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May 2024

Last Updated: 29/05/2024

Environment

Judicial review threat to Ripon's 1,300-home Clotherholme scheme

by John Plummer

| 24 May, 2024

Ripon City Council could begin legal action to ensure key concerns relating to the 1,300-home Clotherholme scheme are addressed.

North Yorkshire Council's strategic planning committee granted government agency Homes England outline permission to develop Ministry of Defence land in the north-west of the city last week.

Although there is widespread acceptance that the scheme will go ahead, Ripon councillors, Ripon Military Heritage Trust and Ripon Civic Society have all called for safeguards to be installed on two key issues before the homes are built.

They want to see vital military heritage sites at Clotherholme preserved and a rethink on a proposal to ban right-turning traffic at the Low Skellgate / Somerset Row junction, which is one of many transport measures relating to the development.

Cllr Barbara Brodigan, a Liberal Democrat who represents Ripon Ure Bank and Spa division said she was disappointed local voices "did not have the impact we wanted" at last week's planning meeting in Northallerton.

She said:

"There was a small success in that they will look again at the 'no right turn' proposal for the junction at Low Skellgate.

"However, I have campaigned for nearly four years now for the traffic assessment to be reviewed as I believe the existing one is flawed, having been conducted in June when there is less school traffic on the road."

Neither Cllr Brodigan nor Cllr Andrew Williams, a member of the Conservatives and Independents group who represents Ripon Moorside and Minster, sit on the countywide strategic planning committee.

But both spoke at last week's meeting to flag up concerns. Cllr Williams said:

“The banning of right turning traffic at the Low Skellgate / Somerset Row junction will mean my constituents effectively being cut off and having to find an alternative way to get to their homes.”

The strategic planning committee agreed to review plans to preserve the city's military heritage when the application comes back to councillors for the reserved matters application, which contains the details of the scheme.

But Cllr Brodigan said:

"This fails to preserve the military heritage, which I believe the planning committee intended, as the developers can start bulldozing the buildings under the planning consent.

"So it is not enough, unless the city council considers a judicial review, which I believe we will."

Cllr Brodigan added:

"Homes England, like other developers, talk about place-making, consulting with the community etc. They say it is not just about chimney pots, but in fact it is.

"I would like to see some genuine engagement from Homes England with the Ripon Military Heritage Trust to preserve the significant military heritage at Clotherholme for posterity. We will 'soldier on!'"

'We need as many voices raised as possible'

Ripon Military Heritage Trust said in a statement it was disappointed the planning committee did not agree to a deferral "but instead approved the scheme without the safeguards in place that the trust believes to be essential to ensure the preservation of a group of the historic buildings".

The statement added:

"Nevertheless, we were encouraged by the general support for the heritage expressed by a clear majority of the committee and for the view voiced by several members that land should be allocated for this purpose.

"And we were also partly reassured by the determination of elected members to keep the final decision on heritage preservation in their own hands rather than deputing it to officers as was being proposed.

"However, given that the committee in approving the overall development has agreed a plan to demolish all the barrack buildings, we are concerned that the developers may seek to pre-empt any decision on the heritage by simply bulldozing Deverell Barracks at the earliest opportunity."

The Stray Ferret is backing the trust's campaign to save Ripon's military heritage and the statement said "we need as many voices raised in concerned protest as possible".

The statement added:

"We are most grateful to the Stray Ferret for its continuing support of our fight to save this important part of our heritage."

The houses are due to be built on land between Clotherhome Road and Kirkby Road.

The Stray Ferret is backing the trust’s campaign to save key parts of the city’s military history, as reported here. Please sign the petition here.

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Judicial review threat to Ripon's 1,300-home Clotherholme scheme

'We need as many voices raised as possible'

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