Local Harrogate News & Views around the district - Page 969 of 1172

‘Victory for the people!’: Harrogate’s plastic grass removed this morning

Harrogate Borough Council has removed the plastic grass from planters on Cambridge Street after a huge backlash.

Workers have already taken out the fake turf as the council considers what to do next to brighten up the town centre. It said yesterday it hoped to have something vibrant in place by June.

Last night’s council apology prompted a big reaction on social media. Many praised the council for holding its hand up and admitting it had made a mistake while others called for it to collaborate more with people and groups to prevent a repeat.

Sarah Gibbs, an environmental campaigner who set up a petition calling for the removal of the fake grass, told the Stray Ferret:

“It’s a victory for the people. This change shows that people power really does work.

“I was really pleased when I saw the council’s second apology. This is a real one this this time because they are actually doing something about it.

“The petition still stands though. It also called for the council to work with schools, businesses and others to manage the planters.”

So far, in just under two days, her petition has attracted about 500 signatures.

Shan Oakes, a spokesperson for the Green Party in Harrogate, said:

“It’s good that the council have apologised and accepted that they had done something wrong.

“I just hope the council will review its policy on biodiversity going forward, it needs to change its whole outlook.

“There should be a people’s assembly. If the council collaborated with people then this would have been avoided.”

How it looked before the plastic grass was removed.

While many called over the last two weeks for the council to remove the astro turf, Extinction Rebellion Harrogate took direct action last week when it replaced the plastic grass with plants in one of the raised beds.

Jess Thompson, who took part in the protest, told the Stray Ferret;

“We are pleased with the council’s apology. It is a positive step but there is still a way to go.

“Biodiversity needs to be the priority, not aesthetics. I do not know how much would have been done if we did not take action.

“Hopefully the council will use this as an opportunity. Hopefully the people will also continue to hold those in power accountable.”

Three men arrested in police drugs swoop in Harrogate

Police arrested three men on suspicion of drug offences in Harrogate yesterday as part of a crackdown on county lines drug dealing.

According to a statement today by North Yorkshire Police, plain cloth officers on patrol in the Avenue Grove area of Starbeck had their suspicions raised by the activity of a man.

He was stopped and searched and found to have class A drugs on him.

Officers then searched a nearby property where they found three other men who were also searched.

A police statement said:

“Officers recovered more drugs stashed in a mattress, £200 in cash from one of the men and other suspected drugs paraphernalia including three mobile phones. A fourth man was also arrested on suspicion of theft offences.”

A 39-year-old Harrogate man was arrested on suspicion of possessing class A drugs. Another man from Harrogate, aged 38, was arrested on suspicion of theft, possessing class A drugs and being concerned in the supply of class A drugs.

A Leeds man, aged 50, was arrested on suspicion of possessing heroin with intent to supply. He has been released on bail while enquiries continue.

A fourth man, aged 26, from Harrogate, was arrested on suspicion of a number of theft offences.

The three men arrested on suspicion of drug offences have been released while under investigation as further enquiries are carried out.

The police statement added:

“Members of the public are urged to report any suspicious activity about drug dealing in their neighbourhood to the police on 101. Or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Always call 999 in an emergency.

“Police are also urging people to report any signs that someone they know is being exploited by criminals and forced to work for them.

“This can include what is known as ‘cuckooing’, where drug dealers take over the home of a vulnerable person – who are often drug users themselves – and use it to store and sell drugs.”

Pedestrianisation of Harrogate’s James Street moves a step closer

Council bosses in North Yorkshire and Harrogate are set to press ahead with designs for James Street and Station Parade as part of the £7.9 million Station Gateway scheme.

The project, which is being led by North Yorkshire County Council, Harrogate Borough Council and West Yorkshire Combined Authority, was consulted on back in March over plans to pedestrianise James Street and reduce Station Parade to one lane.

A report will go before the county council’s executive next week which will recommend progressing to a detailed design stage with further consultation.

Of the 1,101 who responded to the survey, 45% supported the full pedestrianisation of James Street and 49% favoured the Station Parade one-lane proposal.

However, 17% said they favoured a part-pedestrianisation of James Street and 27% backed two lanes for Station Parade.

Cllr Don Mackenzie, executive county councillor for access, said:

“We are grateful to everyone across each of the towns who took the time to share their views in the consultation. We have listened. The next steps we are considering take into account the feedback we have received.

“They take account of concerns raised while providing significant benefits to facilitate and encourage people to cycle and walk. There will, of course, be further consultation on detailed proposals before final decisions are taken.”

The main concerns raised during the consultation were the potential impact of increased congestion and the potential impact on businesses of reduced parking.

The county council said any pedestrianisation or part-pedestrianisation of James Street would result in loss of town centre parking.

How Station Parade might look under the new “station gateway” proposals.

It estimates that this would be no more than 45 out of 915 on-street pay and display spaces in the town centre. Currently, at peak occupancy, it is estimated there are 120 on-street spaces unused.

The pedestrianisation of James Street would also require a Traffic Regulation Order, meaning further consultation would be required.

Cllr Phil Ireland, Harrogate Borough Council’s cabinet member for carbon reduction and sustainability, said:

“I’d like to thank those who have taken the time to complete the TCF consultation and shared their views on the Harrogate proposals.

“It’s positive to see that the proposals for sustainable alternatives to the car, and an improved and exciting public realm, have significant support from residents, businesses and visitors alike.

“The benefit of carrying out a consultation early on in the process is that we have everybody’s feedback and ideas to feed in to the next phase of detailed design work. We can now collectively work together, review the feedback, explore our options and design a 21st century travel network that supports economic growth for the region and something people can be proud.”

Further public consultation will take place in the autumn to inform proposals for implementation.

Following the development of detailed designs, a final business case will be prepared, including the outcome of further consultation, before approval is sought to implement the finalised designs.

Funding for the project comes as part of the Department for Transport’s Transforming Cities Fund and the schemes must be complete by March 2023.

People urged to ‘think carefully’ before attending Harrogate hospital emergency department

People have been urged to think carefully before going to the emergency department at Harrogate District Hospital.

The hospital issued a statement yesterday saying the department had seen a significant increase in patient numbers over the past couple of months.

About 130 patients a day attended the department in March, compared with 160 a day in May.

This meant patients with less urgent issues were waiting longer to be seen.

Dr Matt Shepherd, consultant emergency medicine and clinical director long term and unscheduled care at the hospital, urged people to call NHS 111 first unless it was a life-threatening illness or injury.

He said:

“We are now seeing approximately eight per cent more patients attending our emergency department than were doing so before covid began, which makes it very difficult to ensure we can safely keep social distancing measures in place.

“Colleagues in the department – and the wider hospital – are working incredibly hard to provide care but we do ask that people think about other healthcare options available to them.

“The most urgent and life-threatening cases take priority, which means that unfortunately people coming in with less urgent issues are experiencing longer waiting times. Our emergency department is for emergencies only, such as severe chest pain, difficulty breathing, significant head injuries and broken bones.”

He added that alternatives, such as calling NHS 111, consulting a GP or visiting a pharmacist, could mean waiting less time to receive care. He added:

“You can also check any symptoms and find out what to do and when to get help using the NHS website – nhs.uk. It can find services near you, such as local pharmacies, who can offer advice for common health problems such as sore throats and headaches, aches and pains, bumps and bruises or sickness and diarrhoea.”

‘We got it wrong’: Harrogate council agrees to remove plastic grass

Harrogate Borough Council has made a dramatic U-turn this evening and agreed to remove plastic grass from planters in the town centre.

The council’s decision to install the artificial grass sparked a fierce backlash, which saw protesters from Extinction Rebellion replace the turf with plants.

The council initially defended the £800 scheme, claiming it had received “lots of positive feedback” despite complaints it looked “cheap and tacky” and was damaging to the environment.

It then said it had failed to communicate the move properly but now, after 400 people signed a petition in the last 24 hours calling for the fake grass to be removed, the council has issued a mea culpa.

It said in a statement posted on social media:

“We got things wrong with the artificial grass in the planters on Cambridge Street.

“The artificial grass was a last resort, and the decision to use it was made with the best intentions, but on reflection it was the wrong one.

“We will be removing the ‘grass’ and keeping the planters while we continue to find a better solution.

“We hope to have something installed by the end of June that provides a vibrant display of colour all year round.”

The statement added it considered using stone or bark instead of the plastic grass but ruled it out because “we felt it will most likely end up being used as an ashtray or thrown around”.

It added the saga had detracted from other initiatives, such as planting 5,500 wildflowers on the Stray and the upcoming white rose project, that will see thousands of trees planted.

Harrogate paedophile jailed for 22 years for 86 sex attacks

A Harrogate paedophile has been jailed for 22 years for subjecting four young girls to sexual abuse.

Jessica Brennan, who was listed as Allan Brennan by the court but is a trans woman who identifies as Jessica, groomed and then sexually assaulted the children, one of whom was just four years old, in separate incidents over a 17-year period from the late 1990s.

Brennan, from Harrogate, tried to rape one of the youngsters and one girl was subjected to systematic sexual abuse over 10 years which involved “multiple” incidents, York Crown Court heard.

None of the victims, who had been “haunted” by the abuse, can be named for legal reasons.

Prosecutor Philip Standfast said one of the victims came forward to police with allegations against Brennan, who has two children, as early as 2000 but no charges were brought.

He said there had been no fewer than 86 separate sexual assaults on the girls over a 17-year period.

The allegations re-emerged three or four years ago when the abuse finally stopped and other girls came forward. Brennan was finally charged with a raft of sexual offences which had “ruined” the girls’ lives, the court heard.

One of the victims said she had suffered anxiety attacks since the abuse, and she had been taking anti-depressants.

She had been unable to form proper relationships and felt an inexplicable guilt.

Another victim had been having counselling sessions due to anxiety after losing her “self-worth and self-esteem”. She said:

“It’s made it hard for me to trust people.

“This has affected my family. Anything that this evil man gets (in terms of punishment) won’t be enough for what he’s done to me and my family.”

Another victim spoke of her “pain and suffering over the last 21 years. I was sexually abused when I was four.” She added:

“I had minimum understanding of what was happening to me. The comprehension of what happened to me as a child makes me sick to my stomach.

“I’m constantly haunted by what happened to me.”

She said she got flashbacks to the abuse and was put on anti-depressants and anti-anxiety medication for panic attacks.

“At 12, I was taking medication I didn’t even understand.”

“It didn’t stop what happened ruining my life. It has affected every aspect of my life (including) forming a relationship with boys. I felt like my body was not my own.

“There just doesn’t seem to be any aspect of what happened to me that doesn’t live with me to this day.”

It had affected her college education and her work and left her with a “pit of depression”, she added.

She had to take time off work due to anxiety attacks, which meant that she had lost out financially too.

“My life was stolen from me when I was just four years’ old,” she said.

“I was abused and violated by an…adult.”

The fourth victim, a “vulnerable child”, said she “always felt (the abuse) was my fault”.

She too was signed off work last year for anxiety and depression.

Brennan, of Bowland Close, was charged with 16 separate offences including sexual assault of a child, indecent assault, sexual activity with a child and one count of attempted rape of a girl under 13.

She was found guilty after a trial earlier this year and appeared for sentence via video link on Monday. Three other allegations of sexual abuse were “severed” and not-guilty verdicts recorded.

Gillian Batts, for Brennan, said her client, who had been remanded in jail since the trial, had no previous convictions.

Judge Simon Hickey criticised Brennan for her chronic abuse of the children, who were aged from four to their teens:

“You attacked four separate young girls over (a) 17-year period.

“You are in my mind a dangerous offender (and) there is a risk of you causing (further) serious harm to young females.”

“You chose to hide behind these offences, claiming you had no memory (beyond) a few years ago.”

Brennan was jailed for 22 years, of which she will serve half behind bars before being released on parole.

However, the judge also imposed a four-year extended period on prison licence upon Brennan’s eventual release from jail.

In addition to the jail sentence, Brennan was made subject to a sexual harm prevention order limiting her contact with children for an indefinite period.

Three years for running over police officer in Harrogate

A man has been sent to prison for three years and two months after he ran over a police officer in Harrogate.

Llewellyn Mitcham, 30, was sentenced today at York Crown Court after pleading guilty to dangerous driving.

On March 16, police spotted a car on Bewerley Road in Harrogate that they believed belonged to a drug dealer.

They followed the car into a car park and then left their police vehicle to speak to the suspects.

Mitcham, of Harold Place in Leeds, drove off as the officers approached and hit PC Lister, throwing him into the air.

As a result of the impact, PC Lister suffered a severe fracture to his knee, which he is still recovering from two months later.

The court heard how Mitcham left the car park and was spotted speeding away before police brought his vehicle to a stop and arrested him.

Mitcham pleaded guilty to causing serious injury whilst dangerous driving, driving without insurance and driving whilst disqualified.

North Yorkshire Police Detective Constable, Kirsty Smith, said:

“PC Lister has served as a North Yorkshire police officer for a number of years and on the day of the incident was carrying out proactive work to prevent drug dealers from surrounding counties entering the Harrogate area and committing crime.

“During this line of duty he was seriously injured following Llewellyn Mitcham’s actions trying to evade arrest. Mitcham gave no regard for PC Lister’s welfare and made good his escape where he was finally apprehended some 20 miles away following a police pursuit.

“When you suffer an injury like this although we may be able to heal physically, the trauma stays with you. As police officers we know our job comes with risk but Mitcham’s actions and the long-lasting impact of these should not be underestimated, a fact which has been clearly reflected in the sentencing.”

Police appeal for help after Harrogate petrol bomb attack

Police are appealing for witnesses after a petrol bomb attack on a car on a driveway in Harrogate on Saturday night.

Firefighters and police, including crime scene investigators, were called to Heather Way, Killinghall at about 10.40pm.

The bomb failed to detonate but smouldered and destroyed the driver’s seat.

Several police community support officers conducted door-to-door inquiries in Heather Way yesterday.

Now North Yorkshire Police has issued an appeal for help.

It said in a statement the blaze in the Audi Q7 caused house alarms to go off and disrupted many neighbours. It added:

“Officers investigating this incident are appealing for anyone who was in the area at the time to get in touch.

“Dial 101, press 1 and pass information on to the Force Control Rom, quoting reference number 12210118757.”

Hundreds call on Harrogate council to remove plastic grass

Nearly 400 people have signed a petition calling on Harrogate Borough Council to remove plastic grass from planters in the town centre.

Sarah Gibbs, an environmental campaigner, set up the petition yesterday. It had 365 signatures at the time of publication.

The petition demands the council “prioritise biodiversity and remove the plastic grass”.

It also “requests that local businesses, schools and residents be invited for a community scheme to manage the planters”. It adds:

“Artificial grass holds no biodiversity net gains. Burrowing insects, such as solitary bees can’t get past the membrane, and worms beneath the soil are compromised and unreachable by consumers within each habitat community.

“This is likely to have a negative impact on local bird populations.

“We need more habitats, not more plastic.”

The plastic grass has been widely condemned on aesthetic and environmental grounds.

In a statement today, the council said the planters that have been installed on top of the fame grass were temporary measures while it looked at a permanent solution.

It did not comment on the petition by the time of publication.

Last week it released a statement apologising for the lack of communication with residents.

It said:

“We haven’t explained this well and we are sorry about that. We concentrated too much on getting the trial in place and not enough time explaining the totality of what we were doing.”

Extinction Rebellion Harrogate removed the fake grass from one of the raised beds on Cambridge Street and replaced it with plants, which still remain.

The environmental group later handed the fake grass back to the council, which spent £800 on the scheme.

Controversial Wetherby Road Starbucks would ‘change our lives’, say residents

A controversial plan for a drive-thru Starbucks on Wetherby Road would adversely affect lives, according to residents who live next to the site.

The proposals by Euro Garages would see the coffee shop built on the former 1st Dental surgery site.

Harrogate Borough Council has refused the plan three times and a government planning inspector has also turned down the application.

But the authority has now withdrawn its objection to the latest plans, leaving residents to fight an appeal by the developer themselves.

David Stephenson, who has lived on Coachman’s Court with his wife for six years, is among those fighting the proposal.

Mr Stephenson’s house is next door the proposed site and he would be able to see the serving hatch of the Starbucks from his lounge window.

The view of the proposed Starbucks site from Mr Stephenson’s bedroom window.

He hoped for a quiet retirement when he moved to Coachman’s Court but said the Starbucks would change that if given the go ahead.

Mr Stephenson said:

“I think it is going to change our lives.

“We live in a nice, quiet cul-de-sac and this is not what we wanted in our retirement.”

He added that residents do not object to the site needing redevelopment, but said a drive-thru coffee shop would only increase traffic at the Woodlands junction.

The junction is the only air quality management area in Harrogate, which obliges the local authority to improve air quality.

Another resident, Joanne Richardson, said she had concerns about the noise, pollution and number of cars coming through the site.

Ms Richardson has lived directly behind the former 1st Dental site for five years and her bedroom window would look out onto the drive-thru.

The view of the site from Ms Richardson’s bedroom window.

She said she was frustrated with the plan and expressed concern over the nitrogen oxide levels from cars to nearby properties.

Ms Richardson added that she “could not believe” that the council would no longer be defending its decision to refuse the plan.

In her consultation response for the appeal, Ms Richardson said:

“I am very frustrated to be in this position again, despite this proposal being rejected by Harrogate Borough Council again.

“This is not a case of Nimbyism. I am genuinely concerned on the impact of this proposal not just on my health and those residents surrounding the site, but also the impact on residents quality of life and wellbeing.”

Cllr Pat Marsh, a Liberal Democrat who represents the area on the council, said the development was another example of “big companies pushing for planning applications” to be put through.

The proposed layout of the Starbucks site on Wetherby Road as submitted to Harrogate Borough Council. Picture: Euro Garages.

Another appeal

Last week, the council announced it would not be defending its refusal of the proposal by Euro Garages.

The multi-million pound company, which also operates drive-thru facilities for KFC and Greggs, will be taking the council to appeal on June 15.

John Worthington, the council’s executive officer for development management, said officers could not stand successfully at appeal because their previous recommendation would “undermine” their case and that losing also risked legal costs of over £50,000.

A council spokesman told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that not contesting the appeal “hasn’t been an easy decision to make” but was “the best way forward in this instance”.

As a result, residents will appear at the hearing to defend the council’s refusal and have called for expert help ahead of the appeal to support their case.

The Stray Ferret approached Euro Garages for comment on the concerns, but did not receive a response at the time of publication.

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Another appeal

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