Housing Investigation: New homes out of reach for too many locals

In the six years Harrogate had no Local Plan, housing developers were able to flood the market with expensive four and five bedroom homes. 

It meant an opportunity to address Harrogate’s housing needs was missed and the district remains unaffordable for many young people and those on lower incomes, such as key workers.  

Megan’s Story: 

Megan McHugh

Megan McHugh, 24, has lived in Harrogate all her life and said it’s “heartbreaking” that she cannot afford to buy a house in her hometown. 

She has £20,000 in savings, earns a decent salary as a team leader at a local supermarket and is careful with how she spends her money.  

But she said she feels “stuck” living at her parents’ house, with her dream of owning a home further and further out of reach because the local market isn’t providing the type of home she needs at a price she can afford. 

“I always say this time next year I’d like to be in my own place,” she said. “Then I work it out and think I physically can’t afford it. I’d go tomorrow if I could, but I can’t.” 

Megan said she gets frustrated when she sees housing developments built in Harrogate with so many four– and five-bedroom houses.  

“It’s an affluent area so they want to bring more affluent people into the area and make Harrogate look better,” she added. 

“But if you’re like me and you want to buy your own home in Harrogate, you’ve got absolutely no chance. I feel stuck.” 

What types of homes are needed?  

When a developer builds on a patch of land, 40% of the homes must be classed as “affordable”. But because HBC had no Local Plan up to 2020, it was unable to dictate to developers the types of homes needed for the remaining 60%, which led to a flood of executive-style four-and five–bedroom properties being built. 

Harrogate published a Housing and Economic Development Needs Assessment (HEDNA) report in 2018 outlining the types of houses are needed in the Harrogate district. 

It reported a “notable” demand in the district for one- and two-bedroom properties, with estate agents suffering from a shortage in stock, which it said was driving up prices. 

It also said four-bedroom properties and above should only take up 20-35% of the homes in development. 

But the HEDNA report was published four years after Harrogate’s draft Local Plan was withdrawn, and in that time more than 6,000 homes had been given planning permission. 

The Stray Ferret analysed the period when Harrogate went without a Local Plan and found that house builders were building far more four- and five-bedroom homes than the report said the district needed. 

These include Miller Homes’ 176-home Milby Grange development in Boroughbridge, where 45% of the properties are either four– or five–bedroom, and Bellway’s 170-home Dalesway development on Skipton Road, where 43% had four bedrooms or more.  

Affordable housing 

While developers cashed in to build expensive four-and five–bedroom homes in the district, Harrogate Borough Council has largely ensured affordable houses make up 40% of developments. 

However, many of these homes are still not affordable in most normal people’s definition of the word. 

The government defines affordable as homes sold at 80% of the market rate or homes for social rent. 

But with the average house price in Harrogate £360,000, according to property website Zoopla, it means that an “affordable” property in Harrogate is still more than 10 times the average salary of £25,000. 

Then there is social housing, which are homes provided to people on low incomes or with particular needs by councils or housing associations.

The council has around 1,800 households on its social housing waiting list  — but in Harrogate, less than one in ten applicants are likely to be allocated a property each year. This waiting list has swelled as Right to Buy sales have depleted HBC of its housing stock.

To try to meet demand, the council recently spent £4.5m buying 52 homes in Stonebridge Homes’ 130-home development on Whinney Lane. 

Sixteen of the homes would be transferred to HBC’s housing company, Bracewell Homes, to be sold under shared ownership, and the rest would be made available for social rent. The council has said similar purchases could be forthcoming. 

“You need people of all ages to keep a place alive”

The Knaresborough Community Land Trust (CLT) is hoping to develop a disused area in the town centre to provide three flats as affordable housing. 

Hilary Gardner, treasurer at the CLT, said many young people are being forced to move to places like Leeds because they simply cannot afford to buy a place in Knaresborough. 

“It’s denying people the opportunity that was a given for their parents, providing they worked hard. 

“Being able to buy your own property when you’re in your 30s is important, isn’t it? 

“There are large properties being built in Knaresborough, but they are not for everyone.” 

The long–term effect on people not being able to afford homes could be profound in a town like Knaresborough, which could see its lifeblood disappear. She added: 

“You need a body of people of all ages to keep a place alive.” 

The Knaresborough Community Land Trust is hoping to develop a disused area in the town centre to provide three flats as affordable housing.

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“We need homes to be distributed more fairly”

The proliferation of housebuilding in the district has largely been driven by central government, which wants to see 300,000 new homes built across the UK, with every region building its share. 

However, Dr Quinton Bradley, lecturer in housing and planning at Leeds Beckett University, told the Stray Ferret the government’s economic theory for housebuilding is “fundamentally flawed” because it’s led to an uneven and unequal housing market, as seen in Harrogate. 

“It’s not as simple as saying, ‘build more homes then the price will come down’…The house builders don’t want that, so that whole analysis is fundamentally flawed.

“The housing crisis is not a crisis of undersupply –, we need homes to be distributed more fairly.” 

Homes for ‘economic growth’ 

Harrogate’s 2018 HEDNA report concluded that the district needs 669 new homes to be built every year, yet it said only 296 of these homes are to serve the genuine housing need of the local population, which might be a young family trying to buy their first home or an elderly couple wanting to downsize. 

The report added that 314 of these 669 homes should be built for “economic growth”: attracting wealthy people into the town and into high-value jobs in the science, logistics and finance industries, which are the sectors Harrogate Borough Council wants to boost, according to the HEDNA report. 

However, Dr Bradley said building homes for economic growth is “basically wish fulfilment”. 

“Nobody knows how the economy will grow. The people writing the HEDNA report would have asked HBC, ‘how would you like Harrogate to be in the future?’  

“They’d say, ‘Well we’d like it to be really prosperous so let’s allocate some more housing for that’, but it’s a fantasy.” 

With development set to progress at its current pace for at least the next 15 years, the gulf between the housing haves and have-nots in Harrogate is likely to widen further. 

It means that Megan McHugh’s hopes of owning her own property in her hometown will continue to be out of reach. 

Throughout this week we’ll be looking at the impact of the unprecedented levels of development in the district:

Swinsty reservoir footpath diversion ‘too muddy to walk’

A visitor to Swinsty reservoir last weekend has complained that the new temporary footpath is already too muddy to walk.

Yorkshire Water announced last week the footpath would close for 18 months to allow it to undertake £6 million safety works.

The company warned the route was uneven and “sometimes wet” and therefore unsuitable for pushchairs or wheelchairs.

It added walkers should wear “suitable footwear” but it seems even those with sturdy boots and wellies may need to find a new walk for the time being.

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A Stray Ferret reader, who asked to remain anonymous, contacted us on Sunday to say his family walk deteriorated into a quagmire. The reader said:

“This diversion is really not well thought out. We will not be doing it again as the ground is only going to get worse over the coming months.

“I am surprised that Yorkshire Water has suggested the route. It needs reassessing as it is not fit for purpose.”

‘Swinsty is the busiest it has ever been’

The reservoir, in the Washburn Valley, is a popular location for families and dog walkers in the Harrogate district.

Graham Hebblethwaite, the chairman of Washburn Parish Council, today told the Stray Ferret it had never been busier – and this was causing problems.

“I have lived here for all my life and this is the busiest that it has ever been. Lots of people are parking on the verges and wrecking them.

“That leads to issues with the emergency services trying to get through. It also means that locals have been clashing with visitors.”

Mr Hebblethwaite even said some locals were planning to move to escape the issues.

Yorkshire Water is diverting excess water from the reservoir to Lindley Wood reservoir to protect the embankment from flood erosion.

A spokesperson for the company told the Stray Ferret:

“We’re aware that the diversion footpath at Swinsty reservoir has become slightly difficult to navigate – with some areas very muddy.

“We are speaking to the North Yorkshire County Council about ways they may be able to improve the public right of way.”

Yorkshire Water also encouraged anyone worried about the diversion route to visit other reservoirs, such as Fewston and Thruscross.

 

Harrogate district sports clubs and gyms celebrate return

Sport and leisure clubs in the Harrogate district have reacted with delight to this afternoon’s government announcement that they can reopen next week.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed lockdown will end on December 2 and the country will return to a tier system.

Gyms, sports clubs and non-essential shops will all be able to re-open.

Chris McVey, chair of Pannal Ash Junior Football Club, which has 400 boys and girls, said it hoped to resume training on the weekend of December 5 and 6.

“It’s good news but to be honest I’m still bemused by it all. I don’t know why the boys and girls couldn’t train. I don’t know what their fitness levels will be like after a month off but it will be great to be back.”

Harrogate Gymnastics Club tweeted it was ‘brilliant news’.

Phillip McKay, owner of independent Ripon gym Intrim, agreed. He told the Stray Ferret:

“When you see people queueing for McDonald’s and gyms closed, it doesn’t make sense. Gyms have so many health benefits.”

Mike Barnett, coach of Harrogate Ladies rugby club, said:

“The announcements are really positive for the players physically and also mentally as they are doing something they love with their friends again. We are still not at a place to do matches but they will be pleased to get back together.

“We just need to wait for the official line from the RFU and what tier Harrogate is placed in.”

There was good news for Harrogate Town fans too, with the government also raising the prospect of some fans possibly being allowed to return to outdoor events. Harrogate Town celebrated the news on Twitter.

https://twitter.com/HarrogateTown/status/1330915072407957504

 

Government guidance today said adult sport would be permitted outdoors in tier one areas but must follow the rule of six indoors.

Outdoor sports can also take place in tier two areas but only one household can take part in indoor activities.

Tier three also permits outdoor sports but limits household mixing and encourages people to avoid contact sport.

Bid to turn former Harrogate post office into 25 flats and offices

Harrogate’s former post office could be radically transformed into a four-story building containing 25 flats plus offices.

Property development company One Acre Group has submitted plans on behalf of Post Office Ltd to Harrogate Borough Council to convert and extend the disused building on Cambridge Street.

If approved, the three-storey sandstone terraced building would be converted into a four-storey mixed use facility consisting of 25 one and two-bedroom flats and office space.

The post office controversially relocated to WH Smith last year amid claims by Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones the service was being “downgraded”.

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A heritage report commissioned by One Acre Group describes the ex-post office, which was designed by architect Sir Henry Tanner and built at the turn of the last century, as an ‘unimposing building of little distinction’.

The report adds the building contributes ‘very little’ to the character and appearance of the Harrogate conservation area in which it is located, and would in fact provide ‘minor beneficial effects on the character and appearance’.

The report adds:

“The proposed development will secure high density residential development within a highly accessible location through the conversion and extension of an existing vacant building in easy access to a wide range of shops, services, job opportunities and public transport infrastructure.”

The application also seeks to demolish the building’s rear extension, car parking, refuse area and cycle parking.

One Acre Group, which is based in Harrogate, commissioned planning consultants ELG Planning, which has offices in Harrogate and Darlington, to draw up heritage and planning reports on the proposal for the council, which must now decide whether to approve the scheme.

If it does, work could start in the summer.

 

Harrogate sixth former raises £5,000 in virtual concert for Macmillan

A Harrogate sixth form pupil has raised almost £5,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support after hosting and performing in her own virtual concert.

Niamh Boyle, 17, staged her first concert for the charity, which supported her aunt and uncle in their final days, in 2018.

That event raised £12,000 and now Niamh has generated another significant sum for Macmillan from her second concert, which was held online and included performances from current and former Ashville pupils.

Niamh editing the performances during her school holidays before broadcasting them on her Youtube channel in September.

She has far exceeded her £3,000 target.

Niamh said:

“It just goes to show that Macmillan is a charity close to so many hearts.

“I hope that we can do a live one again next time. I can’t wait to do more for this amazing charity.”

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The concert included 25 songs from musicals. Niamh performed in three solos and three duets.

Adele Burrough, fundraising manager for Macmillan, said Niamh’s efforts would help people living with cancer, adding:

“Niamh’s remarkable efforts have also made sure that cancer doesn’t become the ‘forgotten C’ during this pandemic.

“Right now, there are around 179,000 people living with cancer across Yorkshire. When coronavirus hit, thousands of vital cancer treatments and appointments were postponed or cancelled.”

Search to find Harrogate’s best Christmas shop window begins

Harrogate Business Improvement District launched its annual Christmas window competition today.

The annual contest was featured in the Channel 5 documentary, Harrogate: A Yorkshire Christmas, last year.

It aims to promote the town centre’s shops and encourage people to shop locally using the BID’s online directory of shops.

Shops have until 8am on December 8 to dress their windows. After a few days of deliberations a winning window will be announced.

The judges will be looking for three elements: illumination, innovation and the sprit of Christmas.

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The contest will be restricted to 50 businesses within the BID’s quarters of Kings, Montpellier, Victoria and West Park.

As in previous years there are three separate categories for large, medium and small retailers.

Winners will be presented with a framed certificate to display on December 14. The overall winner will receive the prized rose bowl.

This year Harrogate BID has partnered with the Rotary Club of Harrogate on the initiative. One of the club’s members, Graham Saunders, said:

“More than ever we need to encourage residents and visitors alike to venture into Harrogate and view the wonderful Christmas display the town is famed for.”

Sara Ferguson, Harrogate BID acting chair, said:

“We would encourage everyone to come in to Harrogate town centre, but in a Covid-safe way, and wherever possible, do all their Christmas shopping with local traders.

“The Harrogate Gift Card is also a great Christmas present and ensures every one pound loaded onto a card is one pound spent within local community.”

‘Vital’ that Harrogate hospitality reopens next week

Hospitality bosses in Harrogate have said it is vital that the sector is able to reopen after the second national lockdown.

The country is expected to return to some form of tier restrictions on Thursday, December 3.

The Prime Minister is to make an announcement today on restrictions over Christmas and, before then, a tougher three-tiered system- although the 10pm closing time for pubs and restaurants could be relaxed.

It comes as public health bosses in North Yorkshire said the lowest tier under the last system “did not work” and that they expected it to be “somewhat stronger” after lockdown.

But owners of restaurants and pubs have said they need clarity in order to plan ahead for their businesses.

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Peter Banks, managing director of Rudding Park Hotel and Spa, which includes the Deer House pub, said it has been an “immensely frustrating” time for the sector.

He added that he wanted Prime Minister Boris Johnson to give clarity on what restrictions will be in place after the lockdown.

Mr Banks said:

“All I wish is that he would get a move on and tell me what I am supposed to be doing, because at the moment we are sitting and waiting and cannot plan.

“If I can’t reopen, then I can’t reopen. But if I can reopen then at least I can plan for it. Being stuck in limbo is just rubbish.”

Mr Banks added that, while it is “absolutely vital” for the sector to reopen, he could not see pubs and restaurants being open in two weeks’ time.

Meanwhile, Andy Barnsdale, general manager at the DoubleTree by Hilton Harrogate Majestic Hotel and Spa, said, while the hotel has lost Christmas parties, he was still hopeful ahead of the announcement.

He said:

“We are optimistic about being able to reopen on December 3, but to what level depends on what tier we are put in.

“This in turn will determine how many staff members we will bring back from furlough.

“Whilst we have cancelled Christmas parties, we are hopeful that we can still offer Christmas lunches and afternoon teas, as well as having our Majestic Winter Tepee open at weekends.”

Simon Cotton, managing director of the HRH Group which runs the Yorkshire Hotel, said it was important that hotels and bars could trade in December to see them through the start of next year.

He said:

“We are hoping to be open after December 2.

“I hope we open up in tier one. My fear is that we open up in tier two or three or another version of that.”

Dr Lincoln Sargeant, director of public health at North Yorkshire County Council, said the lowest tier, which the county was under before lockdown, “did not work” and had “no teeth”. He added that he expected it to be toughened up under the new system.

Competition launched to find district’s best Christmas lights

The search is on to find the best lit house in the Harrogate district this Christmas! With the help of Yorkshire Lighting and Electrical Services, the Stray Ferret is looking for those who’ve gone that extra mile to make Christmas 2020 more magical than ever.

The competition will launch on Facebook on Monday 23 November, and anyone can nominate themselves or a neighbour.

Glen Molloy from Yorkshire Lighting said:

“I’m delighted to be working alongside the Stray Ferret to try and bring some Christmas cheer in these hard times. It’s been a difficult year for everybody, and I’m hoping this will bring some joy to those neighbourhoods that get involved. I’m really looking forward to seeing all the hard work that goes into lighting up so many houses for Christmas 2020.”

Aside from the pride of the title of ‘Best Christmas Lights in the Harrogate District’, the winner will receive a £150 voucher from Harrogate company Lights4Fun – so they can go even further next year!

Simon Norton, Marketing and Customer Experience Director at Lights4fun said:

“This year more than ever before, the home is at the heart of Christmas. There are many ways in which lighting has lifted our spirits, from outdoor displays that brighten the evenings of those passing by to placing candles in windows in support of key workers. As a Harrogate business we are proud to partner with the Stray Ferret in their search for the best dressed Christmas house. We truly care about our community and are always so proud to support our local causes and businesses.”

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Harrogate Harriers’ Christmas virtual event plans to boost spirits

The Harrogate Harriers is encouraging all local runners to stay active during the colder, darker months by taking part in a festive virtual event.

The ’12ks of Christmas’ challenge will see runners covering a 12km distance during the first 12 days of December – it can be done in one outing or spread over a few.

Due to covid restrictions the group has had to adapt and find new ways to keep its participants exercising. Its annual 10km had to move online in July this year but it hopes the 2021 event can go ahead in line with any covid restrictions.

The group has ran several other virtual events for its members during lockdown but this challenge, it says, is for everyone to get involved in.

For this fun Christmas challenge the group has teamed up with toynado.co.uk – a Tockwith-based toy company which is offering 12 toy prizes to be included in the daily draws.

Nathaniel Southworth, Harrogate Harriers Treasurer, said:

“During lockdown we’ve been using different virtual events to keep the members engaged but also give them something to work towards. We want to open this out to everyone, all ages and all abilities.

“Lockdown encouraged people to get out and about so there is likely more runners out there who would enjoy this challenge.”

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Participants will win other items including a discount for next year’s 10km event.

All the profits from the £6 entry fee go back in the club to help them continue encouraging people to get out and exercise within their local community.

To sign up, click here.

Strayside Sunday: politics isn’t Priti…

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

Great news for the residents of Spofforth; the relentless encroachment of concrete on countryside has been stopped, or at least paused.  Harrogate Borough Council planning committee made what sounds like a good decision this week to reject a planning application to build 72 homes in the village.

Having given outline approval for the scheme in March 2019, sight of final detailed plans for the development clearly spooked the council horse, with the planning committee voting it down 6-3 in the face of a council report recommending the application be granted.  Hurray.  Local residents had described the development as “a carbuncle of urban sprawl” and had mobilised an effective campaign to block it.  Historic England, Natural England, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, the council’s principal ecologist, North Yorkshire’s highways, the Lead Local Flood Authority and Spofforth Parish Council joined 300 residents in raising concerns about the scheme.  This is local democracy in action and is why we need more of it.  It demonstrates that politicians can do the right thing, if we pay enough attention, get organised and fight for a just cause.

Meanwhile, up the road on Long Lands Common, People Power has also won out.  A campaign to raise funds for the creation of a community forest, community owned and to be accessible for all, reached a key milestone of £300k.  This means the land can be bought, ensure we can enjoy verdant space and, of course, protect our environment. This is just brilliant news and further demonstrates what people can achieve when they act together for the common good.

One politician whom it seems can be guaranteed not to do the right thing is Priti Patel.  It turns out our hectoring, reactionary Home Secretary is a bully, so says Sir Alex Allan, the government’s independent advisors on standards.  It seems that in her dealings with her civil servants, including toward her Permanent Secretary Sir Philip Rutman, Ms. Patel’s behaviour (allegedly harassing and belittling) broke the ministerial code.  Sir Philip resigned (very publicly) in a huff and is now suing for wrongful dismissal.

Although I wish he wouldn’t, Boris will stand by her I suspect.  The Prime Minister is fast running out of political friends and allies, particularly those Brexiteer fellow travellers primarily responsible for his elevation.  Friends he chose at the very last when he wrote two versions of his referendum coming out article, one Remain, one Brexit, before sniffing the wind and throwing in with the Little Englanders.  With Cummings and Cain gone he can’t afford to lose Patel in close succession.  If Patel had any honour she would resign.  She doesn’t and she won’t.

(While writing I have just received a news notification on my mobile phone to report that Sir Alex Allan has resigned following Boris Johnson’s ruling that the Home Secretary had, in his view, not broken the ministerial code. The Prime Minister has, in effect, officially sanctioned bullying in his government.  It really is a world gone mad. Black is white. Up is down. White slacks after November 1st.  Red wine with fish.  It’s sickening). 

It isn’t as if the the Home Secretary doesn’t have form.  She had to resign her previous cabinet post as International Development Secretary in 2017, having been caught out freelancing in Israel with the Conservative Friends thereof (the CFI).  Forced to fly home in disgrace, on arrival she was photographed grinning like a Cheshire Cat from the front seat of a Jag.  Shameless.

Patel claimed she had been on a private holiday, although she had been accompanied on the trip by Lord Stuart Polak, the Chair of CFI.  They held upwards of a dozen meetings with Israeli government officials and political leaders.  Some holiday.  An even if you buy her version of events, what of her judgment?

This week’s further revelations of the way the government procured PPE equipment during the panic created by the advent of Covid are shocking.  A Spanish businessman, Gabriel Gonzalez Andersson, was paid a £21m commission by a Floridian Jeweller, Michael Saiger, to secure contracts worth a staggering quarter of a billion pounds for providing PPE at the height of the crisis.

I can forgive not buying British, what mattered then (as now) was saving lives.  I can forgive too using emergency powers, rather than the usual strangled, extended and often painful procurement processes.  What I can’t forgive is awarding contracts to suppliers with no prior experience in manufacturing essential medical equipment.  Saiger is a jewellery designer and owns a fashion brand for goodness sake.  Although the makers of novelty face coverings might beg to differ, looking good is not top priority during a pandemic.

Saiger is now reportedly suing Andersson for his middle-man money back.  Here at home The Good Law Group is on the case and is set to challenge the legality of the deal with the Department of Health and Social Care.  I hope the case succeeds, exposing as it does a total breakdown in good governance, a blithe disregard for the way taxpayers (yours and mine) money is spent and a supine acceptance of the worst consequences of the untrammelled market economy.  It drains the last reserves of my support for the Conservative supply-side ‘ideals’.  I’m currently reading a book called by Paul Collier and John Kay called “Greed is Dead; Politics After Individualism.”  All evidence to the contrary it seems.  Freedom should not be this expensive.

That’s my Strayside Sunday.

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The Stray Ferret has been investigating the unprecedented amount of housing development in the district and examining the impact of Harrogate Borough Council’s failure to have a Local Development Plan up to March 2020. 
In a series of special reports each morning from tomorrow we will be asking: 
Building Boom or Housing Crisis– have the wrong homes been built, in the wrong places at the wrong price?