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12
Nov
Demolition of long-standing Ripon eyesore finally approved
The demolition of one of Ripon's longest-standing eyesores has finally been given the go-ahead.
The former petrol station and convenience store in the residential Skellbank area opened in 1968, across the road from Hugh Ripley Hall.
The site has steadily deteriorated in the 20 years since the business closed and is currenty overgrown.
Site owner, Otley-based Tate Fuel Oils Ltd, has made a number of attempts to get planning permission for housing.
Its initial plans suffered hold ups and did not get approval from Harrogate Borough Council, which was abolished in 2023.
'Red tape gone mad'
At Monday's (November 10) meeting of North Yorkshire Council’s Skipton and Ripon area planning committee in Ripon Town Hall, another hold up was in prospect.
Council officers recommended in a report ahead of the meeting that plans to demolish the delapidated builiding and build a block of six flats be deferred.
This was to enable further ground stabilisation tests to be carried out on the cleared area, before the housing application could be considered.
But the officers' recommendation drew a strong rebuff from four of the six councillors on the committee.
Cllr Nick Brown, a Conservative who represents Wathvale & Bishop Monkton, said:
This is red tape gone mad and we need to rip through these apparent barriers to construction and show confidence in the developers, who are investing in a scheme that is welcome in Ripon.
Green Cllr Andy Brown, who represents Aire Valley, said:
The city council is strongly in favour of this scheme and it has the support of Ripon Civic Society.
There is no good reason to further delay this application and all we need to do is add an additional condition saying that the granting of planning permission is subject to approval of appropriate foundations for a building of this size and scale.
An architect's impression of how the new block of flats will look.
Planning specialist Richard Mowat, representing the applicant, told the meeting:
There have been no weight-bearing issues with the site during the 57 years that the petrol station with its heavy fuel tanks has stood here and the plans take due consideration of the need to protect the neighbouring properties to either side.
The site has stood derelict for more than 20 years
Cllr Andrew Williams, a member of the Conservative and Independents group who represents Ripon Minster and Moorside, spoke on behalf of the city council and local residents.
He said:
I had a meeting on site in 2023 with representatives from Tate Fuel Oils and council officers to see if we could find a solution that would bring this high profile, redundant site back into active residential use,
What we have here is a win-win situation, with a high quality scheme that will enhance this key tourist route and residential area, while ridding Ripon of an eyesore that has been blighting this part of our ancient city for as long as I can remember.
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