Readers’ Letters: Can’t the Dean use the field behind his house to build Ripon Cathedral’s annexe?

Readers’ Letters is a free weekly column giving you the chance to have your say on issues affecting the Harrogate district. It is an opinion column and does not reflect the views of the Stray Ferret. Send your views to letters@thestrayferret.co.uk.

The following letter is about Ripon Cathedral’s controversial annexe plans.

Is the Dean being deliberately obtuse about the siting of his proposed cathedral development?

Here is a perfectly good site in the enclosed field behind his house - why can't he use that?

Dave Purvis, Ripon

Judi Dench fails to see the real need for Ripon Cathedral’s annexe plans

This letter follows a story about Dame Judi Dench speaking out against the Ripon Cathedral annexe plans, which would see veteran trees felled to facilitate the new building.

Dame Judi Dench has expressed her opposition to Ripon Cathedral’s plans for an annexe. Her opposition, and that of the Woodland Trust, centres on the potential loss of trees. However, that view fails to consider the needs which the proposals are intended to resolve.

Most significantly, well over a 100,000 visitors come to the cathedral every year for events, concerts, education and services, but find no decent toilets on site. Nor are there adequate facilities for the growing children’s choir, for hospitality for visitors, for schools and children’s work, for people with disabilities, for storage or meeting rooms.

After more than 1,350 years on this site, the current objective is not the removal of trees, but the resolution of urgent contemporary problems. Years of research and considerable expense have proved that this site offers the only workable solution.

Mitigation is promised, meaning that many more trees will be planted, some of which may themselves eventually become veteran trees. The removal of some trees now could mean many more native and ancient trees in years to come.

Ms Dench says that she hopes “a solution can be found to protect this conservation area”, which is helpful. However, it is in reality a deteriorating conservation area. As the trees grow, that corner of the gardens is becoming increasingly dank, unused and gloomy. No one sits there. The intention of the plans is not only to provide contemporary toilets and facilities for visitors who come from all over the world, but to enhance and enlarge the conservation area and improve biodiversity.

These visionary plans will vastly improve a neglected area at the heart of the city, integrate it aesthetically and usefully into the community, and make Ripon much more attractive for visitors.

The views of Ms Dench need to be set in this much wider context, which I believe she would understand. Opposition needs to be balanced by the human needs of hundreds and thousands of peoples.

Malcolm Hanson, Ripon

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Details of the Harrogate Festival of Remembrance

This reader wanted to share the details of Harrogate’s Festival of Remembrance with other readers. You can find them below.

Dear the Stray Ferret,

I would like to share details of this year's Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance.

It is taking place at St Peter's Church on Cambridge Road, Harrogate, on November 7. It will start at 7:30pm.

Last year was the first festival and it was very well attended, with the mayor and local MP in attendance. I would be extremely grateful if your news desk would feature this event. It's all in aid of the Royal British Legion.

Harrogate Band will be joined once again by members of our armed forced, along with members of the Royal British Legion, local veterans and cadet groups.

Music will be presented by Harrogate Band, The Fisher Singers and the St John Fisher Catholic High School choir. There will be reflections honouring the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings, with the festival concluding with a drumhead service where those present will honour our fallen heroes.

All this will be led by our guest compere, Adam Tomlinson.

Tickets cost £10, or £5 for under 16s, and are available here.

Dave West, Harrogate Band Committee

Do you have an opinion on the Harrogate district? Email us at letters@thestrayferret.co.uk. Please include your name and approximate location details. Limit your letters to 350 words. We reserve the right to edit letters.