Controversial plans for 200 homes in Pannal Ash halted indefinitely

A decision on whether to allow controversial plans to build 200 homes in Pannal Ash has been deferred.

Harrogate Borough Council‘s planning committee yesterday voted against a recommendation to approve the development on the site of the former police training centre on Yew Tree Lane.

Homes England, the government housing agency, already has permission to build 161 homes on the site.

But it now wants to increase this by 23 per cent to 200 homes by building on a sports pitch.

Councillors voted by four votes to two against the recommendation to approve the scheme, with one abstention.

They then voted by four to three in favour of deferring a decision pending the creation of the council’s parameters plan, which will assess transport and infrastructure needs associated with wider plans to build up to 4,000 homes on the western side of Harrogate.

The parameters plan was expected last year but has been delayed and councillors heard it could take years to be finalised.

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John Mann, chair of the planning committee, said he agreed with the principle of planning on the site but the uplift in houses and the loss of sports facilities meant the application was now “too dense”. He added:

“It is not a good idea to remove children’s playing fields especially as we hear reports that many young people have been badly affected by being cooped up during lockdown.

“Perhaps the last thing we need at the moment is the removal of outdoor space for them to play in.

A statement read on behalf of Pannal and Burn Bridge Parish Council said the parameters plans was essential before making a decision. It added:

“To date there is no information on any infrastructure to cater for the 4,000 houses to be built on western arc of Harrogate

“Our request is for deferment until everyone knows what the parameters plan reveals.”

Nick Viles, chairman of Pannal Sports Junior Football Club said it had “serious concerns about the loss of pitches for community use”, which he said went against the ethos of the club.

But Homes England’s planning consultant said the application was compliant with Local Plan policy and, through section 106 infrastructure payments, would invest in ‘much needed sports facilities’ elsewhere.

He added it was a “viable and deliverable scheme” which, if approved, would begin next year.

But the final vote means the future of the development is now uncertain.

Harlow and Pannal Ash Residents Association tweeted after the meeting:

“We now hope this will accelerate the development of the parameters plan to allow for considered consideration of suitable infrastructure needed.”

Live: Harrogate traffic and travel

Good morning, it’s Leah with you this morning giving you updates every 15 minutes on the road and rail links near you.

Our live blog, brought to you by The HACS Group, will give you up-to-date information on traffic hotspots or where it may be building and the temporary lights in place. We also keep an eye on any bus or train delays.

If it is safe, please get in touch on 01423 276197 if you experience any delays.

9am – Full Update 

That’s it from me today, I will be back with you on Monday with updates every 15 minutes from 6.30! Have a lovely weekend!

Roads

The district’s roads are starting to look busier in the Harrogate and Knaresborough centres this morning, keep checking for today’s traffic hotspots.

Traffic is building in these areas:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

8.45am – Full Update 

Roads

The district’s roads are starting to look busier in the Harrogate and Knaresborough centres this morning, keep checking for today’s traffic hotspots.

Traffic is building in these areas:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

 

8.30am – Full Update 

Roads

The district’s roads are starting to look busier in the Harrogate and Knaresborough centres this morning, keep checking for today’s traffic hotspots.

Traffic is building in these areas:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

 

8.15am – Full Update 

Roads

The district’s roads are starting to look busier in the Harrogate and Knaresborough centres this morning, keep checking for today’s traffic hotspots.

Traffic is building in these areas:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

 

8am – Full Update 

Roads

The district’s roads are starting to look busier in the Harrogate and Knaresborough centres this morning, keep checking for today’s traffic hotspots.

Traffic is building in these areas:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

 

7.45am – Full Update 

Roads

The district’s roads are starting to look busier in the Harrogate and Knaresborough centres this morning, keep checking for today’s traffic hotspots.

Traffic is building in these areas:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

 

7.30am – Full Update 

Roads

The district’s roads are starting to look busier in the Harrogate and Knaresborough centres this morning, keep checking for today’s traffic hotspots.

Traffic is building in these areas:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

 

7.15am – Full Update 

Roads

The district’s roads are starting to look busier in the Harrogate and Knaresborough centres this morning, keep checking for today’s traffic hotspots.

Traffic is building in these areas:

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

 

7am – Full Update 

Roads

The district’s roads are looking clear so far this morning, keep checking for today’s traffic hotspots.

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

 

6.45am – Full Update 

Roads

The district’s roads are looking clear so far this morning, keep checking for today’s traffic hotspots.

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

 

6.30am – Full Update 

Roads

The district’s roads are looking clear so far this morning, keep checking for today’s traffic hotspots.

Temporary traffic lights are in place here:

Trains

Buses

 

Harrogate residents call for action on speeding cars outside schools

Harrogate residents have called for the 20 mph speed limit outside four schools in the town to be enforced.

So far more than 150 people have signed an online petition, which can be found here, urging safety action on Pannal Ash Road.

Pannal Ash Road used to have speed activated signs but they were removed to save money last year.

The petition highlights a North Yorkshire County Council survey that found 80% of drivers exceeded the speed limit on Pannal Ash Road.

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In just one day, the council found that out of 3,974 drivers only 366 drove at the 20 mph limit. The majority drove between 20 and 30 mph but 613 drove between 30mph and 50mph.

Ruth Lily, who created the petition with her neighbour Jenny Hayward, told the Stray Ferret:

“Ten years ago my daughter was walking to school and her friend was hit by a car. They thankfully made a full recovery.

“After that the council put in some measures to control the speed but the signs were removed last year.

“Ever since then I have noticed that cars have started to drive at increased speeds on Pannal Ash Road.”

Richard Osman coming to Harrogate for Theakston Crime Writing Festival 2021

Richard Osman, Mick Herron and Elly Griffiths are among the novelists who will appear at this year’s Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival.

Hosted by programming chair, Ian Rankin, the event will return to Harrogate’s Old Swan Hotel from July 22 to July 25.

Making an appearance at this year’s festival will be Richard Osman, presenter of the TV show Pointless and author of The Thursday Murder Club and espionage expert Mick Herron, author of the Slough House series.

Elly Griffiths, Ann Cleeves and Mark Billingham will also be special guests, as well as queen of crime Val McDermid.

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Ian Rankin, best-selling Rebus author, said: ‘

“After a year of once-in-a-lifetime challenges, I couldn’t be more excited to stage this celebration of all things crime! With the announcement of our special guests, the countdown is officially on to this year’s festival and I’m looking forward to unveiling what else we have in store.”

Sharon Canavar, chief executive of event organiser Harrogate International Festivals, said: 

“The Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival is a lynch-pin in the publishing calendar – an annual pilgrimage for crime fiction aficionados – and we are thrilled to reveal the first taste of this year’s unmissable programme. 

“Harrogate International Festivals has long pioneered innovative and unique cultural experiences, and over the course of the past year we have shown great flexibility and creativity to continue with this mission.”

The festival will include four days of talks and panels from crime writing specialists, including the queens of domestic noir Clare Mackintosh and CL Taylor in conversation.

Weekend packages for the festival will go on sale on Monday. 

For more information on the event and details of covid government regulations visit http://www.harrogateinternationalfestivals.com/.

Questions raised over timing of Harrogate council’s UCI review

Questions have been raised over why Harrogate Borough Council has decided to hold a review on the UCI Road World Championships two years after the event.

The authority has launched a public survey of the competition, which was held in Harrogate back in September 2019.

The council’s overview and scrutiny committee set up the review to build on “its successes and identifying any areas for improvement to inform the organisation of future events”.

But both residents and businesses groups have said the council should listen to those who were directly affected by the nine-day event and raised questions over why the review is being held now.

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Anna McIntee, of Harrogate Residents’ Association, said the town was “exhausted” by the competition and traders let their feelings known at the time.

She added that she could not understand why a review was being held two years after the event.

Ms McIntee said:

“I do not really understand why it is two years on. It had such a large effect, businesses lost money.

“I just feel that they had a response from businesses at the event. So what has changed two years on?”

At the time, the event proved controversial due to road closures and £130,000 worth of damage to the West Park Stray.

It received a hostile reception from many local traders, who said they did not feel the benefits of the event coming to town, particularly as it led to many road closures that deterred people from coming into Harrogate.

David Simister, who has been named as the new chief executive of Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce.

David Simister (left), chief executive of Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce.

But a council-commissioned report by Ernst and Young claimed the championships brought in an estimated £17.8 million boost to the district economy.

David Simister, chief executive of Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce, said the event was a disaster for businesses and that the council should listen to those trader directly affected by it.

He said:

“For many town centre businesses, and in particular retailers, the UCI was a total disaster, and came at a heavy cost.

“The chamber held a meeting directly after the event and feelings were running very high. Two years on, and the same sentiments still stand.

“Because of the daily road closures, residents and visitors avoided the town centre. The ideal location for an event of this size, which caused so much disruption, should have been the Great Yorkshire Showground, with buses laid on to take spectators to and from the site.”

“The council says the aim of this review is to build on its successes and identify any areas for improvement to inform the organisation of future events. What it needs to do is to listen to those businesses who will be directly affected as a result.”

Meanwhile, Sara Ferguson, chair of Harrogate BID, said the UCI was “untenable” and the focus in future should be to bring smaller events to the town.

She said:

“While the Tour de France was hailed as great success, sadly the same could not be said of the UCI, and I have great sympathy for those businesses who lost money.

“It was a coup for Harrogate to host it – and the races were watched by cycling fans around the world – having the town centre closed for 15 days was simply untenable. Because of the disruption, people just stayed away from town, and this was evident, day after day, by the empty streets.

“The focus should be on attracting a wide range of smaller events to the town on a regular basis, which bring people in, which I know businesses would welcome.”

A Harrogate Borough Council spokesperson said:

“The overview and scrutiny commission has decided to look at the UCI Road World Championships with the aim of building on its successes and identifying any areas for improvement to help inform the organisation of future events.

“Following the consultation the task and finish group of the overview and scrutiny commission will produce a report.”

Those wishing to give their views have until June 16 to complete the survey.

Mixed reaction to proposed Harrogate wheelchair taxi licence changes

Plans to tackle a decline in disabled-friendly travel in the Harrogate district by introducing an unlimited number of taxi licences have been met with a mixed reaction from local cabbies and campaigners.

Harrogate Borough Council’s licensing committee will next Wednesday be asked to remove a limit on licences and make all new plates available only to wheelchair accessible vehicles after complaints that disabled people have been “cut off from society” because of a lack of travel options.

The move has been welcomed by campaigners who hope it will put an end to “the inequality that the current system imposes”.

But cabbies have warned unlimited licences would lead to “deregulation” in the taxi trade.

Jackie Snape, chief executive of Disability Action Yorkshire, said the charity has long campaigned for a solution to the problem which has caused “social isolation and frustration” for disabled people.

She said: 

“While in recent years many of our cities and towns have increased their numbers of wheelchair accessible vehicles, the exact opposite has been occurring across the Harrogate district.

“This is despite an increasing demand, which sadly has led to a real problem for local disabled people.

“Disabled people go to work, have medical appointments and go shopping just the same as non-disabled people, but with the difference being that many are reliant on others for their transport.

“The impact of not being able to get a taxi on the same basis as a non-disabled person should not be under-estimated.”

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But Richard Fieldman, who runs A1 Cars of Ripon and Harrogate, said going through with the proposal would be a “big mistake” as more licences would mean the supply of taxis would outstrip demand.

He said: 

“I’m rather surprised they want to introduce an unlimited number of licences – it will have a massive impact on the trade because it will mean every man and his dog can get one.

“This isn’t about throwing a load of plates out there, this is about what is fair to the existing trade which has planned a lot of money and time into this.”

No increase in licenses for 30 years

Harrogate Borough Council has restricted the number of taxi licences to 148 for about 30 years, which in effect has meant the only way to acquire a licence is to buy an existing vehicle from someone.

In September last year, the licensing committee agreed to double the number of licences designated for wheelchair-accessible taxis from 11 to 23 after a study concluded disabled people were suffering from a “great deal of anxiety” over worries they could not get around.

However, the council has since run into difficulties over creating a “fair and lawful” system to distribute just 12 additional licences.

Dean Richardson, head of safer communities at the council, said in a report to Wednesday’s meeting: 

“It became apparent to officers that it would not be straightforward to design a fair allocation system which would not be susceptible to legal challenge by disappointed applicants.

“In the Harrogate district, wheelchair users have been facing increasing difficulty obtaining wheelchair-accessible licensed vehicles’ services.

“Wheelchair accessible vehicles are vital in allowing users to access essential services and for them to live their lives as anyone else would.”

The recommendation to committee members next Wednesday is to remove the limit on licences with all future licences to be designated as wheelchair accessible vehicles plates.

If approved, the changes would be reviewed within five years.

Harrogate and Wetherby to get dedicated radio service

Ofcom is to offer Harrogate and Wetherby a DAB radio licence.

The communications regulator said today organisations would be able to bid for the licence, which will enable listeners to tune in on digital radio, in the coming months.

Harrogate and Wetherby is one of 25 licence areas included in the latest round of Ofcom’s roll-out of small-scale digital licences.

At the end of last year, in a previous phase of the rollout, five organisations bid for the digital licence in Leeds.

Currently only Greatest Hits Radio in the Harrogate district has an FM licence.

Other stations such as Harrogate Community Radio, Your Harrogate and Harrogate Hospital Radio are available online, via an app and or smart speakers.

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Harrogate Community Radio said it would look into the financial situation before deciding whether to bid but it was excited about the opportunity. Board member Charley Christopher said:

“It’s definitely something we’re looking into but we would need support from others. There may be grants available that we could look into. It is exciting for us and potentially another platform to expand into.”

Your Harrogate presenter Nick Hancock said it intended to bid for the licence. He added:

“It’s great that all our efforts, as well as those of many others, for this to come to Harrogate and Wetherby, have been rewarded.”

 

Man died in Harrogate swallowing suspected drugs he was hiding from police

A man died in Harrogate after swallowing a suspected package of drugs that he was hiding from North Yorkshire Police officers.

According to an Independent Office for Police Conduct report, on February 23, 2019, officers from the county lines drugs team saw the unnamed man who they suspected was involved in supplying controlled drugs.

After they stopped him, he immediately swallowed what was believed to be a package of drugs.

Officers and paramedics tried to help after the man started to choke and managed to dislodge the package from his throat.

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He was transported to Harrogate District Hospital where he received medical treatment, but died.

The report, published last week, added:

“Our investigation concluded there was no indication the officers may have behaved in a manner that would justify the bringing of disciplinary proceedings or committed a criminal offence. 

“The officers were treated as witnesses and cooperated fully with this investigation. The evidence also suggested that all reasonable attempts were made to provide the man with medical assistance at the scene. The officers continued this work until paramedics arrived. 

“Their actions in this regard demonstrated a commendable degree of diligence and professionalism.”

The IOPC said the investigation was completed in September 2019, but was published following the outcome of an inquest in March this year.

The inquest reached a conclusion of accidental death.

Sneak peek: Warburtons pop-up cake shop opens in Harrogate

National bakery chain Warburtons has opened a new pop-up cake shop in Harrogate today on James Street — so we went for a sneak peek.

Ellie Warburtons, which is based in the former Swarovski store at 36 James Street, will sell premium cakes and hot drinks.

There are eight different flavours on offer and customers will be able to vote for their favourite in store.

The menu includes espresso and raspberry brownies, cookie dough caramel slices, ginger with orange cakes, raspberry and passion fruit cakes, coffee and chocolate cakes.

The cakes cost £3 each and are also available as a box of four for £10. People will be able to buy the cakes online after the national launch on June 21.

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Warburtons has worked with the founders of Harrogate’s Love Brownies on the new concept.

Lee Teal, managing director of Love Brownies, told the Stray Ferret:

“It is really exciting to get rocking and rolling with these cakes. This is the second of our pop-up shops, Warburtons is famous for bread but we want to see where we can go with these handmade cakes.

“This is going to suit Harrogate really well, we are just trying to make the best product we can. Warburtons has a really good transport network so we can get fresh cakes around the country quickly.

“Of course it is amazing working with such a massive brand, it is very exciting putting these together and fingers crossed it works.”

Jonathan Warburton, chairman of Warburtons, previously said:

“This is an exciting new venture for our family business and we are taking very much an entrepreneurial approach to how we build the brand while bringing with us the core of Warburtons ethos – quality and taste.”

The new brand takes its name after Mr Warburton’s great-great auntie Ellie. If it goes well a permanent shop could open in Harrogate.

Self-combusting linseed oil causes freak house fire in Bilton

Self-combusting linseed oil is believed to have caused a fire that spread to a Harrogate house and shed last night.

The fire shattered a kitchen window and melted a PVC frame during the freak incident at a home in Cecil Street, Bilton about 9.30pm.

The North Yorkshire Fire and Service incident log said:

“Two crews from Harrogate and an officer attended a fire to a shed that spread to a garden fence and caused damage to the rear of a property.

“The fire shattered a kitchen window and melted some of a PVC frame.

“The cause is believed to be some linseed oil that self combusted and melted a turps containers and then run down to the shed setting that alight.”

Linseed oil, which is extracted from flax seed, is a natural oil used as a preservative for wood as well as being an ingredient in paints and varnishes.

Firefighters used two hose reel jets and a thermal imaging camera to tackle the blaze.

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