The group behind a petition against the Station Gateway proposals has criticised the councils responsible for “ploughing ahead” with the scheme despite what it called “inconclusive” consultation results.

Yesterday it was agreed that designs will be drawn up for the controversial £7.9m project, which could see the pedestrianisation of James Street and Station Parade reduced to one lane of traffic.

A public consultation on the plans this year found 45% of 1,101 respondents in favour of the full pedestrianisation of James Street; 32% said no changes should be made and 17% backed a partial pedestrianisation.

For Station Parade, 49% favoured an option to reduce traffic to one lane, while 27% said it should be retained as two lanes and 24% said neither option was workable.

North Yorkshire County Council and Harrogate Borough Council both support the project, which is being funded by the government’s Transforming Cities Fund.

It aims to make the area around the station more accessible and attractive, especially to pedestrians and cyclists.

But Anna McIntee, co-founder of the Harrogate Residents Association, which has amassed 800 Facebook members since it was formed three months ago, fiercely opposes the scheme.

Her group is behind a petition against the Station Gateway that has so far achieved over 500 signatures and one against the planters on James Street that has received over 800.

Ms McIntee said the results from the council’s consultation were ‘inconclusive’ because of the modest response and the fact that there was not overwhelming support for any proposal.

Just over 1,000 people, in a district with over 157,000 people, responded to the survey.

She told the Stray Ferret:

“Why aren’t they listening? There’s a lot of anger in the town and they are just ploughing ahead.

“This town has incredible people with incredible ideas. Is this the best we can come up with?”

“It will create a complete funnel neck of traffic.”

Read more:

• Explainer: Station Gateway Project

• Full steam ahead on Harrogate’s £7.9 million Station Gateway project

Speaking at a North Yorkshire County meeting yesterday, Cllr Don Mackenzie, executive member for access, said the council had listened to businesses.

He said:

“We have been lobbied quite strongly by the business community in Harrogate, of whom one or two members seem to think the gateway scheme is intended to make life more difficult for them. Those comments could not be further from the truth.

“The whole purpose behind the gateway scheme is to make all three of these town centres more attractive to visitors, especially those who want to come and spend money in our shops, restaurants and pubs.”

Traffic evaporation

Last week a report commissioned by the county council said in a “reasonable worst-case scenario” the Station Gateway plans could increase greenhouse gas emissions.

It said this was because reduced traffic flow in the area would force some drivers to take longer alternative routes.

However, it also said the council would refine the scheme to ensure it is environmentally friendly.

Rod Beardshall, transport lead at Zero Carbon Harrogate told the Stray Ferret he disputed this suggestion that traffic would increase elsewhere due to a phenomenon known as “traffic evaporation”.

He said:

“Essentially traffic is not a zero-sum game. It isn’t an inevitability that the same amount of traffic will exist independently of the road availability. The phenomenon of ‘induced traffic’ refers to the increase in traffic over and above what would otherwise have been predicted when new roads are built.

“Conversely ‘traffic evaporation’ is widely seen when road space is reduced. It is this latter phenomenon which will mitigate against increases in congestion elsewhere, and crucially, reduce overall traffic and therefore its environmental impact as people are incentivised to consider other travel options.

“It is always worth repeating that this doesn’t imply that all travellers will seek alternative means of transport and nor do they need to, but enough are likely to for the proposed changes to bring positive results. Those journeys where a car or a van is the only practical option will still be possible and won’t take significantly longer according to the report.”

With the designs due to go to consultation, the Station Parade battle looks set to continue for some time.

A coroner has opened an inquest into this month’s suspected murder-suicide at the DoubleTree by Hilton Harrogate Majestic Hotel.

The inquest yesterday heard how Chenise Gregory and Michael McGibbon, who were both aged 29, died in a room at the hotel on May 4. They were found at 10.20pm.

John Broadbridge, assistant coroner for North Yorkshire and York, told the inquest:

“Chenise Gregory and Michael McGibbon died on May 4. They were found unresponsive, having suffered evident stab wounds.

“This was opened in Northallerton and adjourned for a full inquest, which should be held within the next three months.”

The full inquest will investigate how the pair, from London, died and the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

North Yorkshire Police has said it believed Ms Gregory was murdered by Mr McGibbon, who then killed himself.

Read more:

• Majestic murder-suicide: What questions remain?
• Police confirm man and woman died at Harrogate’s Majestic

Devante Gravesande-Smith, a barrister from London who was a cousin of Ms Gregory, has described her as a “loving and caring person, whose smile would light up a room”.

He claimed she was “lured to her death at the hands of her controlling and manipulative ex-boyfriend”.

Druids Cricket Club, the historic Harrogate club founded in 1915, has appointed Garry Irvine as its president.

Mr Irvine is a former Druids captain as well as an outstanding rugby union player who captained Harrogate RUFC and represented an Anglo-Scots XV against the All Blacks.

His appointment follows the death of previous president Simon Corner, a much-respected figure in the Harrogate area.

Druids is a nomadic social cricket club that celebrated its centenary in 2015 with a match against the famous MCC.

Such is the club’s standing that it was invited to play Yorkshire as part of former England Test bowler Ryan Sidebottom’s testimonial year.

Mr Irvine said:

“It’s an enormous honour to be appointed president of this famous club, following in the footsteps of the legendary Simon Corner.

“I’m determined to carry on the great work that Simon and previous presidents have done over the past 100 years in maintaining the great traditions of fun and fair play that the Druids were founded upon.

“As a club, we’d also love to welcome new people to become part of this great Harrogate institution, whether as players or supporters.”

The club plays friendly fixtures against other social or local Harrogate clubs, usually on Sundays.

Players of all abilities and supporters are very welcome to join the Druids.

For more information, visit the club’s Facebook page or contact club secretary Mark Moorby at melmoorby@hotmail.com.

Read more:

• From Knaresborough’s Aspin estate to playing cricket for Yorkshire
• Phoebe Graham to promote women and girls at Harrogate Cricket Club

Harrogate Borough Council has apologised for wrongly sending letters to residents threatening them with court action for not paying council tax.

A Harrogate resident, who asked not to be named, alerted the Stray Ferret to the council letter dated May 21.

The letter asked for three months of council tax instalments and threatened a court summons, plus costs, if payment wasn’t received by Friday this week.

However, only two months of council tax, April and May, were due by that date, which meant the demand for June’s payment was made prematurely.

The source claimed the local authority’s council tax department had been “overrun with angry council taxpayers” who had received similar letters.

He described the episode as “an administrative cock-up”, adding:

“At a time when many people are struggling financially and being faced with a council tax increase above the rate of inflation, I wonder why Harrogate Borough Council didn’t check their facts more carefully before acting in such a heavy-handed way?

“Even if the figures were correct in the first place they should be showing more consideration towards people and trying to help rather than intimidate them.”

Read more:

• Harrogate council backs council tax hike

• True cost of livestreaming future council meetings revealed

A council spokesman said:

“Unfortunately, residents who receive council tax reminder notices, have this month been issued with the wrong payment figure. It incorrectly included the June instalment figure as well as May.

“Anyone who received this reminder notice will receive a replacement notice in the next couple of days. We’d like to apologise for any confusion or inconvenience this has caused.”

The Stray Ferret has asked how many people received the demand for June’s payment but the council has so far declined to reveal the information.

Public health bosses are to examine why North Yorkshire’s covid vaccine uptake is significantly above the national average.

They will use the findings to tackle concerns over declining uptake of other jabs, such as MMR and meningitis.

North Yorkshire County Council‘s director of public health Louise Wallace told a meeting of the council’s executive one focus would be on whether transport and the location of vaccination centres had made it easy for residents to access Pfizer and Astra-Zeneca vaccines used in the county.

She was speaking just two days after the authority announced it would close vaccination sites at Harrogate’s Great Yorkshire Showground and Ripon Racecourse in August, saying mobile vaccination units would help to target areas reporting a sudden surge in covid cases.

A report to the meeting stated some 64.98% of the county’s population, excluding children, have received at least one Covid-19 vaccine, compared to the average rate across England of 53.38%.

The council and the North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum have been providing logistical support around venues, transportation, volunteers and waste disposal for the vaccination programme, which is being overseen by the multi-agency North Yorkshire and York Vaccination Assurance Group, chaired by Ms Wallace.

The group aims to identify where there may be low levels in vaccine uptake and implement interventions to ensure equity in the vaccination rollout across North Yorkshire and York.

After hearing of the relatively high rate of covid vaccine uptake in the county,  the council’s Scrutiny of Health Committee chairman Councillor John Ennis asked whether officials would use the lessons learned as a springboard to tackle recognised low take-up rates of other vaccinations in the county, such as MMR.

The latest NHS digital figures, which were published in September 2019, show while coverage had continued to decline in all routine vaccinations across the country, North Yorkshire had a lower uptake than a number of its neighbours.

Read more:

• Total vaccine doses in Harrogate district near 170,000
• More than 100,000 people have first covid vaccine in Harrogate district

The county’s vaccination uptake rate for the two-dose MMR vaccine stood at 89% compared to 96% in County Durham and close to 95% in areas such as north Lincolnshire and Barnsley.

Medics have warned falling childhood immunisation rates risk a resurgence of deadly and life-changing diseases of the past. Public health experts have advised successful vaccination programmes need a “system-wide approach” saying services had become “fragmented” since changes were made to public health commissioning in 2012.

While Ms Wallace’s predecessor last year warned the county’s public health services were facing difficult choices due to cuts in Government funding, she told the meeting she would be prioritising vaccination programmes.

She said the authority had used its experiences from previous vaccination programmes, such as flu and MMR, to maximise coverage with the covid vaccine.

Ms Wallace said:

“We will be taking some of the lessons that we’ve learnt and looking at why this vaccination programme has got quite a high uptake overall

“We have got quite a lot of learning as to why people bought into this and we will be looking at why some people have vaccine hesitancy and try and myth-bust.”

Harrogate Town have been given permission by the English Football League to open an academy for budding professionals aged 16 to 18.

The club revealed today it had received a licence to operate a category four academy.

The academy will be led by former Knaresborough Town manager Paul Stansfield, supported by professional development phase coach Ross McKay.

Phil Priestley will act as goalkeeper coach and Josh Walsh as academy secretary. Lee Barraclough has been appointed head of recruitment.

Based at West Riding FA along with the current first team, the academy will compete in the EFL Youth Alliance North East, allowing regular competitive fixtures and a pathway through the ranks.

First team manager Simon Weaver said:

“This is a massive step in the right direction for the club in terms of fulfilling the vision of where we started and what we foresee being our future.

“Our under-19s, under-17s and under-19 Alliance teams will continue to run and compete in their respective leagues, alongside the newly established academy.”

Read more:

• Harrogate Town launches football academy
• Harrogate Town releases seven players

A residents group has said its faith in the planning system is being “severely tested” over the rush to approve a controversial 200-home development at the former Police Training Centre in Pannal Ash.

An HBC report recommends councillors approve the application on Yew Tree Lane by Homes England at next week’s planning committee.

It was due to be considered last month but was withdrawn from the agenda at short notice.

The withdrawal came after Harlow & Pannal Ash Residents Association said it had received both written and verbal assurances by Harrogate Borough Council officers the application would not be decided until a document known as the West of Harrogate Parameters Plan is agreed.

The parameters plan will assess transport and infrastructure needs associated with plans to build up to 4,000 homes on the western side of Harrogate. It was expected last year but has been delayed.

A HAPARA spokesman said:

“Although the council accept that the parameters plan is a ‘material consideration’ in this application, no definitive plan exists at this time so it is illogical, let alone bad faith, to bring this matter to a decision at this time.

“We cannot understand the rush to judgement on this application, considering the time normally taken for decisions on major developments. Our confidence in the council’s consultation process and indeed the Local Plan process itself, is being severely tested.

“We are writing to all members of the planning committee to urge them to defer the item to a later committee.”

Several residents who objected to the plans were not told about last month’s planning meeting and nobody from the group was invited to speak against the plans.

The council admitted it had made an error and withdrew the item on the agenda.

Read more:

• 200 homes in Pannal Ash set to be approved

• Football club’s fury at plans to axe Harrogate sports pitch for housing

The Police Training Centre site is earmarked for 161 homes in the council’s Local Plan, which outlines planning in the Harrogate district until 2035. It is called H36. The current application is for 200 homes.

A council spokesman said:

“Although there is no policy requirement for site H36 to prepare the WHPP or wait for its completion, the site is located within the geographical area of the WHPP. As such, work undertaken to date – including discussions with infrastructure providers – is a material consideration in the assessment of this new application on H36.

“Accordingly, the applicants have included provision of a segregated cycleway to link up with other west Harrogate sites and will be making transport improvements/contributions that take into consideration the impact of all of the sites within the west Harrogate area.

“Site H36 is a brownfield site with an extant permission (14/02970/FULMAJ) for 161 new homes and forms part of the council’s housing land supply position. Homes England acquired the site because it had stalled and they are seeking to unlock it as part of their housing delivery role.

“The current application has been with the council since June 2020 and full public consultation has been undertaken, with responses considered as part of the planning application process.

“Our position on the determination of the current application for site H36, in the context of the WHPP, has been explained directly to HAPARA and is set out within the report to members of the planning committee”.

Detailed designs for Harrogate’s controversial £7.9 million Station Gateway project are to be drawn up, it was agreed today.

Councillors voted to press ahead with the next stage of the scheme, which could see the pedestrianisation of James Street and Station Parade reduced to one lane of traffic,

The project, which aims to create a more attractive entrance to the town with greater priority for pedestrians and cyclists. is part of the government’s Transforming Cities Fund.

There are similar projects being run in Selby and Skipton but transport officials said Harrogate has proved the most contentious due to resistance from some businesses are worried about the impact on trade.

A recent public consultation, however, revealed public support for a town centre less dominated by cars.

A total of 45% of 1,101 respondents were in favour of the full pedestrianisation of James Street; 32% said no changes should be made and 17% backed a partial pedestrianisation.

For Station Parade, 49% favoured an option to reduce traffic to one lane, while 27% said it should be retained as two lanes and 24% said neither option was workable.

Speaking at today’s North Yorkshire County Council meeting, councillor Don Mackenzie, executive member for access, said:

“We have been lobbied quite strongly by the business community in Harrogate, of whom one or two members seem to think the gateway scheme is intended to make life more difficult for them. Those comments could not be further from the truth.

“The whole purpose behind the gateway scheme is to make all three of these town centres more attractive to visitors, especially those who want to come and spend money in our shops, restaurants and pubs.”

More detailed designs will now be completed before a business case is drawn up and a final decision is made.

A county council report said the impact on parking and traffic would be kept to a minimum, with just 45 out of 915 parking spaces lost.

The report also said reducing Station Parade to one lane would increase the average car journey time by 53 seconds, or by 1 minute 14 seconds with James Street fully pedestrianised.

Some businesses fear the removal of parking spaces and traffic lanes will mean busier roads and fewer shoppers.

Councillor Mackenzie added:

“In the past I have had concerns about the effect of one lane on Station Parade… but frankly, when I see the benefits that a one lane scheme can deliver, I believe that small additional extra time is well worth it.”

Read more:

• County council and Network Rail are working to find a way to protect the Nab bridge barrier on Harrogate Road
• Explainer: Station Gateway Project

Conservative councillor Michael Harrison, who represents the Lower Nidderdale and Bishop Monkton division, told today’s meeting it was important for the impact on traffic to be a key consideration when a final decision is made.

“This is not just about trying to persuade people to get out of the car – we have got to recognise that this area is a through-route as well.

“If there is a negative impact on travel times then we have got to acknowledge that, quantify it and make sure we have the road system working as efficiently as possible around the scheme.

“That is the right way forward and clearly we are going to do that.”

Further public consultation will now take place in autumn following the development of detailed designs and a business case.

If approved, construction could begin in summer 2022 with completion by March 2023.

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• Harrogate Hospital Radio takes to the air for 24-hour fundraising marathon

Work started this morning on a huge art installation on the Stray to commemorate NHS staff and care workers and those who have lost their lives through coronavirus.

The piece, called In Memoriam, is set to be complete for its official opening on Friday.

Volunteers are using red and white flags to assess where the various pieces will go, close to the centre of West Park Stray.

Award-winning artist Luke Jerram designed the exhibit, which will be on the Stray until June 7. It will then be moved to Edinburgh, Fleetwood and Weston-super-Mare.

Ben Osborne (left), on behalf of the artist Luke Jerram, and Adam Long, on behalf of Harrogate International Festivals.

In Memoriam measures 36 metres in diameter and features more than 100 flags made from hospital bed sheets arranged in the form of a medical symbol.

This is the first in a series of installations and events delivered in the months ahead by Harrogate International Festivals, which this year celebrates its 55th anniversary.

How the artwork will look on Friday.

Sharon Canavar, Harrogate International Festivals chief executive, said

“Two years ago, we were lucky enough to bring Luke’s Museum of the Moon to St Wilfrid’s Church, which was one of the highlights of that summer’s international festival, and was visited by more than 10,000 people.

“As an arts charity delivering festivals and events, we were first to close and will be the last to open, but we can’t just open the doors on our venues and go straight back to normal.

“We wanted to create something unique in Harrogate that acknowledged the last year whilst allowing us to create a safe, outdoor event for the town.

“We don’t want people to just look at In Memoriam from afar, we want people to experience it; we want individuals, families and friends to walk into the heart of it; we want them to sit under the flags and quietly reflect the events of the last 15 months.”

In Memoriam is being supported by Hornbeam Park, Harrogate BID, and Swainsons Funeral Directors.