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Jul
What is happening to Harrogate's Kingsley Drive development?
It has been almost 18 months since the 162-home Kingsley Drive development was approved in Harrogate.
The decision to concrete over one of the last remaining green areas of the Kingsley area was fiercely contested by residents.
However, the former Harrogate Borough Council granted Persimmon Homes permission to build the homes in February 2023.
But no housebuilding has taken place on the site yet. The Stray Ferret reported that fencing had been erected around the designated site in January this year.
When we visited then, an on-site contractor suggested construction work was likely to begin soon.
Six months on, the only thing that appears to have changed on site is the length of the grass.
The Stray Ferret contacted Persimmon Homes for an update on the project, including when work will begin and when the site is likely to be complete. However, we did not receive a response at the time of publication.
Kingsley Drive site plan. Credit: Persimmon Homes
The field was a popular dog walking area for people in the neighbourhood and it appears some residents have taken matters into their own hands.
When we returned yesterday, one resident said dog walkers "took down one of the fence panels" just a week after it was erected in January (pictured) and have continued to walk their dogs on the land since.
The woman, who wished to remain anonymous, said she was "really opposed" to the development, adding:
Traffic is a nightmare on Knaresborough Road – we're going to really struggle with the increased number of people and cars.
Also, the area is nowhere near big enough to build a mini roundabout.
She also expressed concern about the pressure put on nearby Harrogate District Hospital to cope with another influx of new patients.
She added:
What about GPs and schools? They're already at capacity. There doesn't seem to be any new infrastructure in place for so many new residents.
Visuals of the Persimmon Homes plan for homes on Kingsley Drive.
Work on major developments often takes a while to get underway because developers have to work through a series of conditions outlined in the section 106 agreement signed with the council to compensate for the impact of new homes on local services.
Persimmon Homes agreed to pay more than £1m to local schools, including Grove Road Primary School and Harrogate Grammar School, as part of the conditions.
According to a report by planning officer Kate Broadbank, Persimmon Homes will pay £600,000 to Grove Road Primary School, £400,000 to Harrogate Grammar School, Harrogate High School and Rossett School, as well as a further £120,000 for early years provision.
The developer also pledged to pay £220,000 to the NHS to cover healthcare costs, £150,000 towards re-surfacing Kingsley Drive and an £80,000 contribution towards a new mini roundabout at the junction of Kingsley Road and the A59.
As part of the plans, the first 92 homes will include air source heat pumps to provide 100% of the heating and hot water.
The remaining properties will have conventional gas boilers, but the developer said they will be supplemented by solar panels and wastewater heat recovery. The latter is said to recycle energy in wastewater to pre-heat the mains cold supply before it is boosted by the boiler.
The scheme is also set to include 65 affordable homes, with a mix of rentals and shared ownership properties.
But the date when work gets underway on the ground still remains unknown.
Feel free to have your say on the development in the comment section below.
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