Homes England has published a list of 12 key traffic works that must happen before construction begins on the 1,300-home Clotherholme scheme in Ripon.

The government body received outline planning permission last year to build on 85 hectares of land at Claro and Deverell Barracks.

The development also includes a primary school, 11 sports pitches, a neighbourhood centre with shops and cafes, employment land and care accommodation for up to 60 people.

Homes England yesterday (January 13) published a list of key works to roads, footpaths, signals and signage in Ripon that must be completed before the scheme can commence.

The Section 106 legal agreement signed by Homes England and North Yorkshire Council lists about 40 highways works associated with Clotherholme. However, the ones below must be completed before construction begins — others will follow.

1. King Street/Dallamires Lane visibility improvement works

2. Skellgate Junction Works and High Skellgate / Market Place/ Westgate junction

3. Clock Tower junction works

4. Coltsgate junction works

5. Westgate / Park Street / Blossomgate signalisation works

6. Westgate footway widening works

7. Cycle parking to west of Market Square

8. Kirkby Road interim T Junction and interim traffic calming measures

9. Kirkby Road traffic calming measures and footway widening – Kirkby Drive / Cemetery

10. Kirkby Road traffic calming measures and footway widening – Lark Lane / Cemetery

11. Kirkby Road traffic calming measures – Gooseberry Farm

12. Kirkby Road and College Road new pedestrian crossing 

Homes England said in a statement:

“We are currently discussing with the council the arrangements for delivering these works as well as specific designs matters. It is likely that the works will be delivered by the contracting arm of the highways authority and paid for by Homes England but this needs to be agreed formally.

“Some of the works will commence in 2027 with others starting in 2028, 2029 and 2030+. Once we’ve agreed the detail, we will publish a more detailed breakdown of the works required and the programme.”

‘10 long years of disruption’

Councillor Barbara Brodigan, a Liberal Democrat whose Ripon Ure Bank and Spa division on North Yorkshire Council includes Clotherholme, said the development would have a “positive impact on the city” but the transport measures were inadequate for a scheme that will increase Ripon’s population by 25%.

She said a bypass was required around the west of the city to prevent the extra traffic being funnelled through the city to get to Clotherholme, and no amount of mitigation measures would be adequate to cope with the impact of more vehicles in Ripon.

Cllr Brodigan added:

“You only have to look at traffic now at rush hour and it’s only going to get worse. Ripon is an ancient city with narrow streets, and it feels like we are sticking plasters on an open wound. It’s going to be 10 long years of disruption.”

Homes England also said it will be undertaking ground investigation works across Ripon Barracks this spring “as part of our continuing process of de-risking the site for future development”.

It added:

“The ground investigation will consist of a series of boreholes to test ground conditions and make-up in key and representative areas of the site. Sampling in the form of cores of earth will be tested at laboratories and the results used to inform our infrastructure, remediation and disposal strategies.”

More details of the Clotherholme development are available here and here.