Changes at top of Harrogate law firm after FA appointment

Harrogate law firm McCormicks has named a new managing partner after its founder took on the role of chairman at the Football Association.

Stephen Hopwood, a specialist in family law, has succeeded Peter McCormick, who will remain as a senior partner.

The FA named Peter McCormick as its interim chairman after Greg Clarke, who described black players as “coloured”, stepped down from the role.

McCormicks, which is based on East Parade, describes itself as a ‘fearless law firm with a fearless reputation’.

Peter McCormick

Mr McCormick said:

“As a result of both the covid lockdown and of my increased commitments since I was appointed interim chairman of the FA in November, Stephen has taken a lot of responsibility for the day-to-day management of the business so this is a logical transition of duties for the future.

“I remain senior partner and will continue to play a very active role in the business of the firm, alongside my commitments to the Premier League and the FA.”

Read more:

Mr Hopwood, who joined the practice in 2013, said:

“I am delighted to be expanding my role with the practice and look forward to working even more closely with the great team we have here to ensure we continue to offer the best possible service to our clients.”

‘Create low emission zone in Harrogate’

A bus company has called for Harrogate to introduce a low emission zone as part of the debate about the proposed £7.9 million Station Gateway project.

If adopted, only low polluting hybrid and electric vehicles would have access to Lower Station Parade, which runs alongside the town’s bus station.

The Station Gateway project is a government-funded scheme to regenerate the town centre and promote sustainable travel.

Consultation is ongoing, and Alex Hornby, chief executive of the Harrogate Bus Company, a subsidiary of Transdev, said a low emission zone should be created covering the town’s bus station and Lower Station Parade alongside it.

Currently, Lower Station Parade is a one-way street with two lanes of traffic, both of which are open to all road users.

He said:

“While we see the Station Gateway proposals as a positive step towards our shared aim of a low emission town, we must go further for Harrogate’s future by making the most of this tremendous opportunity.

“The creation of a low emission zone, covering the current bus station, plus Lower Station Parade which currently divides the bus and rail stations from the main shopping area, is vital if we are serious about improving Harrogate’s air quality.”

Mr Hornby said the company’s electric buses had improved air quality but more needed to be done:

“The proposed bus priority measures at Lower Station Parade and Cheltenham Parade – the first such measures to be put forward in the town’s history – are a positive start, and are to be welcomed, but by themselves are unlikely to go far enough to achieve Harrogate Borough Council’s stated aim of creating a net-zero carbon economy by 2038.”

Read more:

Mr Hornby added previous consultations had shown a majority of the public supported non-car solutions to traffic problems and “now is the time for bold thinking”.

A partnership of North Yorkshire local authorities has secured £31 million from the Department for Transport’s Transforming Cities fund for three separate projects in Harrogate, Skipton and Selby.

The aim is to finalise designs and start construction work by summer 2022, with completion in 2023.

An online consultation into the Station Gateway proposals runs until Wednesday 24 March 2021. You can take part here:

Live: Harrogate district traffic and travel

Good morning and welcome to the start of a new week and to our live updates on traffic and travel in the Harrogate district.

Whether you travel by car, bus or train we will keep an eye out for any possible disruption to your journey. All brought to you by The HACS Group.

It’s Connor again back on the travel desk from 6.30am. Spotted an accident or a road closure? Send your updates to contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.

If traffic is moving well or it’s at a standstill then we will let you know with our updates every 15 minutes.

9am – Full Update 

Thanks again everyone for checking out our live traffic and travel blog. Enjoy the rest of your day. I will be back again tomorrow from 6.30am.

Roads

Traffic hotspots:

Traffic is building in these areas:

Be aware of a continuing road closure on Dishforth Road, near Ripon, going both ways from New Road to Strait Lane.

Temporary traffic lights in place:

There are also continuing road closures in the Old Barber and Franklin Road areas of Harrogate.

Trains

Buses

8.45am – Full Update 

Roads

Traffic hotspots:

Traffic is building in these areas:

Be aware of a continuing road closure on Dishforth Road, near Ripon, going both ways from New Road to Strait Lane.

Temporary traffic lights in place:

There are also continuing road closures in the Old Barber and Franklin Road areas of Harrogate.

Trains

Buses

8.30am – Full Update 

Roads

Traffic hotspots:

Traffic is building in these areas:

Be aware of a continuing road closure on Dishforth Road, near Ripon, going both ways from New Road to Strait Lane.

Temporary traffic lights in place:

There are also continuing road closures in the Old Barber and Franklin Road areas of Harrogate.

Trains

Buses

8.15am – Full Update 

Roads

Traffic hotspots:

Traffic is building in these areas:

Be aware of a continuing road closure on Dishforth Road, near Ripon, going both ways from New Road to Strait Lane.

Temporary traffic lights in place:

There are also continuing road closures in the Old Barber and Franklin Road areas of Harrogate.

Trains

Buses

8am – Full Update 

Roads

Traffic hotspots:

Traffic is building in these areas:

Be aware of a continuing road closure on Dishforth Road, near Ripon, going both ways from New Road to Strait Lane.

Temporary traffic lights in place:

There are also continuing road closures in the Old Barber and Franklin Road areas of Harrogate.

Trains

Buses

7.45am – Full Update 

Roads

Traffic is building in these areas:

Be aware of a continuing road closure on Dishforth Road, near Ripon, going both ways from New Road to Strait Lane.

Temporary traffic lights in place:

There are also continuing road closures in the Old Barber and Franklin Road areas of Harrogate.

Trains

Buses

7.30am – Full Update 

Roads

Traffic is building in these areas:

Be aware of a continuing road closure on Dishforth Road, near Ripon, going both ways from New Road to Strait Lane.

Temporary traffic lights in place:

There are also continuing road closures in the Old Barber and Franklin Road areas of Harrogate.

Trains

Buses

7.15am – Full Update 

Roads

Traffic is building in these areas:

Be aware of a continuing road closure on Dishforth Road, near Ripon, going both ways from New Road to Strait Lane.

Temporary traffic lights in place:

There are also continuing road closures in the Old Barber and Franklin Road areas of Harrogate.

Trains

Buses

7am – Full Update 

Roads

Traffic is building in these areas:

Be aware of a continuing road closure on Dishforth Road, near Ripon, going both ways from New Road to Strait Lane.

Temporary traffic lights in place:

There are also continuing road closures in the Old Barber and Franklin Road areas of Harrogate.

Trains

Buses

6.45am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads look clear so far this morning but there are some areas likely to cause delays later on.

Be aware of a continuing road closure on Dishforth Road, near Ripon, going both ways from New Road to Strait Lane.

Temporary traffic lights in place:

There are also continuing road closures in the Old Barber and Franklin Road areas of Harrogate.

Trains

Buses

6.30am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads look clear so far this morning but there are some areas likely to cause delays later on.

Be aware of a continuing road closure on Dishforth Road, near Ripon, going both ways from New Road to Strait Lane.

Temporary traffic lights in place:

There are also continuing road closures in the Old Barber and Franklin Road areas of Harrogate.

Trains

Buses

 

Obituary: Geoff Webber’s life was dedicated to helping others

A long-serving councillor and community champion, Geoff Webber has died at the age of 75 after a short illness.

Tributes have come from across the political spectrum, as well as the community groups he worked with and supported over the years.

His family described him as a “loving husband, father and grandfather” who was dedicated to helping others.

Born in 1945, Cllr Webber had a 32-year career in the RAF before moving to Harrogate with his wife, Pat, and their three sons, Samuel, Simon and Matthew.

He spent the final years of his service at the St George’s base in the town, including a four-month tour of the Falkland Islands, followed by a spell as a civil servant back in Harrogate. Having left school with few qualifications, he gained a degree in the late 1980s through the Open University.

When St George’s was closed in 1994, Cllr Webber decided to open a music shop specialising in classical and jazz. Pomp and Circumstance began its life in Wetherby before moving to Commercial Street in the centre of Harrogate.

Cllr Webber became heavily involved in his community in the late 1980s and early 1990s, when plans were being put forward to build a supermarket around the Jennyfield area. He helped to establish a community group and fought the plans for the junction of Jenny Field Drive with Ripon Road, which instead became the site of the Hydro swimming pool with open green space for locals to enjoy.

Matthew said his desire to help people drove him to get involved in local politics, as well as community issues.

Supporting homeless people

One of his passions was access to affordable and social housing, so it was natural that he became a volunteer and supporter of Harrogate Homeless Project.

Its chairman, John Harris, told the Stray Ferret:

“It is so sad to hear of the death of Geoff: he was a great supporter of Harrogate Homeless Project. As well as being a trustee he was deputy chair and chair as well – and importantly he was a volunteer with Pat, preparing meals at the day centre each week for years.

“The day centre was a priority for him as HHP needed to focus on fundraising for it and it is the key place for the trust to be established, leading to encouraging homeless individuals to a life off the streets. As a member of the Wesley Chapel he was thrilled when HHP were able to transfer to the Lower Hall which will be transformational for what HHP can provide in the future, post Covid.

“We are so grateful to Geoff for his wonderful commitment over very many years to the homeless – and this included personal help. It was unstinting and committed support from someone who was determined to help others in desperate need.

“Our condolences to Pat and his family.”

Geoff Webber, pictured far left on the middle row, was a keen supporter of Bilton and Woodfield Library. Greta Knight received an award on behalf of the library from NYCC chairman Jim Clark last year.

Bilton and Woodfield Community Library also received extensive support from Cllr Webber over the years. Chairman Greta Knight said:

“Geoff Webber was a staunch supporter of Bilton & Woodfield Community Library from the very beginning, in fact it was he who identified our current premises on Woodfield Road as a suitable home for us when we moved out of the old vicarage.

“He always attended any events that we held, and along with his wife Pat was a regular at our Saturday coffee mornings. He voiced any concerns we had with NYCC on our behalf and was always prepared to help us whenever he could.

“We will miss his support and enthusiasm for what we have achieved in the library.”

Cllr Webber supported the Richard Taylor Foundation, which helps families struggling to meet the costs of education, including school trips and uniforms. He was also a governor at Woodfield Community Primary School, which paid tribute to him:

“We were incredibly saddened to hear of Geoff’s passing; he served our school as a Governor for a number of years and will be truly missed in the community. Our thoughts are with his family.”

Local politics

Cllr Webber was first elected to North Yorkshire County Council in 1993, representing the Bilton and Nidd Gorge division for the next eight years. He was re-elected in 2009 for four years, after which he said he would not stand again – but he was re-elected in 2017.

Tributes have already been paid by Cllr Webber’s colleagues at NYCC, who praised his dedication to the role and his willingness to engage in productive debate.

Cllr Webber also sat on Harrogate Borough Council for 17 years, first representing the Duchy ward from 1994 to 2002 and then the Saltergate ward from 2002 to 2011.

During that time, he was Mayor of the Borough of Harrogate for a year in 2006. He also served as council leader and chaired the planning committee.

Royal Hall

It was a time of significant change for the district in many ways, and one of his proudest achievements was helping to save the Royal Hall.

By 2000, the building had fallen into disrepair and faced being mothballed because of the huge repair bill for major structural problems. However, Cllr Webber called for a meeting of the council to find a way forward.

As a result, £8m of funding was found from the Heritage Lottery Fund and Harrogate Borough Council to save the building, along with a massive community effort to raise £2.7m. The Royal Hall was reopened in 2008 and returned to active use.

Cllr Webber was made an honorary alderman of Harrogate in 2011, in recognition of his long service. A spokesman for Harrogate Borough Council said:

“It is with great sadness to hear that Honorary Alderman Webber has passed away. Our thoughts and condolences go his family and friends.”

Read more:

Cllr Webber was still active in local politics until the beginning of this year. He spoke passionately about devolution at a meeting of NYCC in November, and put forward the motion that led to the council writing to local hospital bosses to call for free parking for NHS staff.

After being diagnosed with cancer six weeks ago, Cllr Webber spent time on the Littondale Ward at Harrogate District Hospital before moving to St Michael’s Hospice, where he died on Thursday morning.

His family said they were grateful to all those who provided outstanding care for him in his final weeks, and that they were able to be with him throughout his illness at both the hospital and the hospice.

He leaves wife Pat and sons Simon and Matthew, who still live locally, and Samuel, who lives in Florida, along with four grandchildren to whom he was devoted. Matthew said:

“He was a loving husband, father and grandfather. For me, he was also a wise counsel in my role in local politics, for advice and support.”

A small family funeral will be held in line with covid restrictions, and led by Lord Willis, according to Cllr Webber’s wishes. Later in the year, the family hope to be able to hold a more formal service at the Wesley Chapel to celebrate his life.

Strayside Sunday: Putin, porn and the dirty world of fake news..

Strayside Sunday is our weekly political opinion column. It is written by Paul Baverstock, former Director of Communications for the Conservative Party.

Fake news reaches Harrogate!

No, Mother Russia has not sought to widen her sphere of influence beyond the first Trump election and the Brexit referendum and intervened in the bubbling Harrogate controversy over the proposed railway Station Gateway development.  Instead, it seems that local activists have taken a leaf from Vladimir Putin’s book and hijacked social media for means nefarious.  Keen-eyed observers of the medium have discovered several fake Facebook accounts whipping up anti-cycling and active travel scheme sentiment in the town.

One of the accounts is in the nom de guerre of one Tara Gunne.  Our anti-cycling heroine was the most prolific of the imaginary campaigners, even corresponding through the letters pages of the Harrogate Advertiser.  This until suspicious resident James Smith followed his nose and uncovered a calumny; it turns out there is no Tara Gunne.  Further inspection reveals that the photograph used on Ms. Gunne’s account is, in fact, one Hazel May, of Liverpool.  Ms. May’s profession, one of the oldest and most storied, is what we euphemistically call “adult entertainer.”  Basic internet research take one directly to pictures of Ms. May that leave little to the imagination.  Not the wealthy, romantic and stylised eroticism of 50 Shades of Grey these, but rather the cheap, cold and grainy; Readers Wives, photographed in poor light.

The picture of Ms. May used by this publication offers our lady in repose, clothed but with a large knee in the foreground, raised suspiciously close to her ears.  It turns out that in order for the Stray Ferret to use the photo it had to be carefully cropped, lest we be treated to a vision worthy of the Georgia O’Keefe treatment.  The nuda veritas, as it were.  I came away from my research traumatised, with a new blemish on my internet browsing history, now a target for unwanted pop-up videos of a certain sort and of a chatbot question to make one’s blood run cold and chill one’s bones; “wanna chat big boy?”

Ok, now that I’ve had my fun let’s get serious.  I’ve written here before about my views on social media and its negative impacts on contemporary society.  Once more unto the breach.  The thing about social media is that it can and often does drive news coverage.  And, as the Tara Gunne episode aptly demonstrates, using social media to reflect false sentiment and to influence debate is no longer the sole bailiwick of intelligence agencies, big business and their digital communication advisors.  Anyone can open a fake Facebook or Twitter account in moments and crack on with creating misinformation, distortion and outright lie.  The social media companies argue, broadly speaking, that they are information platforms rather than publishers.  This can’t be right.  As news makers and curators they must be made to take responsibility for the veracity of the information they publish and the authenticity of their sources.

Social media has had a material effect on the currency that is truth; it seems I have been operating under the false apprehension that the Enlightenment had settled how we determine what is accurate, credible, proven and solid.  Opinion now trumps fact; emotion trumps objectivity and we have created a culture that promotes “living our own truth.”  Harry and Megan are certainly living theirs (and endlessly talking about it) enabled by America’s Oprah Winfrey.  Call me old fashioned but I think we should live the truth.  Although it’s said that the twosome were not paid for their appearance, Oprah’s Harpo Productions reportedly banked $7m for bagging the interview.  Perhaps that explains why, by all accounts, she gave them such an easy ride; Paxman this was not.

I didn’t watch.  The writer and broadcaster Trevor Phillips did and has written a quite brilliant essay in The Times.  Read it, please.  Phillips is black and the father of two mixed race children, one of whom, now adult, still suffers from an eating disorder and mental illness so acute that she is regularly hospitalised to avoid self-harming or suicide.  Like Phillips I have two mixed race children; one of whom is as uninterestingly white as me and one of whom is dark like her Mother.  My younger daughter, the dark one, also battles her demons.  I was once called to collect her from the British Transport Police because she attempted to jump in front of a train at Worcester Park Station in London.  I had to section my daughter, twice.  The point is this, I’m sure that Harry and Megan found the Court of Windsor suffocating and anachronistic.  I don’t doubt that someone in the Royal Family wondered aloud about the likely skin tone of baby Sussex.  And I have no reason to doubt Megan’s claim that she contemplated killing herself.  But, as they sit in their $15m mansion in California and plot how to fulfil their $25m film, podcast and documentary deal with Netflix (providing “different stories” from “amazing people” to “build resilience”) you’ll forgive me if I’m not sympathetic.

Social media provides the means to curate one’s own life; or, in the case of Tara Gunne, to curate someone else’s life; to give an impressionistic account of one’s own fabulousness, rather than a figurative, faithful and prosaic rendering.  It is now so ubiquitous that its effects have moved beyond an assault on fact and is in danger of creating collective cultural hysteria.  The global fuss over Harry and Megan is both symptom and cause.

That’s my Strayside Sunday.

Read More: 

 

Harrogate Hospital Radio celebrates 200 combined years of service

Harrogate Hospital Radio is to celebrate a group of volunteers who have given more than 200 combined years of service to the station.

Eight members of the society, which first took to the air in October 1977, will be ‘presented’ with long service certificates at its AGM by Hospital Broadcasting Association President, June Snowden.

The broadcaster was Harrogate’s first dedicated radio station, and will recognise those volunteers who have been members of the charity for ten years and longer, including one for 40 years.

However, because of covid restrictions, the meeting will be held online.

The members who are being honoured are:

Steve Pexton, 40 years, John Manning 35 years, Nicola Pollard, 30 years, David Simister  30 years, Bill Caw 20 years, Mike Streeton 15 years, Ellie Jackson 15 years, Simon Berger 10 years, Martin Fretwell 10 years.

Read More:

Harrogate Hospital Radio Chairman Mark Oldfield said:

“Between them, these eight members have dedicated a magnificent 205 combined years’ service to Harrogate Hospital Radio.

“This is an incredible milestone, and I’d like to thank each and every one of them for their long and valued service to our great charity.

“All of our members give their time willingly and freely, and I’m grateful to them all for their individual contributions, which have helped us to be where we are today, one of the country’s most successful hospital radio stations.

He added:

“Without volunteers there would be no Harrogate Hospital Radio. Our members come from all ages and all backgrounds, and each one supports the charity in their own individual way, from presenting shows and collecting requests, to assisting in administrative duties and fundraising.”

Further information about Harrogate Hospital Radio is available at: http://www.harrogatehospitalradio.org.uk/

Boroughbridge shop ‘hidden gem’ for owner’s wine knowledge

Look at the colour, give the wine a twirl and take a full whiff. Then it is time to taste. Make sure to get a mouthful and take in all the different flavours. You do not need to be a connoisseur to enjoy wine but it helps to have one by your side.

Nick Chadwick is the owner of Winearray, a hidden gem of a shop tucked away in Boroughbridge which has become a weekend pilgrimage for many in the Harrogate district since it opened its doors 16 years ago.

Winearray stocks more than 400 wines from the likes of France, Italy, Portugal and a little closer to home in England. The shop describes itself as a cornucopia and while the shop certainly has plenty of choice, Nick’s mind is the real horn of plenty.

Mr Chadwick loves nothing more than to visit the people and places where the wines are created to learn more of its story and, importantly, the taste.

Read more:

While a weekend away of wine tasting in northern Italy sounds like an ideal holiday for just about anybody, Nick who is ever the professional finds that wines tend to stick in his mind all the more when he is enjoying them at the source.

Coronavirus has meant that Nick has had to change the way he runs his shop. He does miss the trips but more than anything he misses the wine tasting classes that he holds in Boroughbridge with some of the suppliers and customers.

Over the last year, Nick has reduced his shop opening hours so that he can spend half the day working on deliveries which have become increasingly popular. He has also adapted to hold wine tasting classes online.

When asked about how he competes with online shops and supermarkets, Nick Chadwick, who also stocks some select spirits and Cuban cigars, told the Stray Ferret:

“I think that people do come here for my guidance. If people do come in they come here to talk and to engage with me, it’s not just about looking around the shop.

“There are the regular customers, maybe regular is not a nice word in a wine shop, but there’s quite a lot of conversation either about wines or things connected to wine.

“Winearray has got a good customer base, most of whom are very loyal. A lot of people come to Boroughbridge for a more social shopping experience.

“I take a lot of pride in the wines that I stock, these bottles are all on my shelves for a reason.

“The shop has a set amount of space. It is quite difficult to always have new products, it needs to be interesting and good enough to knock another off.”

This is part of the Stray Ferret’s ‘hidden gem’ series. We are trying to highlight small independent businesses. They need to be tucked away but growing in popularity with an eye-catching and unique product or approach. Send us an email with your nominations.

Column: ‘My sexual assault in Harrogate shows why all attacks must be reported’

Bethany Sadler was 19 when she was sexually assaulted in the centre of Harrogate in 2018. The recent murder and kidnap of Sarah Everard as she walked home in Clapham, London has brought back memories of her assault. Waiving her right to anonymity, Bethany writes about her experience and why she believes it’s important to report such crimes to the police. 

On August 4, 2018, I was on my way to baby-sit for some family friends. I had been shopping in town, and was walking towards West Park Stray where their flat was. I remember it was an incredibly warm day, so I was dressed in a blue denim skirt and a red t-shirt. It must have been early evening, around 5pm, as it was still very light outside and busy in town.

I turned off into an alleyway, which leads to the apartments within metres of the street. As I was opening the gate into the apartments, I felt a hand reach up into my skirt and grab me in extremely intimate areas. Startled, I turned around to see a man staring right at me. It took a moment’s eye contact before I slammed the gate and rang the apartment bell, causing him to sprint away.

As my friends let me in and I explained what happened, I remember crying and feeling violated. I was extremely shaken up, but wanted to shake it off and leave it behind. I called my mum, who insisted I report it to the police, but even then I was reluctant. I didn’t think it was a ‘big deal’, or important enough to report. I just thought I’d be wasting police time.

But, as it turned out, it was a big deal, and the police took it extremely seriously. Once I reported the assault I was contacted by a female detective, who came to my house to take a statement from me. She was incredibly kind, and explained to me that many of these events are not isolated.

The police thought they knew who had assaulted me. He had been caught on CCTV following me from the town centre and was already on a Sexual Harm Prevention Order. If I could identify him, it could prevent other women from going through the same thing, or worse. I am five foot two and have a very young face, and at the time I remember constantly thinking about how young I could have been. It affected me a lot more than I thought it would, so I can’t imagine the detrimental impact it would have had on a child.

The alleyway where Bethany was assaulted

The process of identification before the arrest was tough. I was called into the police station in York a month after the assault, where I was to be shown a series of pictures of men. I knew that if I identified the man who assaulted me, the charge would be much easier to prove. Each time I was shown the pictures, I was asked if I knew which male was the offender, how sure I was that it was him (on a scale of 0 to 100% sure). This was the hardest part the process for me, as not only was I potentially staring at the man who violated me, but I also began to doubt myself and my memory.

Until you have been through this process, it is hard to comprehend why someone wouldn’t report these crimes. But it is difficult to keep going through the trauma of the incident – no part of the process was easy. But when I got the news that he was going to prison for three years, alongside a sexual harm prevention order, I was so glad I had chosen to be brave. It turned out he had been following me with the intention of groping me. My identification and suspect description had linked him to CCTV footage which warranted arrest.

At the time I thought I could brush it off, but the truth is it did affect me, and it took a while before I felt completely safe. But if I hadn’t reported it, the problem wouldn’t have been fixed, and to this day I might still be dealing with the consequences.

Sexual assault should not be brushed under the carpet – it is always a big deal. It is always worth reporting.

 

If you have been affected by this story, North Yorkshire Police provides support and signposting for victims of rape and sexual assault. Click here for more information.

To report a crime to police, call 101. In an emergency, dial 999.

Harrogate hospital reports four coronavirus deaths

Four more patients who tested positive for coronavirus have died at Harrogate District Hospital.

Three of the patients died on Tuesday and the fourth on Wednesday. It takes the hospital’s total number of covid deaths up to 175 since the start of the pandemic, according to NHS data.

The hospital revealed yesterday that it is now caring for 17 coronavirus patients, down from 42 patients the week before.

Since the start of the pandemic it has admitted 800 coronavirus positive patients and discharged 575.

Read more:

Government data also released today shows how the Harrogate district has added just nine more coronavirus cases today, taking that total to 7,428 so far.

Cases have been low in recent weeks which means that the seven-day rate has also come down.

The Harrogate district now has a seven-day case rate of 45 per 100,000 population which slightly above the North Yorkshire average of 42.

However, the Harrogate district is below the England average which currently sits at 58 per 100,000.

Government overturns council decision to refuse 149 homes in Harrogate

The government’s Planning Inspectorate has overturned a Harrogate Borough Council decision to refuse 149 homes on Kingsley Road near to Harrogate High School.

In August 2020, HBC’s planning committee voted by 10 to 1 to refuse the application because they said it would make already clogged roads in the area even worse.

At the time, councillors also agreed that a 1km walk to the nearest bus stop was not practical for elderly people or families carrying shopping.

Developer Richborough Estates appealed the decision which was overturned earlier this week.

An inspector from the Planning Inspectorate, the government agency that deals with appeals, said HBC councillors “behaved unreasonably” in reaching its conclusion. They also highlighted the fact the site was already designated for development within HBC’s Local Plan.

Read more:

The inspector A M Nillson disagreed that the nearest bus stop was too far away for residents:

“I do not consider that future residents would be discouraged from accessing bus stops and local services and facilities on Knaresborough Road on foot.”

The council has also been ordered to pay the developer’s legal costs.

Local resident Gary Tremble from the Kingsley Ward Action Group criticised the decision to overturn the appeal. He said: “How can someone believe this is a sensible place to build housing?”.

Liberal Democrat councillor Pat Marsh, who sits on the planning committee and voted against the development, said she was “fuming” and “outraged” at the planning inspectorate’s decision.

A spokesperson for Richborough Estates said:

“The Planning Inspectorate has reviewed the appeal for land off Kingsley Road and decided in our favour.”