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Mar

Last Updated: 22/03/2024

Environment

Flying debris from Harrogate Tesco site smashes resident's window

by Lauren Ryan

| 22 Mar, 2024

Flying debris from work on the new Tesco site in Harrogate has smashed the window of a nearby resident's home.

Work has begun to build a new Tesco supermarket on the former gasworks site at the junction of Skipton Road and Ripon Road in the New Park area.

Contractors have been carrying out work this week between the site and houses on Electric Avenue to grind down the stumps of trees felled as part of the scheme.

While this was taking place yesterday a piece of concrete was projected from the equipment and smashed a kitchen window on Electric Avenue.

Janette Percy, whose house was affected, was shaken by the incident, which happened yesterday between 11am- 12.15pm.

She said:

"I had just come home after being out for an hour and my kitchen window was smashed by a piece of flying concrete from the grinding work in the no man’s land between the houses and the barrier that has flown over.

"God forbid if it had hit someone or a child."

She added it raised questions about safe working practices.

A Tesco spokesperson said:

“We’re really sorry this happened. All our colleagues and contractors follow rigorous safety processes and completed risk assessments before undertaking work on the site of our new Harrogate superstore.

"Unfortunately, even with all the appropriate safeguards in place, a nearby window was broken by debris from a sub-contractor’s tree-grinding machine.

"The contractor immediately spoke to the resident to apologise and has arranged to cover the costs of the replacement window.”

Monika Slater, a Liberal Democrat who represents Bilton Grange and New Park on North Yorkshire Council, said:

“I am grateful for the swift response from Tesco as soon as they were aware of a safety concern on the site. Unfortunately, the initial response from the temporary site manager to a local resident alerting him to this issue was disappointing and I hope that there will be a learning from this incident.

"Residents want the build to be done in a safe manner, respecting the conditions set out by the planning department and disturbing the local environment as little as is reasonably possible. "

Planning permission for a store, petrol station and 209-space car park was granted last year. It is set to create more than 100 jobs.

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Flying debris from Harrogate Tesco site smashes resident's window

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