authority involvement and timescales for delivery of the site.”

Read more:

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• Plans to build 72 flats and care home in Harrogate’s Dragon Road car park

Harrogate Theatre will not receive any funding from Arts Council England from next April until 2026.

The funding body had previously given the White Rose Theatre Trust, which runs the theatre, just over £140,000 a year since 2015 through its national portfolio scheme.

The last round of awards from 2018 to 2022 gave the theatre a total of £563,636.

In today’s funding announcement, however, the theatre misses out completely — and no other organisations in the Harrogate district are included either.

Deborah Larwood, chair of the Harrogate Theatre board, said:

“Following this news, the board and leadership team will take some time to reflect and reimagine our plans from April 2023, as we continue to support the [ACE] Let’s Create agenda and ensure that Harrogate Theatre continues to deliver a vibrant cultural offer for people of all ages across the Harrogate district.

“We will continue to work alongside Arts Council England and to advocate for the value of the arts in all our lives.”

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In a statement, the theatre said it was disappointed by the news, but was grateful for ACE’s support to date.

It said the money had enabled the theatre not only to bring a “fantastic range” of artists to Harrogate, but also to engage with children and young people and to support emerging artists – as well as putting on the annual pantomime.

Arts Council funding has helped Harrogate Theatre to put on its popular annual pantomime. Photograph: Karl Andre

Theatre chief executive David Bown said:

“I am proud of the positive impact Harrogate Theatre has on our community. Our extensive programme of events and workshops reach an audience of over 150,000 per year due to the extraordinary talent and dedication of our staff, volunteers, board and the incredible artists on our stages.

“Harrogate Theatre has played a key role in the economic recovery of Harrogate post-pandemic and will continue to provide a rich artistic programme to inspire and entertain the town and its visitors.”

‘New organisations’

ACE said it was sharing out £446m each year across 990 organisations around England.

It said the list of organisations receiving funding was “richer and more varied than ever before”, featuring the likes of Blackpool illuminations, Unlimited in Yorkshire which commissions work by disabled artists, and community arts organisation intoBodmin.

ACE chief executive Darren Henley said:

“Together, each of the 990 organisations that have been offered funding today will contribute to a portfolio that is rich, varied and truly national. This is our widest ever spread of investment across the country, ensuring that many more people will have access to a wider choice of exceptional art, culture and creative opportunities on their doorsteps.

“We are in tough times but we must remember creativity brings with it extraordinary dividends, boosting our country’s economic growth, creating jobs, bringing communities closer together, and making us happier as individuals.

“Everyone deserves to enjoy the benefits it brings, and with this investment, we believe we’ve taken a decisive step towards making that vision a reality.”

The organisation’s chair, Sir Nicholas Serota, added:

“As well as continuing our commitment to our many established and renowned cultural organisations, I am deeply proud of the support we will be giving to those new organisations which will help ignite creativity across the country.

“We are facing economic pressures at present but this funding is about an investment in our future. This portfolio will support the next generation of visionary inventors, makers, performers and artists. In particular, the growth of our funding for organisations that support and develop work for children represents a profoundly important long-term investment in our country’s talent.”