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17
Nov
"We've been prepared to compromise": Dean urges support for new Ripon Cathedral plans
The Dean of Ripon has said he hopes people will “unite around” new plans for the proposed annexe to Ripon Cathedral.
Previous plans for the annexe, which is intended to house a song school, public toilets and storage, as well as a cathedral shop and refectory, had attracted fierce opposition from some quarters, prompted in large part by the proposed cutting down of a large beech tree.
The revised plans, which have been released by Ripon Cathedral, retain the veteran tree by altering the building’s shape and relocating part of it to the stonemason’s yard. Some smaller trees would still be removed, however.
The Very Reverend John Dobson told the Stray Ferret:
The building will still have its entrance opposite the north side of the cathedral, but it will be longer and thinner, and our expert advisers tell us we’ll be able to retain the veteran beech tree, which so many people have been concerned about.
He said he hoped the new plans, which have been months in the making, would win over some of the people who objected to the plans’ first iteration. He said:
The first plan actually received lots of support. During the consultation period in March, about 1,000 people responded, and 77% were in favour of what we were proposing.
I don’t expect 100% of people to be behind the new plans – although that would be wonderful – but my hope is that some of those people, who were in good faith opposed to the old plans out of a genuine interest for the beech tree, will see that we’ve been prepared to compromise and will unite around the new proposals.
23 new trees will be planted in the cathedral grounds. Pic: Ripon Cathedral
He said that the revised plans would enhance the area around the cathedral, increase the number of trees and the amount of open green space, and lead to greater biodiversity. He also stressed that at least 300 trees would be planted elsewhere to help mitigate the loss of trees on the proposed building site.
He said:
This is an opportunity to develop a Cathedral Quarter, which the Ripon City Plan called for. It’s much more than a building – it's about developing the cathedral and enhancing the area around it, which the city desperately needs.
The plans were redesigned following extensive public consultation
The plans will now go through the planning process, and Dean John expects a decision to be made by council planning committee in late December or early January.
But, he said, even if the new plans are approved, work on the development will not start for some time yet. He said:
Groundworks are a long way off. This is a vision to secure the cathedral’s long-term viability, but there are no guarantees.
The next step will be to secure funding for the development, and I’m not taking anything for granted. But I would hope that it wouldn’t take more than a couple of years.
The new building would face the cathedral's north side
How much the new extension would cost has not yet been revealed. A previous proposed scheme on the north side of the cathedral was costed at more than £6 million, and £4 million had been pledged before the development was stopped by Historic England.
Dean John is hoping that enthusiasm for the new plans will see supporters top that sum. The plans thwarted earlier in the year were costed at £8 million, but that estimate was made two years ago, and the cost of materials and labour has risen since then.
Dean John said:
We hope it captures people’s imagination, and they appreciate the historic significance of what we’re trying to do.
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