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Aug 2022

Last Updated: 19/08/2022

Environment

Kingsley residents suffering construction dust call on council to tackle developers

by Thomas Barrett

| 21 Aug, 2022

Residents say construction traffic has resulted in vast amounts of dust and dirt from lorries ending up on roads, cars and houses.

Residents in Harrogate's Kingsley ward say construction traffic has left them worrying about harmful dust and air pollution — but a "weak" Harrogate Borough Council has done little to clamp down on developers.

Over 700 homes will eventually be built in the ward by five different developers but Kingsley Road and Kingsley Drive are accessed off the busy Knaresborough Road.

This has led to lorries and trucks driving through residential roads to get to the building sites.

Residents say the construction traffic has resulted in vast amounts of dust and dirt from lorries ending up on roads, cars and houses. They say it's so bad they worry they'll have to wear masks to protect themselves.

Gary Tremble, from Kingsley Ward Action Group (KWAG), said:

"We have complained for over three years yet to this day the wagons travel down our residential street spewing out dust in summer and dirt in winter, we now even have fully laden uncovered wagons taking dirt into the developments."

Mr Tremble believes the dust is made up of PM10, an air pollutant typically seen on building sites. When breathed in, it can penetrate deep into the lungs.

Exposure to high concentrations of PM10 has been linked by scientists to asthma attacks, high blood pressure, heart attacks and strokes.

'We've been ignored'

When a development receives planning permission from HBC, conditions are attached that stipulate how housebuilders will minimise the impact of issues including dirt and dust.

This sometimes involves making sure there are onsite wheel cleaners and covering wagons that are carrying materials or waste.

Mr Tremble added:

"We've made hundreds of complaints to Harrogate Borough Council but enforcement but are weak. They don't do anything and we've been ignored."

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The issue of how effective the council's planning enforcement team was raised at a council meeting this week.

Conservative councillor for Old Bilton, Paul Haslam, said he and other councillors had received complaints from KWAG accusing the council’s planning enforcement team of not ensuring that conditions were being upheld.

Conservative councillor for the Washburn ward, Victoria Oldham, asked Cllr Haslam if he thought HBC’s planning enforcement team was acting on complaints from residents “in a timeous manner”.

Cllr Haslam said he was concerned that enforcement officers “don’t have enough support”. He said:

“Quite clearly, guidelines are being flaunted [sic] by the developers. We need to make sure we are seen to protect our residents.”

'Addressing the concerns'

In response to KWAG, a Harrogate Borough Council spokesperson said:

"We are aware of concerns relating to dust from HGVs entering and exiting the development(s) on Kingsley Road and have allocated a case officer to address these concerns.

“We have discussed the matter with the county council and the developer and have reminded them of actions they must maintain as per the conditions of the planning permission.

“These actions have been actioned – as well as some further recommendation, including road sweeping – by the developer and we will continue to closely assess this situation to ensure they continue to do so.”

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Kingsley residents suffering construction dust call on council to tackle developers

'We've been ignored'

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'Addressing the concerns'