‘Where’s the infrastructure?’: New councillor queries 480-home Bluecoat Wood plan

Questions remain about how an extra 480 homes near Harlow Hill will impact roads, schools and doctor’s surgeries, according to the new councillor for the area.

Homes England last week submitted plans for the development at Bluecoat Wood opposite Cardale Park.

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

The proposals include new cricket and football pitches.

A mix of one, two, three, four and five-bedroom houses are proposed for the site. Homes England says 40% of the houses will be allocated as “affordable”.

“Fed up with housebuilding”

Michael Schofield is the Liberal Democrat councillor for Harlow & St George’s on North Yorkshire County Council, after being elected this month.

The councillor, who is also the landlord of the Shepherd’s Dog pub, claims there is “no provision” in the plans for services that residents will use.

Cllr Schofield said:

“Don’t get me wrong, the idea of playing fields and a cricket pitch is great, but you do have to think about extra traffic and infrastructure.

“There’s no provision for services. I’d like to see more planning for residents.

“Yes the homes look attractive, but there’s no clear plan for infrastructure. I don’t want them to do anything until they have one.”

Cllr Schofield said there is strong feeling locally about the scale and speed of housebuilding.

“I see residents out walking their dogs and it’s the main issue people are telling me, they are fed up of seeing building site after building site.”

Read more:

Last month, a separate application was submitted by Anwyl Land and national housebuilder Redrow Homes for 780 homes on fields opposite Bluecoat Wood on Otley Road.

At Harlow and Pannal Ash Residents Association‘s (Hapara) AGM in April, the group’s secretary David Siddans said residents are bracing themselves for “15 years of disruption” due to the sheer number of homes that will be built in phases around Otley Road.

Hapara has been highly critical of the delayed West Harrogate Parameters Plan (WHPP), a document drawn up by Harrogate Borough Council that is supposed to address the infrastructure associated with the different housing developments.

A final version of the plan has yet to be signed off by the council.

The plan will also be supplemented with an ‘infrastructure delivery document’ to nail down the infrastructure requirements in greater detail, but it’s yet to see the light of day.

‘Pause a decision’

Mr Siddans called on Harrogate Borough Council to pause any decision on Bluecoat Wood until the infrastructure delivery document is published.

He said:

“Hapara accepts that the principle of development on this site has been established through the Local Plan process, but considers it essential that the proposals are considered in the wider context of the whole western arc expansion, particularly regarding infrastructure provision, sustainability, landscape protection and adherence to net zero carbon targets.

“Low building density, high-quality design and appropriate housing mix with tree-lined streets are also matters that we will be looking at in our response. That is why no decisions should be made on this application or any of the adjacent sites until the West of Harrogate Parameters Plan is finalised, including the detail of the infrastructure delivery plan.”

Mr Siddans’s words were echoed by Cllr Howard West, chair of Beckwithshaw and Haverah Parish Council.

He said:

“The parish council’s standpoint is that the application should not even be logged, let alone considered, until the infrastructure delivery plan part of the WHPP has been finalised and approved.”

Homes England

A planning statement by Homes England says the development has been guided by the WHPP.

It says the sports pitch will be used by local schools, improving facilities for the area’s children.

On transport, it says the development will eventually link up with the Otley Road Cycle Path and an existing bus service to Cardale Park.

“The site has a good level of accessibility with Harrogate town centre, via a comprehensive network of footways and cycleways and is within a short cycling distance of Harrogate town centre.

“There are existing bus services which are accessible from the site and offer a relatively frequent level of services and Harrogate Rail Station, Hornbeam Rail Station and Pannal Rail Station which can be accessed as part of a multi-modal journey to [and] from the site.”

Council hopes to start Otley Road phase two in autumn

North Yorkshire County Council bosses have said they hope to start work on phase two of Harrogate’s Otley Road cycle route in the Autumn.

The first phase of the route, which runs from Harlow Moor Road to Cold Bath Road, was completed in January.

However, residents raised concerns over its design and the length of time it took to complete the project.

As a result, county council officials delayed progress on the second phase to review its designs.

Now, the authority is expected to begin procurement for a contractor in June to start work on the second section of the route.

The new cycle lane will run from Arthurs Avenue to Beech Grove.

Read more:

Costs have yet to be revealed for the next section of the route, but Hull-based PBS Construction was awarded a contract worth £827,000 for the first phase.

When asked whether residents had been consulted on the next section of the cycle path, a county council spokesperson said:

“The phase two design was consulted on in 2019 but we will be engaging with local stakeholders to update them of progress to date and next steps.”

Meanwhile, phase three of the scheme, which would run from Harlow Moor Road to Cardale Park, is expected to be funded via contributions from housing developers.

Kevin Douglas, chair of Harrogate District Cycle Action, said previously that lessons needed to be learned from the first phase of the project.

He said:

“The higher quality cycle path we get, the more people will use it – that has always been our view as we want a scheme that delivers facilities which everyone can use.

“We also want lessons to be learnt from the first phase, and hopefully there is a genuine willingness to take on board the points we made.”

Thieves attempt break-in at Harrogate’s Marks & Spencer

Thieves attempted to break into the Harrogate Marks & Spencer store on Cambridge Street on Friday night.

It follows other town centre businesses reporting similar incidents to the police in recent months.

Burglars raided Browns jewellers in January, which is close to M&S on nearby Beulah Street.

Last week, the antiques shop 27 West Park was also targeted over night, but thieves left empty-handed after they failed to get in.

An M&S spokesperson said:

“We are supporting the police with their investigations into an attempted break-in at our Harrogate store on Friday night.”

Read more:

 

Leeds United legends reminisce with Harrogate dementia residents

Leeds United legends Eddie Gray, Tony Dorigo and Paul Reaney have visited a care home in Harrogate to reminisce about their playing days with residents who have dementia.

The ex-players were at Vida Healthcare’s new facility Vida Court on Beckwith Head Road.

The trio spoke about highlights from Leeds games over the past few decades and major career moments.

Staff also set up goals in the garden for residents to have a kickabout with the players.

It’s 50 years since Eddie Gray and Paul Reaney won the FA Cup as part of Don Revie’s famous side, and 30 years since Tony Dorigo won the First Division title under Howard Wilkinson.

Several players in the Don Revie team have suffered from dementia in recent years, including Jack Charlton and Gordon McQueen.

Sharon Oldfield, home manager at Vida Court, said:

“Activities like this are so important for our residents and they had a fantastic time meeting Tony, Eddie and Paul and sharing a pie and pint with them.

“Wellbeing and life enrichment is crucial to the lives of our residents. This special day was all about reminiscence and nostalgia, and it brought back special memories for everyone in attendance.

“Events and visits like this are crucial for encouraging residents to remember moments in their lives, and building strong bonds with staff.”

Read more:

A resident with Paul Reaney

Two teenagers arrested following police appeal into Harrogate robberies

North Yorkshire Police has arrested two teenage males after it published an appeal yesterday about a robbery on Harrogate’s Hookstone Chase.

The two males are also being questioned about a further alleged robbery that took place on Wentworth Drive in Harrogate on the same night.

The first alleged incident, on Hookstone Chase, is said to have happened at around 6pm on Tuesday, May 17. The Wentworth Drive incident followed at 10.30pm.

The two males are in custody. Police said they are assisting officers with their enquiries.

Yesterday, police published an appeal for two teenage white males wearing grey tracksuits.

Read more:

 

Siblings, 11 and 7, get creative to protest against new Knox Lane houses

Two creative siblings have put up posters and written poems to protest against a housing development on Harrogate’s Knox Lane.

North-east property developer Jomast wants to build 53 homes on a field off Knox Lane in a green corner of Bilton that residents cherish.

Jasmine Stoyles, 7, and her brother Francis, 11, both go to Richard Taylor Church of England Primary School in Bilton.

They live close to where the homes could be built and enjoy admiring the deer, birds and other wildlife in the green fields.

But they fear the idyllic scene won’t be there when they grow up.

Mum Caroline said the threat of development inspired the kids to get their pens out and protest. Over the weekend they put up posters and poems on trees and a notice board nearby.

Jasmine’s poem says it’s a “horrible sight looking at concrete and cement” and Francis’ poem pleads “see the trees that grew up there, soon it will be all bare”.

Ms Stoyles said:

“We just appreciated all through lockdown how many people come here. It’s a lovely place to be. 

“To lose that connection to the countryside would totally change the nature of the area.”

Jasmine’s poem is below:

“Spring is a lovely time, but not when people are killing nature,

“People do not care about nature anymore because they are looking at their toes,

“Wrens and other birds are going to lose their homes because they are cutting down the trees,

“It is a horrible sight looking at concrete and cement,

“Nothing can replace Harrogate’s space.”

Read more:

 

Harrogate Grammar hopes to light up sports pitch until 8pm

Harrogate Grammar School has submitted plans to light up its games pitch until 8pm in a bid to boost youth sport in the wake of the pandemic.

An original application in 2015 restricts the use of floodlighting after 6pm.

However, the school said this year several youth teams had struggled to play, particularly during the winter months when ground conditions in town were poor.

In a letter to neighbouring residents asking for their support, business and operations manager, Tom Stephen, wrote:

“The last two years of the pandemic have been challenging for us all, not least in the impact of school closures and restrictions on team sports for young people.

“We want to support the growth of youth sport and one way in which we hope to achieve this is by increasing the access of our facilities.”

He added that in the context of increased demand and in an effort create opportunities for young people to recover from the pandemic, the school felt it was the right time to apply for the extension.

It would see the pitch open from 9am until 8pm Monday to Friday.

He said:

“We will only allow the astro to be used by youth coached teams in order to support our aim of the growth of youth sport.”

Read more:

Harrogate Borough Council environmental health officer, Gemma Demaline, said she had no objections to the plans.

She said:

“As the lights are likely to be required during the darker months when surrounding noise sensitive residents are likely to be inside their properties, the impact from noise from the proposed use of the site will be limited.”

Earlier this month St Aidan’s Church of England High School revealed its new floodlit artificial sports pitch was set to open from 6pm to 8pm for community clubs to use.

A spokesperson for Harrogate Grammar School said:

“We want to support the growth of youth sport after the restrictions the pandemic put on team sports and we hope to achieve this by increasing the access of our facilities.”

Harrogate Borough Council’s planning committee will make a decision on the application at a later date.

Harrogate estate agent wins gold award

Local estate agent Feather Smailes Scales (FSS) has won the British Property Award in Harrogate for its sales department.  

The team was congratulated for its outstanding performance throughout the judging period, which looked at customer service levels.  

Partner Richard Smailes said:  

“I am delighted that we have been recognised by an independent adjudicator as “best in class” and winning the gold award.

“It is testament to my wonderful team who show dedication, hard work and a caring nature at all times and a true depth of knowledge with regard to the housing transaction process. I couldn’t be more proud.” 

The awards were created by a team of former estate agency owners who hope to change the way estate agents are perceived by the public. 

They consider a set of 25 criteria that consumers often overlook, and aim to highlight excellence in different towns across the country. 

Robert McLean, from The British Property Awards, said:  

“Winning agents should be proud that their customer service levels provide a benchmark for their local, regional and national competition”.  

FSS has now been nominated for a number of other national awards. 

Three Harrogate spas nominated for good spa awards 

Rudding Park, Three Graces Spa at Grantley Hall and The Swinton Country Club have all received nominations for the good spa awards 2022.  

Rudding Park is nominated for the best destination spa, whilst Swinton Country Club and Grantley Hall are nominated for two awards each. Swinton is hoping to win awards for sustainability and wellness, and Grantley Hall is in the running for wellness and best destination.  

Swinton Estate said it was “delighted” to be nominated for both awards, adding:  

“Wellness and wellbeing, both physical and mental, sit at the heart of our commitment to all guests.” 

The hotel was also the first in the UK to install a biomass boiler, a sustainable alternative for heating water at the spa.  

Last year, Three Graces Spa at Grantley Hall won the best spa for fitness and wellbeing, and Rudding Park won in 2020 for the best outdoor facilities.  

Voting is open until 5th June, and the winners will be announced on 20th June at the spa life convention in Gloucestershire.  

Read More: 

 

Police identify man after Harrogate Asda CCTV appeal

Police have identified a man they wanted to speak to after money was removed from a cash machine at Asda in Harrogate.

North Yorkshire Police issued CCTV images of the man after £150 that was left on the cash machine from a previous transaction was taken.

Police were not aware of any attempt that had been made to return the cash to its owner.

The incident happened at Asda on Bower Street at 10.23am on Sunday, May 1.

In an update on May 27, police said they had identified the man and we have therefore removed the images of him from this post.

Read more:

 

Starbeck dad says ‘unreliable’ buses are making daughter late for school

Starbeck dad Gordon Schallmo has criticised Transdev‘s “unreliable” Number 1 bus service, which he said is regularly making his daughter late for school.

Mr Schallmo’s 14-year-old daughter is a pupil at King James’s School in Knaresborough.

Each morning she gets the number 1 from Starbeck, which is one of the company’s busiest bus routes in the Harrogate district, running up to seven times an hour.

But well-documented staffing issues have forced the company to cancel services, sometimes at short notice.

Mr Schallmo said his daughter is currently late for school at least once a week after buses failed to turn up.

He said:

“Its hit and miss when they arrive. She’s often been left standing there.”

Can’t all fit on

The number 1 route is served by single-decker buses.

But with schoolchildren sharing the bus with rush-hour commuters, it means if a bus doesn’t turn up they can’t always all fit on the next one.

Mr Schallmo added:

“It’s not good when I have to run her in and call the school to say she will be late again because the bus hasn’t turned up.”

Read more:

Transdev has had difficulties hiring new bus drivers since the covid pandemic.

The company recently launched a campaign offering qualified drivers a £1,000 bonus if they joined.

Mr Schallmo said he was also frustrated to see the company recently increased the cost of a weekly ticket on the number 1 from £4.30 to £6 whilst offering a service his daughter can’t rely on.

He said:

“It’s getting beyond a joke. I know they have bus driver shortages but they don’t seem to be doing anything about it.

“What frustrates me is they don’t have an answer. It’s been terrible.”

Transdev’s response

Steve Ottley, general manager at The Harrogate Bus Company, which is a division of French firm Transdev, said:

“Firstly, it’s disappointing and we apologise that Mr Schallmo believes we haven’t given him an answer he would like but we would invite him and anyone else who may wish to, to engage with us via email to customer.services@transdevbus.co.uk or via many other contact points as found at harrogatebus.co.uk.

“We fully realise how frustrating it is for our customers on the occasions when we are unable to provide the high standard of service expected. We are doing a lot behind the scenes to respond to current industry-wide challenges around recruitment and retention of drivers — including by offering increased salaries to new and existing drivers, and by promoting opportunities to join us on the front of all our buses, on billboard advertising and via social media.

“This approach is already delivering positive results – we currently have 15 new colleagues preparing for new driving jobs in Harrogate at The Academy, our own in-house training facility in Starbeck.”

Mr Ottley also explained why the company has increased its prices:

“Everyone will be aware that the price of almost everything is rising at the moment, especially fuel and energy, and unfortunately, we are also not immune to these increased costs — price changes are a common factor across many businesses at the moment. Along with many other transport operators across the country, we have now reached a point where we need to ask our customers to share some of this with us.

“We have held prices down for a while now. This will be our first fares change since September 2019 – and our tickets are still good value, especially compared with other forms of transport, including the car.

“These changes will allow us to continue recovering from covid, increasing timetables back to pre-pandemic levels, investing and improving wage rates — all after almost three years of holding down fares. We’ve also taken this opportunity to simplify our ticket range where we can to make travel easier, while still offering flexibility to our regular customers.”