Harrogate district residents are being urged to report empty homes as new figures show some progress has been made on the problem which is contributing to the housing crisis.

Harrogate Borough Council has faced calls to take greater action to bring empty homes back into use at a time when around 1,800 households remain stuck on the social housing waiting list due to a “desperate” lack of affordable properties.

Figures now show some progress has been made, with the number of homes empty for more than two years falling from 228 in 2019 to 205 this week.

There is still much ground to be made, but the council said the figures show it is taking positive action.

Cllr Mike Chambers, cabinet member for housing and safer communities, is now asking more property owners to bring their empty homes back into use as he also urged residents to report any cases to the council as part of a national week of action.

He said:

“We want to work with property owners who, for whatever reason, have an empty property that could be better used to provide a home for local people.

“There are options available, including the empty homes loan or rent bond scheme to carry out repairs or improvement works and bring them back into use.

“I’d urge anyone who is interested to get in touch.”

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Other figures show the number of Harrogate district homes empty for more than six months has also fallen from 838 in 2019 to 758 this week.

‘We can’t afford to waste properties’

This comes at a time when campaign group Action on Empty Homes says the nation has seen a “massive rise” in cases as it also calls for councils to be given greater powers “to act where owners and landlords won’t or can’t”.

The campaign group said:

“We believe that we cannot afford to waste such properties.

“In England 100,000 families are trapped in often poor quality, insecure temporary accommodation, which does not meet the standards that are required of the permanent, secure, social housing these families are entitled to.”

There are numerous reasons why properties can lie empty. In some instances, landlords cannot afford to renovate their property to sell or rent out.

Properties may also have been inherited and the new owners don’t know what to do with them.

Loan scheme

Harrogate Borough Council last year launched a loan scheme to help property owners carry out repairs. The loan is for anyone who does not have the money to carry out repairs to a property which has been empty for more than six months.

In what is described as a “last resort”, the council also has powers to carry compulsory purchase orders (CPOs) where efforts to bring empty homes back into use have failed and legal action is taken against landlords.

Just two CPOs were carried out in 2020/21 and the local Liberal Democrats previously said a stricter approach should be taken.

But councillor Chambers said the Conservative-run council would rather work with property owners rather than take legal action against them.

He said:

“When we have exhausted all options, we will look to make a compulsory purchase order to bring empty homes back into use.

“But we would much prefer working with property owners and highlight the options available to them.”

Councillor Chambers also said there are often empty properties which the council is unaware of, and he urged residents to report cases to the council’s empty homes officer.

Marina Godwin has spoke of heartbreak and anguish for her family in Ukraine.

Mrs Godwin, who has lived in England for eight years, works as a care team leader at Vida Grange care home in Pannal.

The 38-year-old said she is “frightened” for her parents, sister, brother-in-law and extended family in the country.

Most of her family live near the town of Myrhorod in the Poltava region in central Ukraine. Myrhorod is home to a military base and has been heavily bombed.

Mrs Godwin said her family are safe but their proximity to the areas being bombed is a huge concern. She said:

“I’m incredibly terrified for my family. They just don’t know what to do. my sister said they can’t eat, of course when you’re worried and anxious of course you can’t eat.

“They have tried to get to my grandma nearby but can’t, there are just no forms of transport.”

Marina Godwin

Her sister lives further north in Kharkiv which borders with Russia. Mrs Godwin said her and her husband are sleeping on the floor in fear of missiles getting through the windows of their home.

Mrs Godwin said a shortage of fuel, cash and transport means many people are struggling to escape to safety. She’s heard from friends that there are hundreds of people attempting to find refuge in Western Ukraine.

Mrs Godwin and her husband Brian used to live in Harrogate and now live in North Leeds.

The 38-year-old has called on western leaders to act,. She appealed for them to help her home country:

“It’s difficult to imagine this can happen in the 21st century in the middle of Europe.

“I know the UK, US and many European countries have put sanctions in place. I think it would be good to supply Ukraine with better weapons, maybe European countries could help to fight but at the same time i understand it’s a dangerous situation globally and could trigger a global war.”

Mrs Godwin is also studying to be a mental health nurse at Leeds Beckett University, she said she feels “helpless” that all she can offer is support over the phone.

She hasn’t been home since July 2019 due to the pandemic, but is hopeful to be able to visit her family this year.

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The invasion has worsened overnight with Russian forces now occupying Chernobyl and continuing to perform missile strikes on towns and cities across Ukraine.

When watching President Putin’s interviews on TV, Mrs Godwin said:

“Why would someone want to find a ridiculous excuse to invade a neighbour country? I know there are reasons but it doesn’t justify a war.

“There should not be any single person killed, the war should not be happening, In my opinion there is always room for negotiation.”

She has also called on Western leaders to aid those trying to escape to safety in nearby countries by making immigration rules simpler.

Despite her desperate concern for her family, Mrs Godwin is also hopeful for the future:

“Life will go on, it will definitely go on.”

Killinghall, the large village near Harrogate with little to offer visitors, is having a moment.

A Tesco Express opened today on the site of the former Three Horseshoes pub on Ripon Road. Tomorrow, an 80-seat cafe offering food cooked by a Michelin-starred chef will open a short stroll down the road at Daleside Nurseries.

On April 8, the Old Spring Well at the other end of the village will re-open as The Curious Cow of Harrogate, promising a high-end dining experience.

Finally it seems people may have a reason to visit Killinghall other than to view new houses.

Large plants grown in hothouses are a prominent design feature.

Plants to buy and eat

The creation of Paradise Cafe has particularly caught the imagination because it fuses two successful local businesses on one site.

Daleside Nurseries has been operating in the village since 1958; Frances Atkins, Roger Olive and John Tullett forged a formidable reputation for food 20 years ago at the Yorke Arms at Ramsgill, where Ms Atkins became the first British female chef to win a Michelin star in 2003.

For 18 months the trio operated out of a van in the Daleside car park, which seemed as incongruous as seeing Ronaldo having a kickabout on The Stray.

But finally the long-planned 80-seat cafe is ready to welcome its first customers.

Situated at the rear of the nursery, the cafe has a light and airy modern feel, with large plants grown in hothouses liberally dotted around. The plants, like the art on the walls, are for sale.

The chef’s table at Paradise Cafe.

The cafe will open from 9am to 5pm six days a week and on Friday evenings.

An outdoor area overlooking the lake outside the café is due to open later this year, catering for another 80 people.

Main courses from £14 to £20

On arrival, diners are able to sit at the chef’s table directly opposite the kitchen and watch the food being prepared.

As for the menu, it includes several small plates for starters, main courses, sandwiches made with home-made bread, pastries and pudding.

Main courses include limed and ginger seared scallops, Swiss potato cake, artichoke and apple for £14, crispy duck pancake, crunchy greens and red orange gel for £15 and dry-aged Yorkshire beef steak, baked stuffed garlic potato, crisp leaf and aubergine relish for £20.

A scallops dish

Ms Atkins says the menu will change frequently but the idea is to combine plant-based food with produce from local farmers. Local cheeses will be sold at a later date.

“This is what we perceive as being healthy food, full of flavour, made with great ingredients.

“We want people to be relaxed. It’s not about how great we are. It’s about how great the food is.”

Chefs Frances Atkins and Roger Olive in the kitchen.

Stuart Townsend, managing director of Daleside, said this was the biggest improvement in Daleside’s 64-year history.

“It broadens our offering. I love growing good quality plants and Frances and her team enjoy serving good quality food so it seems the perfect fit.

“People expect more from nurseries and garden centres these days. We want to grow top quality plants and we want to sell top quality food.”

A man has been arrested after police found bags of drugs, 10 knives and a sword at a house in Harrogate yesterday evening.

Police were called to reports of a man threatening a woman in the Skipton Road area and officers detained a man in his 40s at the scene.

He was arrested and searched, and officers found bags of white powder, which is believed to be cocaine, two knives and a quantity of cash in the suspect’s possession.

This led to a further search of his house in the Skipton Road area of Harrogate, where further items were discovered including:

• More bags of what are believed to be Class A drugs
• Ten knives, including flick knives
• A sword
• A large amount of what is believed to be cannabis
• Drugs paraphernalia including digital scales

The items were seized and the suspected drugs have been sent for analysis.

The man was arrested on suspicion of drug, weapon and public order offences and remains in custody today while enquiries continue.

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Plans have been lodged to convert the former William Hill bookmakers in Harrogate town centre into a pharmacy and retail unit.

The Pharmacy Group has submitted a planning application to Harrogate Borough Council to convert the boarded-up unit on the town’s Beulah Street.

It would see the bookies, which has been closed for some time, converted into a shop and the unit facing Station Parade into a pharmacy.

Office space will also be created in the space above the pharmacy.

The view from Station Parade.

The Pharmacy Group is a third generation family-owned business with 30 NHS community pharmacies across Yorkshire. They include Harrogate Pharmacy on Haywra Crescent.

The developer said in documents submitted to the council that the proposal would bring “positive benefits” to the area.

It said:

“The change of use from turf accountants to retail and offices and the proposed redevelopment of the site will bring positive benefits to the area by maintaining, enhancing and giving new life to a key property on both Beulah Street and Station Parade.”

Harrogate Borough Council will make a decision on the plan at a later date.

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To mark International Women’s Day next month, free tours will take place at Stonefall Cemetery that put a spotlight on six female war casualties who are commemorated there.

The tours have been organised by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) and will take place on March 5,6 and 8.

Visitors will be able to learn more about local women who served in the Auxiliary Territorial Service and the Territorial Army Nursing Service.

One of the women, Sister Florrie Prest from Bilton, served at Dunkirk and in Africa and also on hospital ships in the Atlantic and Mediterranean.

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During the Second World War almost 1,000 service personnel were buried at Stonefall Cemetery. Many of them came from across the Commonwealth. There will also be tours from March 12-14 to mark Commonwealth Day.

These include two brothers serving in the Royal Canadian Air Force who died just a few months apart as well as a descendent of the last King of Fiji.

Elizabeth Smith, public engagement coordinator for the North East of England, said:

“The themed guided tours at Stonefall Cemetery will give local people a chance to reconnect with their history, to learn about the work of the CWGC, and discover the remarkable stories of the men and women who are buried in their community.”

To book on the free tours visit https://www.cwgc.org/our-war-graves-your-history/what-s-happening-near-you/

For more information please contact: Elizabeth Smith on elizabeth.smith@cwgc.org

Harrogate hospital managers warned yesterday that “high numbers of very sick patients” is causing long waiting times.

They added that people with less urgent issues are experiencing long waits.

The news comes weeks after Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust reported that it had reached maximum bed capacity at the start of February due to covid and winter pressures.

In a post on its social media, the trust urged people to call the NHS on 111 unless they had a life-threatening or severe illness or injury.

It said:

“During this week at Harrogate District Hospital we are experiencing high numbers of very sick patients, and due to this the hospital is very full. As a result, patients with less urgent issues may experience longer waiting times than usual.

“This isn’t ideal and we will endeavour to keep waiting times as short as possible. We know that patients can be in pain, stressed or scared, and our dedicated team with do everything they can to help.

“Your health is our utmost priority and all we ask for in return is our staff are treated respectfully and do not have to face verbal or physical abuse as they try to do their job.

“Unless you have a life-threatening or severe illness or injury, we would ask you to contact NHS 111 first.”

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The owner of a family-run nursery chain, which is set to launch a new setting in Harrogate, says he is preparing to “get stung” by rising energy prices.

Matthew Dawson, director of Children’s Corner Childcare, said he had already seen a significant rise in energy bills at his six Leeds nurseries over the last 18 months – including almost double in some cases.

The nursery is set to open a branch at Central House, on Otley Road, in April, when the price hike is introduced.

Mr Dawson said:

“We have several utilities contracts due to run out in the coming months and as such are likely to get stung by the ever increasing costs of keeping our buildings warm.

“This is especially important when looking after young children as we do and not something where corners can be cut.

“Our newest site in Harrogate has a number of obstacles in terms of its energy efficiency which are going to have to be addressed.”

Mr Dawson said the nursery was going to have “the most energy efficient heating system we could find” installed to help mitigate rising costs, as well as investing in insulating the building further.

He added:

“This will not only reduce our ongoing energy bills, but also to reduce our environmental impact as well.

“This will come at a significant cost to the business at a time when margins are squeezed ever tighter by other increasing extraneous costs.”

£80 a month more to pay

For Knaresborough family-of-three, the Hobsons, the energy bills are set to go up by at least £80 per month.

Regional sales director Mike Hobson, who lives with his wife Hannah and their eight-year-old daughter Grace, said:

“This isn’t sustainable and it is now eating into other areas of living costs, especially with all the extra expenditure at the moment, including inflation.

“We were paying £160 a month and we are now paying £240 – for a family-of-three, that’s an extra £1,000 a year.”

From left to right, Grace, Hannah and Mike Hobson, from Knaresborough.

However, the price hike is not just set to hit families and homeowners, with the majority of residents across the Harrogate district set to feel the pinch.

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Catherine Aletta, a junior digital designer at Cloud Nine, which is based at Hornbeam Park, rents a two-bedroom flat near Harrogate town centre with her partner.

She said:

“Energy prices are already a big chunk of monthly outgoings. As prices are set to rise even further, we are both concerned that it will have a big impact on us. The monthly bills are already a consideration to our lifestyle and if they do go up, we will have to start looking at how we possibly cut back on other things.

“We are both very conscious of our energy consumption and do our best to reduce our usage to keep the monthly bills manageable. We use the timer to restrict the amount of time the heating is on, we turn off lights as we leave rooms and make sure we don’t leave the TV on when we are not watching it.

“We have lived in our apartment for six months and we have noticed that the prices have already gone up. Obviously we have had the heating on quite a lot in recent months due to the cold weather, but it is a concern for next winter. If the prices go up even further, we will start to struggle.”

Catherine Aletta.

The price rise comes after the energy regulator, Ofgem, lifted the maximum rate that suppliers can charge for an average duel-fuel energy tariff by £693 — an increase of 54 per cent.

This is to reflect the fourfold increase in energy market prices over the last year.

Plans have been submitted to convert a Victorian guest house in Harrogate into a family home.

The Alexa House on Ripon Road was sold last year for an undisclosed sum by former owner Sandra Doherty.

Mrs Doherty, who owned the property for 15 years, sold the bed and breakfast after she stepped down as chief executive of Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce to retire to Northumberland.

She had previously had an application to convert the guest house into seven apartments rejected in January 2021 after Harrogate Borough Council said it would not “contribute to local distinctiveness”.

Now a fresh proposal has been tabled to the council to convert the guest house into a family home.

Read more:

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The application by the Architect Design Studio Ltd on behalf of Laura Harvey includes converting the outbuildings at the property into a garage and workshop area and reducing the size of the car park.

Harrogate Borough Council will make a decision on the proposal at a later date.

Alexa House was built in 1896 by the renowned art collector Baron Conrad Adolphus du Bois de Ferrieres.

It was built as a hunting lodge for its London-based owners to spend time enjoying Harrogate’s spa waters and riding in the nearby countryside.

Plans have been approved to build another 800 sq metre unit at an industrial park on the outskirts of Harrogate.

Harrogate Borough Council has given permission to Teakwood Investments to expand Harrogate West Business Park, which is situated at the junction of Burley Bank Road and Pennypot Lane, opposite the Army Foundation College.

Planning permission was first granted to build the site in 2020. Construction is currently underway and ventilation firm EnviroVent is set to base its headquarters there.

Another 11 units have also been granted planning permission since then.

A council report says:

“The development of Harrogate West Business Park will significantly support Harrogate district’s sustainable economic growth and covid recovery.”

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