New Allertons hair salon to open on Harrogate’s Montpellier Street

A new hair and beauty salon is set to open on Harrogate’s Montpellier Street next month.

Allertons, which currently has two salons in Leeds and one in Nottingham, will take over the space previously occupied by Lifestyle Lounge.

Founder Nicholas Nicola said he’d lived in north Leeds all his life and always hoped to open a salon in Harrogate because he believed his brand would be well suited to the town.

Mr Nicola said Allertons hoped to bring something “new and fresh” to Harrogate and plans to start welcoming clients by February 22.

The left shows how the shop will look once the re-fit is complete.

The quick conversion of the premises aims to encourage Lifestyle Lounge customers to move their appointments to Allertons.

Mr Nicola said he has invested about £100,000 in the re-fit. The studio will open just one of its three floors at first with four members of staff.

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He added the other two floors will open in the months ahead and the team will grow to 16 staff offering hair and beauty treatments. He said job opportunities were still available:

“We think it will be well received. We aren’t led by fashion but what the clients want from root tints to bright blue. Harrogate already has so many lovely salons and hopefully we can bring something different.”

Man sentenced for carrying a baseball bat down Parliament Street

A Harrogate man has received a community order after admitting carrying a baseball bat down Parliament Street and making unlawful threats of violence.

Dan Swift, 21, of Fewston Crescent, appeared before Harrogate Magistrates Court yesterday charged with threatening unlawful violence towards other persons which would cause fear for personal safety.

Swift was also charged with carrying a baseball bat on Parliament Street on September 26 last year without lawful authority or reasonable excuse.

He pleaded guilty to those charges.

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The court imposed a community order, which included 100 hours of unpaid work to be undertaken over the next 12 months.

The court said Swift’s guilty plea was taken into account when imposing the sentence.

Council defends master plan to cope with 4,000 new homes in west Harrogate

Harrogate Borough Council has been forced on the defensive after revealing the draft version of a long-awaited master plan on how part of the town will cope with 4,000 new homes.

The West of Harrogate Parameters Plan was requested by government to identify infrastructure, transport and education needs in the area.

After months of delays, the 160-page plan was finally published last week but hopes it would provide a clear vision for the future were quickly dashed when residents reacted with disappointment.

Harlow and Pannal Ash Residents Association said the plan “totally avoids the heart of the problem” of thousands of new homes piling pressure on already congested roads.

The group also claimed the plan appeared to have been produced for the benefit of housing developers – not residents.

Harrogate Borough Council – which is working alongside North Yorkshire County Council – has now defended the plan which it insisted is still in draft form and will take account of residents’ concerns.

A council spokesperson said:

“The West of Harrogate Parameters Plan (WHPP) is a high-level master plan that seeks to deliver the policies set out in the adopted Local Plan, including those related to climate change, design and active travel.

“As we have explained previously, we do not have the powers to introduce new policy requirements through the WHPP.

“However, the WHPP will look ahead to planned changes to building regulations that are being introduced nationally and will continue to strongly encourage developers to meet high standards of design to help mitigate and adapt to climate change.”

Fears over schools and roads

Pannal and Burn Bridge Parish Council is another group which shares concerns over the impact of new housing developments on traffic congestion.

Its chairman, councillor Howard West, said the area’s infrastructure has suffered from years of “neglect” and that there is “no evidence whatsoever at this stage that any such provision has been made”.

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Rene Dziabas, chairman of Harlow and Pannal Ash Residents Association, also said the plan should give greater importance to the need for investment in areas including bus services, road junction improvements, the widening of footpaths and more cycling routes.

He also questioned how schools will cope with an expected shortfall of nearly 700 pupil places across Harrogate and Knaresborough by 2025/26. Mr Dziabas said:

“Many of the problems have existed for years, so we feel that it is about time that they were properly addressed.”

Final version coming

The WHPP includes provision for two new primary schools – one off Whinney Lane and another off Otley Road. It also identifies potential locations for sports pitches, employment areas, public transport routes, community centres, allotments and walking and cycling links.

Once approved, the plan will sit alongside the Harrogate District Local Plan as a guide for how future planning applications should be decided.

Several meetings have recently been held between council officials and residents to discuss the WHPP, and the council said feedback is now being taken onboard before a final version is prepared.

A council spokesperson said:

“Many of the community stakeholders – who have publicly stated that the plan should be published as soon as possible – have been involved since the preparation of the first draft of the WHPP over a year ago.

“And although there is no statutory requirement to consult, we are thankful for the ongoing constructive feedback we have received in response to the second working draft.

“Throughout the preparation of the plan, we have consistently aimed to deliver quality place-making that will provide a wide-range of private and affordable homes to meet the current housing demand, while also ensuring we have the necessary infrastructure to support these future communities.

“This feedback will be carefully considered as we prepare the final version for recommendation to the cabinet member.”

Harrogate council has issued no dog fouling fines in 12 months

Harrogate Borough Council has revealed it hasn’t issued any fines in the last 12 months for failing to clean up dog mess.

The council’s dog warden service urged people to report dog mess last week. In a post on Facebook, it said there had been “an increase in dog fouling across the whole district”, especially in Harlow Hill.

It added the Otley Road area around Beckwith Road, Nursery Lane and the ginnel from the Shepherd’s Dog Pub to the allotments was “particularly bad”.

The council can issue fixed penalty notices of up to £80 for dog fouling. However, it struggles to catch anyone in the act.

This week it told the Stray Ferret it had not issued any fines for dog fouling in the last year or the previous year either.

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A council spokesperson said:

“Dealing with the issue of dog fouling is very resource intensive and requires us having people in the right place at the right time to catch someone committing an offence within the 505 square miles of the Harrogate district.

“We are very fortunate that the vast majority of people who live here or come to visit take considerable pride in the appearance of the area. Because of this they do the right thing and pick up after their dog and dispose of it responsibly.

“Unfortunately, we have seen an increase in in particular areas and would encourage residents witnessing someone not picking up after their dog to report it to us so we can focus our patrols to try and prevent it from happening.”

Harrogate residents launch campaign against Tesco plan

A group of residents whose homes would back onto the proposed new Tesco in Harrogate have begun a campaign against plans for a supermarket and petrol station.

The supermarket chain has applied to Harrogate Borough Council to build the almost 40,000 square feet store at the former gas works on Skipton Road. It hopes it will open next year.

An application was submitted in December after a public consultation showed support for the plans, with more than 70% of 190 people who took part giving a positive response.

But residents living next to the site on Electric Avenue have launched a campaign against the proposals, which they see as a threat to wildlife at the site which forms part of Oak Beck. They are also concerned about traffic.

Resident Jennifer Dance said there are also concerns over the consultation process, as well as the impacts on people’s daily lives:

“To local residents’ horror Tesco quietly held a public consolation and they claimed 70% were in favour of the development.

“However, only two residents on Electric Avenue were approached or consulted.

“They plan to put the delivery road directly behind our property, so everyday we will hear and see delivery vans whizzing up and down the road.

“The proposed site is home to and feeding grounds for lots of wildlife. Many of the animals visit our garden from the site and I have photographic evidence of some.

“I believe sites like this should be nurtured and cherished, not destroyed and replaced with concrete, steel and tarmac in the name of progress, prosperity and profit.”

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Around 20 residents living on Electric Avenue met last night to discuss the plans. They have also launched a petition which has so far attracted more than 330 signatures.

The petition states residents have seen several animals at the site including roe deer, badgers, foxes, newts, frogs, squirrels, hedgehogs, owls, cuckoos and kingfishers.

The petition added:

“We do not need another supermarket in this area, in a five-mile radius from this site there are 14 food stores including Aldi, Asda, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Co-op, and express shops.

“We do understand the need to support the new homes being built, but this is not the right location.”

Another petition in support of the development has also been launched, saying there is “significant need” for an additional supermarket in the town.

Tesco responds to residents’ claims 

Tesco was previously granted planning permission to build a supermarket at the site in 2012, but the plans were never brought forward.

It is now proposing a smaller supermarket with a petrol filling station in a development which it said will create 100 new jobs.

The supermarket chain has responded to the concerns raised by residents in a short statement which said it would listen to all feedback.

Tesco also pointed towards an ecological study carried out by consultants which concluded the site is “dominated by habitats not considered to be of ecological importance”. The study also said new habitat creation is proposed to offset the loss of any wildlife areas.

A spokesperson for Tesco said:

“We will consider all feedback received on our application and continue to work closely with Harrogate Borough Council.

“The application was submitted with an ecological appraisal which specifically considers these matters.”

A decision on the plans from Harrogate Borough Council is expected around April.

Care worker admits sexually abusing woman at Harrogate care home

A former care worker has been told to expect a jail sentence after he admitted sexually abusing a woman with a mental disorder at a care home in the Harrogate area.

Carl McQuilliam-Jenkins, 49, was charged with a string of sexual offences which occurred over a seven-month period.

He initially denied the allegations but pleaded guilty to three out of six charges of sexual activity with a mentally disordered woman by a care worker when he appeared at York Crown Court today (Wednesday, January 26). The offences occurred between July 2019 and January 2020.

Prosecutor Catherine Silverton said the Crown accepted his pleas on a “pragmatic basis” and would offer no evidence on the remaining allegations.

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Judge Simon Hickey adjourned sentence for probation reports but told McQuilliam-Jenkins that prison was inevitable, and the only consideration would be length of sentence.

He told the defendant:

“You pleaded guilty to three instances of serious sexual activity with someone with a mental-health disorder.

“You can have a (pre-sentence) report, but you must be under no illusions that the report goes to length of sentence only.” 

McQuilliam-Jenkins, of Howarth Terrace, Haswell, Durham, was granted bail until sentence on March 1.

Harrogate residents campaign for hedgehog signs

Residents concerned about the number of hedgehogs being killed on a Harrogate street have applied for signs alerting motorists to the danger.

People on Forest Lane and Forest Moor Road petitioned Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones and North Yorkshire County Council. Hedgehogs are included in the list of animals vulnerable to extinction.

As a result, the county council has made its first application to the Department for Transport to install signs.

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Mr Jones, a Conservative who was a minister in the department when the warning signs were introduced, said on his Community News website:

“Biodiversity is important. That is why I want to back campaigns like this. Residents in the Forest Moor area have told me that injured, and more often dead, hedgehogs are a regular sight.

“If these signs just encourage motorists to pay that bit more attention in the area we can help reduce the numbers and do our bit to increase the vulnerable hedgehog population.”

Mr Jones said he “will be encouraging a quick and positive response”.

Harrogate Station Gateway could take a year longer to complete than expected

Work on Harrogate’s Station Gateway project could continue into 2024 — considerably longer than first indicated.

The scheme was given the green light by North Yorkshire County Council’s executive yesterday, paving the way for its implementation.

The Department for Transport, which is funding the initiative, had set a deadline of March 2023 for completion. Councils supporting it had said in consultation documents “it is anticipated that construction of the scheme will begin in spring 2022 for approximately 12 months”.

But North Yorkshire County Council, which is the lead partner on the scheme, said after yesterday’s meeting the Department for Transport had now advised the deadline could be extended into 2024.

A county council spokesman said:

“Although the Department for Transport set an initial completion date of March 2023, the department has advised that completion could extend into 2024.”

This could lead to longer-term disruption for businesses already concerned about the impact on trade, although the councils have said “we will aim to ensure all roads remain open to traffic at all times, and noise and other disturbance from the works will be minimised”.

What happens now with the gateway?

Cllr Don Mackenzie, executive councillor for access, has hailed the £10.9 million gateway initiative as the “greatest investment in decades” in Harrogate town centre.

Key proposals include reducing Station Parade to one lane and the part pedestrianisation of James Street to encourage more walking and cycling.

Yesterday, senior county councillors gave their backing for the scheme to move to detailed design stage and for a final business case to be drawn up.

The final case will be submitted to West Yorkshire Combined Authority, which administers the funding for the Harrogate, Skipton and Selby schemes, which together are worth £42 million.

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Council bosses said the business case could be submitted by May 2022.

They added work could start on the Harrogate project “later this year”. They had previously indicated work would be underway by spring or summer but now appear to less specific.

Impact on businesses

The council backed the scheme despite considerable opposition from businesses and residents groups.

David Simister, chief executive of Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce, told councillors that businesses had been “ignored” and that an economic impact study did not take into account the disruption on businesses.

He said:

“Does the economic impact study take into account the disruption delivering this Project will have on businesses already on their knees through to the ongoing impact of covid?”

Barrie Mason, assistant director of highways at the county council, responded to say officers were “reluctant” to make a final economic case while “designs were evolving”.

However, he added that the “foundation” of the council’s economic case had been shared with businesses and the public at a meeting organised by Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce in November 2021.

Mr Mason added:

“We delayed publishing a final economic case until after the consultation had been completed and any amendments could be taken into account.”

He went onto to say that the county council would “work closely with contractors” to minimise any disruption to the town centre by construction of the scheme.

Traffic and Travel Alert: Two miles of tailbacks around Killinghall

There are two miles of tailbacks around Killinghall this morning due to construction works on Ripon Road.

The works are into the third day and are due to finish on February 4. Northern Powergrid is laying cable for an electric vehicle charger outside the new Tesco Express.

Three-way traffic lights have been installed at the junction with Otley Road. Buses and lorries are unable to turn in and out of Otley Road from Ripon Road.

Traffic in Killinghall this morning.

The Stray Ferret has changed the way it offers Traffic and Travel alerts.

We will now notify you instantly through app notifications and flash tweets when there is an urgent alert. This could include heavy traffic, dangerous weather and long delays or cancellations of public transport.

The alerts are sponsored by The HACS Group.

Plan approved to demolish Harrogate social club for flats

Plans have been approved to demolish a Harrogate sports and social club to make way for 14 flats and a community facility.

The proposal by Mitre Residential LLP would see St George’s Sport and Social Club, on St George’s Road, flattened.

According to planning documents, it would be replaced by a three-storey building comprising of 14 two-bedroom flats and a replacement community facility, which would be used as a dance hall.

Harrogate Borough Council gave the go-ahead for the plan last week.

The site was previously used as a sport and social club, but more recently has been used by a dance club.

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The developer said in documents submitted to the council that the proposal would help to relieve pressure on greenfield sites for housing.

It said:

“The development will provide 14 two-bedroom flats and the new proposals will be in keeping with the style and type of housing surrounding the site. 

“The new hall will replace facilities that are no longer required but still provide a viable club for members who have shown an interest in maintaining the facilities.”

Harrogate Civic Society said in response to the application that it was pleased to see the community facility replaced as part of the plan.

It said:

“We are pleased to see a replacement facility, albeit much reduced in size. If this can provide the needs of all those that use the current building, then this is satisfactory.”