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14
Aug
Ripon Civic Society calls on council to issue statement on cathedral annexe plan
Ripon Civic Society has written an open letter to North Yorkshire Council chief executive Richard Flinton requesting a statement that building on the publicly-owned Minster Gardens is "not appropriate".
The heritage watchdog has previously asked the council for information and clarification on the legal ramifications of the possible transfer or sale of the gardens to the cathedral, which has submitted a planning application seeking permission to build a standalone two-storey annexe including a song school, 80-seater refectory, gift shop and Changing Places toilet for disabled people.
In response, Mr Flinton said in May 2023 that "no decision has been taken" and "consideration of the future ownership of the assets is on hold pending the consideration of the planning application".
The society's open letter, signed by co-chair David Winpenny, stated:
Determination of the planning and listed buildings applications has now twice been deferred at the request of Ripon Cathedral, with a new terminal date of December 3 promulgated. This will be almost two years since the applications were first validated.
The number of objections to the proposal – both by letter to North Yorkshire Council and by signature on petition – has continued to increase very markedly.
Objections have been made, not only by Ripon Civic Society but also by Ripon City Council because of the scale of the proposed development, the loss of a public open space and of significant trees and concerns about the negative impact that the development could have on the city’s retail establishments.
Other groups, including The Georgian Group, The (Yorkshire) Gardens Trust, The Woodland Trust, The Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and The Campaign to Protect Rural England have also objected.
There have also been strong representations against the plans by officers, both from the former Harrogate Borough Council and your own unitary authority.
Mr Winpenny added:
In the light of the evident strong support for retaining the gardens, the society believes that it is time for your authority to rethink its position. Rather than letting the planning application be the driver here, the council could and should exercise its role as landowner and say to the cathedral that it is no longer appropriate for development to be considered here.
Modifying your approach now would give a clear signal to the cathedral that a radical rethink is needed and would also help to break the deadlock which now exists.
The society has consitently agreed that the cathedral needs better facilities, but believes that the proposed site is entirely wrong.
It is however supportive of redevelopment of the area currently occupied by the Minster Gardens public conveniences, linking into a new building on the cathedral-owned stoneyard.
When asked by the Stray Ferret if the cathedral is going to put forward revised proposals for the annexe development, in the light of feedback on its plans gathered at a programme of 22 drop-in sessions held during the spring, the Ripon Cathedral Renewed Communications team, said:
Our team of experts continue to work through proposals and ideas put forward during the most recent consultation period in order to determine whether any of these could be incorporated into our plans.
An announcement will be made as soon as this process is concluded.
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