Organiser hails success of first event for Harrogate district climate festival

With therapy sheep, a passive house and plenty of environmental experts on hand – the organiser of the first event as part of the Harrogate district Climate Action Festival has hailed its success.

The three-week festival, which encourages local people to reduce climate damage, kicked off with an exhibition at Harrogate College on Hornbeam Park today.

More than 30 exhibitors were at the free event between 10am and 4pm with demonstrations, live music as well as vegetarian and vegan food.

Holly Hansen-Maughan, partnerships and development lead at the college, told the Stray Ferret:

“We have been extremely busy, people have been coming through the doors since the moment we opened despite the weather.

“The people attending have given us some fantastic feedback and our speakers were great, we hope it enourages people to take action.”

Step inside Pure Haus.

One of the big attractions at the event was a passive house, which Pure Haus built on site for the event. Kevin Pratt, a co-director at Pure Haus, also said:

“Our goal is to revolutionise the way houses are built in the region. There’s a lot of versatility with what we produce, I am really glad that we’re here today.

“There are a lot of misconceptions. There is a slight premium to the material but you get that back.”

On your bike!

Heather and John Rowe, who set up Resurrection Bikes, were on hand to fix up bikes and show off a specially-made cargo bike.

Mrs Rowe told the Stray Ferret:

“We have got this bike because lots of people go to the supermarket and make fairly short trips for a small amount of shopping and that is really bad for the environment.

“It’s bad for people’s health and for people’s wallets, especially with the petrol crisis. So if you have a cargo bike you can use pedal power to get to the shop.”

Tickets please!

Dale French, who was showing off an electric bus on behalf of Transdev and the Harrogate Bus Company. He said:

“I am here to show off our existing electric buses and also to say that we are investing in more electric buses, we want to electrify our Harrogate fleet.

“So this is step one in Harrogate. Then we need to start electrifying Leeds, Knaresborough and more.”

Meet Tiny and Dave.

Cath Wilson, who runs Corn Close Care Farm near Pateley Bridge, brought two sheep called Dave and Tiny to the event. She added:

“We have brought the sheep here today because they are part of our management of wildflower meadows, they graze the land and a byproduct is wool.

“Farming has earned a bit of a bad reputation with the environment. I think because we are small it’s easy for us to be sustainable.”

Is Harrogate’s Cold Bath Road getting busier?

The debate over whether walking and cycling schemes push traffic elsewhere in Harrogate has intensified over the last 12 months.

North Yorkshire County Council has implemented road closures, introduced a low traffic neighbourhood on Beech Grove and started work on a multi-million pound cycle route on Otley Road.

All of this is part of a push to get people out of their cars and on foot or to pick up a bike, the council says.

But some of the measures, such as Beech Grove, have proved contentious and led to petitions calling for them to be removed.

One of the most frequent criticisms of the county council is that these measures push traffic elsewhere.

This week, the Stray Ferret was told that the council’s cycling agenda has led to traffic building up on Cold Bath Road and made it unsafe for schoolchildren.

‘It’s no busier’

The closure of through traffic on Beech Grove is designed to link with the upcoming Otley Road cycle route, which started construction on its first phase this month.

According to the county council’s own figures, around three cyclists an hour use the LTN. However, campaigners argue that it is much more than that.

Some have gone as far as to sit on Beech Grove counting cyclists passing through themselves and reported 17 within an hour.

Valley Drive, which is closed to traffic from Cold Bath Road.

Valley Drive, which is closed to traffic from Cold Bath Road.

But critics say the by-product of the measure is the shifting of traffic elsewhere, namely onto Cold Bath Road.

The Stray Ferret went out to the road to check if it was busier.

Traffic built up at drop off and pick up times outside Western Primary School, nearby independent businesses and residential areas.

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Cars pulled into nearby streets as children waited patiently on the corner and other drivers tried to the negotiate the newly closed Valley Drive, which no longer allows entry from Cold Bath Road.

However, one business owner told the Stray Ferret that it was “not busier than usual” and it would have been noticeable had it been.

The sentiment, though, is not echoed by Western Primary School headteacher, Tim Broad.

Tim Broad is the headteacher of Western Primary School.

Mr Broad told the Stray Ferret that the road was busier due to Beech Grove and the Otley Road construction.

He said:

“I don’t feel that our children are as vulnerable now since the covid guidance has changed and we are no longer using our playground gate as an exit. 

“Drop off and collection are safer in that respect but obviously the busier the road, the bigger the threat to children.”

‘No increase’ in traffic, says highways boss

Much of the criticism for the introduction of these schemes comes back to the inbox of Cllr Don Mackenzie, executive county councillor for highways.

As is the case with politics, someone has to be accountable for proposals which affect peoples’ lives.

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Cllr Mackenzie has faced down emails and petitions from residents who no longer want the LTN because they say it makes Harrogate busier for traffic.

We put the concerns to Cllr Mackenzie over the increase in traffic on Cold Bath Road.

But, he said the authority had not seen any issues with traffic as a result of the measures brought in. Cllr Mackenzie said the highways department monitored traffic regularly.

Cllr Mackenzie said:

“Cold Bath Road is a very busy road and there is a lot going on there. We are mounting the traffic levels and we are seeing no increase.”

He added that a report on consultation responses into Beech Grove over the last six months is due to be published “in the coming weeks”.

Harrogate council criticised for approving Pannal “skyscraper”

Harrogate’s MP and residents have criticised the borough council for its “mistake” in approving plans for a controversial apartment block without a vote from councillors.

The plans to demolish the derelict Dunlopillo office building in Pannal to make way for a six-storey apartment block were this week approved at officer level and under rules called permitted development rights despite calls for an emergency meeting.

The decision not to call members of Harrogate Borough Council’s planning committee together for a vote has been criticised as “very wrong”.

However, the council has hit back saying it must follow rules under permitted development rights and that the calls for an emergency meeting were made too late.

A council spokesperson said:

“Proposals received under permitted development are different to applications made to us under the Planning Act.

“We receive notification from the developer and then have 56 days to check the submission and assess it. If we do not determine the application within 56 days, the proposal is deemed to have been given consent.

“In this instance, the request to consider the application was made too close to the target date to enable an emergency planning committee meeting to be arranged.”

Permitted development rights were introduced by the government to fast-track the conversion of empty buildings into homes. However, there have been criticisms over how much of a say residents and councillors have in the process.

Harrogate MP Andrew Jones previously said the Dunlopillo plans should not have been lodged under these rules and has now criticised the council for its “mistake” in approving the development in this way.

He said:

“Over the past eleven years as our area’s MP I have been extremely supportive of our local councils. I do think though in this instance the council has made a mistake in not putting this application before planning committee.

“The outcome may well have been the same; it may not.  That is not a matter for me but for elected members.

“It would though have given council officers the opportunity to demonstrate to councillors and the public the reasoning behind the decision they made.

“Whatever the outcome, surely this would have been a better way to deal with this particular application?”

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The plans from Otley-based Quattro Property Group include 48 flats for the Station Road site which has sat empty since Dunlopillo – which made pillows and mattresses – moved out in 2008.

The apartments will be split into two blocks – one with four storeys and another with six – and residents are fearful that the development will have a major visual impact on the area which has no other buildings of this type.

Resident Anne Smith said:

“We are going to be stuck with this skyscraper-type building. I honestly don’t know what Harrogate Borough Council are doing because there has been a lot of opposition to this.

“It would have been far fairer for the plans to have gone before councillors.

“We are extremely disappointed that this didn’t happen – this is all very wrong.”

Speculation Harrogate council leader will not seek re-election in 2022

Sources have told the Stray Ferret that Harrogate Borough Council leader Richard Cooper will stand down as a councillor next year and leave local government.

Multiple senior political figures have reported to us that the Conservative, who has been council leader since 2014, will not seek re-election when the Harrogate district next goes to the polls in May 2022.

He is expected to continue in his role as office manager for the Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, Andrew Jones.

With Harrogate Borough Council and North Yorkshire County Council set to be abolished and replaced by a new single authority for North Yorkshire, the number of councillors in the Harrogate district is likely to be halved from 40 to 20.

Cllr Cooper, who represents Harrogate Central, has been on Harrogate Borough Council since 1999.

In 2013, he was also elected to represent Harrogate Central on North Yorkshire County Council.

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Cllr Cooper has been at the helm during the borough council’s move from Crescent Gardens to the Civic Centre, the development of the Harrogate district Local Plan, which outlines where development can take place in the district, the staging of the 2019 UCI Road World Championships in Harrogate and proposals for a £47m redevelopment of Harrogate Convention Centre.

The Stray Ferret asked Cllr Cooper if he would like to comment on the speculation but he asked us to direct the inquiry to the Harrogate Borough Council press office.

However, the press office said it would not comment because it was a political matter for the Harrogate and Knaresborough Conservative Party.

Two men in Harrogate court after huge cannabis seizure

Two men appeared at Harrogate Magistrates Court today on drugs charges after police stopped a car filled with cannabis on the A1.

North Yorkshire Police said in a statement today that officers stopped a vehicle on the southbound carriageway of the A1(M) just before Wetherby at about 2pm yesterday. They were acting on information received.

Traffic officers and other specialist departments found large quantities of what is believed to be cannabis, class B drug, inside the vehicle.

The police statement said:

“Whilst searching the vehicle on the roadside, a very large quantity of what is suspected to be a class B drug, believed to be cannabis, was found inside the vehicle.

“Two men were arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply.

“Further detailed searches were carried out at an address in West Yorkshire.

“A man in his 30s from Leeds and a man in his 40s of no fixed address were remanded in custody and today appeared before magistrates in Harrogate.”

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Free event kicks off three-week Harrogate district climate festival

A free six-hour event on Hornbeam Park tomorrow will kick-off the first ever Harrogate district Climate Action Festival.

The three-week festival, which encourages local people to reduce climate damage, is being held in the run-up to the COP26 global climate change conference in Glasgow .

Thirty-two exhibitors will be at Harrogate College from 10am to 4pm for a day of demonstrations, discussions and activities. There will be live music on two stages, as well as vegetarian and vegan food.

Visitors can drop in whenever they like and see a model, energy efficient passive house that has been built on site and learn about how their homes and businesses can become more environmentally friendly.

Holly Hansen-Maughan, partnerships and development lead at the college, said the event would be a family-friendly way of engaging people in climate action.

She added there were plans for the festival to become an annual event.

The festival will be launched by the Mayor of Harrogate and there will also be speeches by Andy Shepherd, professor of earth observation at the University of Leeds and Andrew Jones, the Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough.

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Your chance to learn barbershop singing in Harrogate

Harrogate Harmony Barbershop Chorus is inviting complete novices to learn to sing.

The group is holding five weekly lessons for £10 aimed at newcomers and people who have not sung for a long time. Men of all ages are welcome.

The lessons start on October 20 and will be held at the choir’s new venue, St. Peter’s Church in Harrogate.

Greg Tunesi, a member of Harrogate Harmony, said:

“Being part of an ensemble, creating a harmony in music and in friendship is good fun, relaxed and informal. When you sing well amongst 16 to 18 other men, it’s an amazing feeling and produces a beautiful sound.”

“Those attending will have singing in four-part harmony explained and demonstrated to them. They will then be guided as to which voice part, tenor, lead, baritone or bass best suits their voice”

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Mr Tunesi emphasised that no experience is needed, nor is it necessary to read music.

Harrogate Harmony has performed regularly at the Valley Gardens since the 1940s to the present day.

Harrogate Harmony members are accompanied by a ukulele when it performs at clubs, societies, and care homes.

The group is open to men of all ages, with yearly membership costing £100.

For more information contact Harold Blackburn on 07949267344 or at haroldblackburn2@outlook.com

Live: Harrogate district traffic and travel

Good morning to you and happy Friday and welcome back once again to the traffic and travel blog. It’s Leah with you once again today.

Give me a call on 01423 276197 or get in touch on social media if you spot anything on the roads or are waiting for a delayed bus or train.

The morning blogs are brought to you by The HACS Group.

9am – Full Update 

That is it from me this morning. I will be back with updates on Monday. Have a lovely weekend.

Roads

Traffic is starting to build in the Harrogate district. Drivers heading to York from Harrogate should watch out for temporary lights at Kirk Hammerton.

Traffic Hotspots:

Traffic is building here:

Road closures:

Temporary lights:

Trains

Buses

8.30am – Full Update 

Roads

Traffic is starting to build in the Harrogate district. However drivers heading to York from Harrogate should watch out for temporary lights at Kirk Hammerton.

Traffic Hotspots:

Traffic is building here:

Road closures:

Temporary lights:

Trains

Buses

8am – Full Update 

Roads

Traffic is starting to build in the Harrogate district. However drivers heading to York from Harrogate should watch out for temporary lights at Kirk Hammerton.

Traffic Hotspots:

Traffic is building here:

Road closures:

Temporary lights:

Trains

Buses

7.30am – Full Update 

Roads

Traffic is starting to build in the Harrogate district. However drivers heading to York from Harrogate should watch out for temporary lights at Kirk Hammerton.

Traffic is building here:

Road closures:

Temporary lights:

Trains

Buses

7am – Full Update 

Roads

No issues on the roads in the Harrogate district just yet. However drivers heading to York from Harrogate should watch out for temporary lights at Kirk Hammerton.

Road closures:

Temporary lights:

Trains

Buses

6:30am – Full Update 

Roads

No issues on the roads in the Harrogate district just yet. However drivers heading to York from Harrogate should watch out for temporary lights at Kirk Hammerton.

Road closures:

  • Kingsley Drive, Starbeck – road closure
  • Albany Avenue, Bilton – road closure
  • Savage Yard, Knaresborough, across from The Crown Inn – road closure
  • Copgrove Road, Burton Leonard – road closure
  • Market Place West, Ripon – road closure
  • B6265 Bishopton to Eavestone – road closure. Diversions through Ripon, Glasshouses and Ripley
  • Westerns Lane, Markington – road closure
  • Clockhill Field Lane, Whixley- road closure

Temporary lights:

  • Leadhall Lane in Rossett Green
  • Ripon Road in Harrogate, near McCarthy’s Storage World
  • Green Lane at the junction with Rossett Avenue
  • Otley Road around the junctions for Cold Bath Road and Harlow Moor Road
  • Ripon Road near Co-op petrol station
  • Hollins Lane, Hampsthwaite
  • Thistle Hill, Knaresborough
  • Boroughbridge Road, near Kia Garage
  • Bondgate Green, Ripon

Trains

  • All trains on Harrogate, Knaresborough, Leeds and York lines running on time

Buses

  • Harrogate Bus Company is running a reduced timetable due to driver availability. The 36 bus will run every 30 mins between Harrogate & Ripon, and every 15 mins between Harrogate & Leeds.
Granby Farm 95 homes move closer as developer buys land

The construction of 95 homes on Granby Farm has moved a step closer after a housing developer bought the land.

Richborough Estates had worked with developer Redrow Homes to apply for planning permission from Harrogate Borough Council.

The council approved the plans in April 2021 despite complaints from residents that it would result in the loss of the last remaining link between the Stray and countryside.

It also faced complaints from residents of Redrow’s Devonshire Gardens who did not appreciate how the plans would see a street built over park Pickering Gardens.

Now it has permission, Redrow Homes has officially bought the 10.1 acre land from Richborough Estates.

The Stray Ferret asked both Redrow Homes and Richborough Estates how much the land was bought for but we received no reply by the time of writing.

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The plans for 95 homes will include a mixture of one, two, three and four-bedroom properties.

Workers have already started preparing the land for the development, which is to be known as Granby Meadows.

Jonathan Bloor, managing director of Richborough Estates’ Western Division, said:

“We’re delighted to have completed this sale to Redrow just months after they purchased our 18-acre residential site at nearby Kingsley Road.

“I’d like to congratulate our team for their huge commitment in bringing forward this former grazing paddock as a prime site for much-needed new homes.

“The project began in 2015 and has involved input from our planning, design and technical divisions as well as extensive stakeholder discussion and consultation.

“We’re now really looking forward to see construction getting underway and the new homes coming to life.”

John Handley, managing director of Redrow Yorkshire, said

“Redrow is delighted to have completed the purchase of this fantastic site in the heart of Harrogate, continuing our commitment to delivering high quality new homes in the town.

“We hope to have the first homes on sale off-plan early next year, closely followed by the first of the 146 homes planned for Kingsley Road.

Murderer’s ex-partner sentenced for stealing from Harrogate victim

The ex-partner of a convicted murderer has been sentenced after helping him steal £3,500 from his victim.

Dale Tarbox, 51, was jailed for 16 years after he murdered Harrogate woman Susan Howells in 2019.

A police investigation started in August 2019 when Susan, who was 51, was reported missing.

On Tuesday, Tarbox’s then partner Joan Arnold, 64, admitted theft at Bradford Crown Court.

The court heard how Arnold used Ms Howells’ bank card on numerous occasions after her murder.

Arnold was sentenced to an eight months jail term suspended for one year.

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She was also given 25 days Rehabilitation Activity Requirement to be completed, an electronically monitored curfew between the hours of 9pm and 7am for six months and ordered to pay a victims surcharge of £149.

The sentencing follows the imprisonment of Tarbox in December last year at Leeds Crown Court.

Tarbox, of Independent Street, Little Horton, was arrested in September 2019 in Doncaster and charged with the murder of Ms Howells at his home address in Bradford.

Dale Tarbox was jailed for 16 years for the murder of Susan Howells.

Dale Tarbox was jailed for 16 years for the murder of Susan Howells.

Police enquiries led officers to a caravan park when Tarbox was living. A few days later the police found human remains.

Further investigations led to the arrest of Keith Wadsworth, who was convicted of assisting an offender in preventing lawful burial.

Tarbox was jailed for 16 years for Susan’s murder and given two years to run concurrently in preventing her lawful burial.

Wadsworth, 61, from Doncaster, was sentenced to three years and seven months for assisting an offender in preventing a lawful burial.