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14
Feb
Killinghall residents fight back against fresh wave of housing
“Somebody has to try to do something,” says James Houseman, a member of the new action group Killinghall Together.
The residents’ group was set up following a fresh wave of planning applications last year in the rapidly growing village three miles north of Harrogate.
Killinghall’s population was 4,132 in the 2011 census and is now estimated to be about 6,500. Another 425 homes are in the pipeline, which could add another 1,000 to the population, at a time when Rightmove currently lists 84 Killinghall properties for sale.
Yet as houses increase, services diminish. The two village pubs have closed, the GP surgery shut in 2024, the school is oversubscribed and there is precious little for people to do beyond walk around the Glebe and shop at Tesco Local.
Previous new developments have done little to boost Killinghall’s infrastructure, despite the promise of Section 106 money from developers, and there is deep scepticism things will change if these applications are approved.
Mr Houseman draws a comparison with Spofforth, which despite being much smaller than Killinghall has a pub, golf course, GP surgery, a ruined castle and a village shop with post office.
“Killinghall has experienced significant growth but without any serious investment in amenities,” he says. “There is no social hub since the pubs closed.”
Mike Wilkinson and Libby Ben Abdessadak with their petition in 2025 against more homes in Killinghall.
His widely shared frustration galvanised residents to form Killinghall Together.
Former parish councillor Mike Wilkinson, who organised a petition calling for no new homes in Killinghall last year, is among those supporting the venture.
Action group members have knocked on doors, distributed flyers, set-up a WhatsApp group and organised village hall drop-in sessions informing residents how to formally object to applications on North Yorkshire Council’s planning portal.
The junction of Ripon Road and Otley Road
‘That junction is a ticking time bomb’
Amid the housing concerns, one issue crops up constantly — the junction of Ripon Road and Otley Road.
Traffic frequently backs up on Otley Road as vehicles struggle for a gap to get onto Ripon Road, which has 24,000 vehicle movements each day. The entrance to the new Tesco, built on the site of the former Three Horseshoes pub, has added to the potential hazards.
Villagers’ fears were crystalised three years ago when a man was struck by a car as he walked over the pedestrian crossing when traffic was on a red light.
The 45-year-old father of two, who suffered a broken ankle and bleed on the brain and now has metal plates in his ankle, agreed to meet us to discuss why he supports Killinghall Together.
The man, who asked not to be named, said:
I’m not against building more houses but road safety is a major concern. That junction is a ticking time bomb. There needs to be more consideration around infrastructure. Nothing has changed since my accident. I don’t want this to come across as a rant, but people need to know the consequences of not paying enough attention to road safety.
The pedestrian crossing on Ripon Road.
David vs Goliath
Residents, however, face a tough battle.
Killinghall is close to Harrogate and doesn’t enjoy any of the green belt protection afforded to the south side of Harrogate, making it attractive to developers.
And the council’s lack of a five-year housing supply, detailing where development can take place, makes it difficult to resist even speculative planning applications.
As for the junction, nothing has happened since residents demanded action at a packed parish council meeting following the accident on the nearby pedestrian crossing three years ago.
Notices have appeared around the village.
Councillor Michael Harrison, a Conservative who represents Killinghall, Hampsthwaite and Saltergate on North Yorkshire Council, said the council conducted a safety audit following that incident. He added:
I recall in the mid-2000s when the crossing was installed that it was acknowledged that it was not ideal, but there was no better alternative identified, and in some respects nothing has changed, albeit I suspect the traffic volume has increased, and the Tesco entrance is compounding the issue.
The campaigners appear to be engaged in a David vs Goliath battle, with little chance of stopping the homes or improving the junction. But they are determined to do all they can to protect their village, as it sprawls ever closer to Harrogate.
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