Work on the 1,300-home Clotherholme scheme in Ripon is expected to begin next year and last until 2037, according to a newly published update.

Land at Claro Barracks, Deverell Barracks and Laver Banks will be bulldozed to make way for the homes, a primary school and a neighbourhood centre with shops, a café and a community space.

Four city-centre junctions will be improved and Clotherholme Road, Kirkby Road, College Road and Trinity Lane will be redesigned to prioritise pedestrian safety and encourage cycling.

Homes England, the public body that funds new affordable housing, and the Defence infrastructure Organisation, which is part of the Ministry of Defence, provided the update in a planning report published on North Yorkshire Council’s website.

Councillors granted planning permission subject to conditions in February last year, shortly before Harrogate Borough Council was abolished. Six councillors voted in favour and six voted against, which meant the committee chair’s casting vote in favour proved decisive.

The new planning report says the barracks scheme will create an “exemplar new sustainable community” on brownfield land on the edge of Ripon. Here are some of the key details.

The red section indicates where will be affected.

30% affordable homes and new school

Clotherholme will include 1,300 homes, 30% of which will be classed as affordable. The report said:

“That’s 370 new affordable homes for local people, split between affordable rent and shared ownership

“We’ll also build a new primary school next to a new local neighbourhood centre with shops, a café, employment and training facilities and community space. We’ll provide new improved open space at Laver Banks which will be accessible to the whole community.”

A total of 5% of the site will be dedicated to custom build homes providing up to 60 extra care / assisted living homes.

Developers are obliged to pay to mitigate for the impact of their development on local infrastructure through legally binding contracts negotiated with councils known as section 106 agreements.

The new planning report says the proposals for financial contributions include:

• £2.7m towards a two-form entry primary school, which will be built at the neighbourhood centre in the middle of Clotherholme.
• £1.9m towards the expansion of local secondary education.
• £1.07 million towards improved healthcare buildings and facilities in Ripon.

The report adds:

“We’ll provide traffic-free routes to school across the whole development, which connect into existing walking and cycling routes, and we’ll make sure the school has playing fields too.

“The school will be built and opened early in the development timeline, meaning that families moving to Clotherholme will have school places for their children, and other local schools won’t be put under pressure.”

Major transport schemes in Ripon

The report says there will be “24 separate improvements to the road network agreed with North Yorkshire Council to make sure that Ripon keeps moving”.

They include improvements to four city-centre junctions “before the first home is occupied at Clotherholme”.

The four junction improvements are:

• Traffic flow improvements at the clocktower junction
• Traffic flow improvements at Coltsgate Hill junctions on North Street
• Signalling improvement at Skellgate junction
• Priority changes at Westgate Street/ Blossomgate

The report adds:

“We will install state-of-the-art signal control as part of these upgrades which allow real-time monitoring of traffic build-up and management of the signals to reduce congestion and maximise traffic flow.

“Our proposals also include the provision of a one-way scheme at Kirkby Road (westbound), College Road (eastbound) and Trinity Lane (southbound). Blossomgate, east of Marshall Way, will also become one-way.”

The report says there will be £793,000 towards delivering a phased bus service for Clotherholme over a four-year period, adding:

“We will redesign Clotherholme Road, Kirkby Road, College Road and Trinity Lane to prioritise pedestrian safety and encourage cycling, and we will introduce traffic-calming measures to reduce vehicle speeds. Our package of transport and active travel proposals have already been agreed in principle with North Yorkshire Council.”

12-year timeline

The report says the Ministry of Defence “has confirmed that they are in the process of agreeing a transfer of the land at Ripon barracks to Homes England”, adding:

“Following transfer, the land will be redeveloped by Homes England and partners in phases commencing with Deverell Barracks and moving to Claro and Laver Banks once the army has fully vacated to ensure the growth of a sustainable community.

Indicative phasing plan Indicative phasing Phase 1 2025 – 2029 Phase 2 2028 – 2033 Phase 3 2027 Phase 3 2027 Phase 4 2027 – 2028 Phase 5 2027 and 2029 Phase 6 2028 – 2033 Phase 7 2030 – 2032 Phase 8 2031 – 2037 Phase 9 2029 – 2033 The phasing plan on page 15 shows the order in which we’re intending to develop parcels of land at Ripon Barracks.

A developer partner will be appointed in 2025 and between 50 and 100 homes per year will be built meaning that the full redevelopment will take around 13 to 14 years to complete.

“There will be a series of key milestones throughout redevelopment including the opening up of Laver Banks for public use in 2027, phased provision of the local centre between 2028 and 2033 as well as the new primary school which is due to open in 2028.”

Green space

The report says nearly 50% of Clotherholme will be public green space, which is the equivalent to about 55 football pitches. Of this 39.6 hectares, nearly 7.5 hectares will be playing fields.

The report says Homes England and the Defence Infrastructure Organisation are writing a biodiversity net gain delivery plan “which sets out our approach to habitat preservation and creation of on-site and off-site biodiversity to achieve a target of 10% net gain”.

It adds:

“We will be providing playing fields at the new primary school which could be available for community use too. We’ll separately provide 11 sports pitches as part of Laver Banks improved open space (including a senior and junior football pitch and club house), and are looking to collaborate with local clubs to make sure we’re providing what is needed.

“We will also be paying towards the upkeep of these facilities — all part of the site-wide stewardship strategy we’re producing. We will also provide financial contributions towards the off-site provision of rugby, cricket, hockey and 3G sports pitches, for the benefit of sport in Ripon.”

Read more:

• Plans approved for 1,300 homes at Ripon Barracks
• Ripon primary school named as one of the most diverse in North Yorkshire
• BT answers Ripon Civic Society’s call to repair historic city centre telephone kiosks

A campaign group has called for the closure of Harrogate‘s Army Foundation College after Parliament revealed how much it costs to run.

A question by Labour shadow justice minister Alex Cunningham discovered the annual running cost of the college, which provides basic training for 16 and 17-year-old junior recruits, is £85.5 million.

A separate question by SNP defence spokesperson Martin Docherty revealed it costs £133,000 for each trainee that completes the college’s 49-week junior entry course.

The questions were asked by the MPs on behalf of the campaign group Child Rights International Network.

Jim Wyke, coordinator for national security policy at CRIN, said the figures confirmed its suspicion that it costs more to train a 16-year-old at the college on Penny Pot Lane than it does to put an adult through the same process.

Mr Wyke said younger army recruits took longer to train (16 months vs. six months for the infantry) and were more likely to drop out (33% vs. 23%).

He also said the annual running cost of an average secondary school was £5 million, whereas the Harrogate army college costs £85.5m — 17 times more.

Mr Wyke said:

“The Army Foundation College is an incredibly expensive institution to run with an appalling track record on welfare and drop-out rates.

“It’s educational offerings fall well short of those available at a civilian college, while costing 17 times as much to run and with a record on sexual violence that would see any civilian college shut down.”

The college entrance on Penny Pot Lane.

A British Army spokesperson said:

“The Army Foundation College Harrogate trains over 900 junior soldiers annually and has exceeded 85% retention for the short course and is on track to exceed previous retention for the long course in February 2024.

“The full annual cost of the college delivers an excellent product at great value, with Ofsted rating all elements of provision such as facilities, infrastructure and resources as ‘outstanding’.

AFC Harrogate is a national employer, therefore it is disingenuous to compare it to a civilian college or secondary school.

“AFC Harrogate has very strong safeguarding mechanisms to ensure junior soldiers have the right support. The army is committed to stamping out all forms of inappropriate behaviour and has a zero-tolerance policy on sexual offences; personnel convicted of a sexual offence will be dismissed.”

Read more:

• Nine rapes reported at Harrogate Army Foundation College in 13 months
• Hundreds of junior soldiers graduate at Harrogate’s Army Foundation College

A Harrogate funeral directors has appealed for pictures of army veterans to help commemorate Remembrance Day.

Neil and Sonya Milsted Funeral Directors, which is based on Hookstone Chase, plans to put up a window display featuring old photographs of servicemen this year.

Ms Milsted told the Stray Ferret that she had appealed to the community to submit pictures of their loved ones who served in the armed forces to be featured.

The funeral directors puts on a remembrance display every year. However, this year Ms Milsted said she wanted to try something different.

She said:

“I am looking for photos of people who have served in any of the forces or are still serving to display on an easel in our window for Remembrance Day. 

“Every year we make an effort to remember those who we have lost and this year I would like local people to help by sending us photos.”

The pictures can be submitted via email on info@nandsmilsted.co.uk or scanned and brought into the funeral directors.

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• Police defend decision to end Remembrance Day traffic management
• Andrew Jones MP urges police to continue Remembrance Day traffic management

A former member of the armed services has been handed a community order for assaulting a taxi driver near Knaresborough.

Cameron Michael Dumsday, of Hawthorn Avenue in the town, pleaded guilty to common assault at Harrogate Magistrates’ Court yesterday.

The court heard he had taken a taxi from outside McDonald’s in Harrogate, along with another man, on Thursday, March 23.

During the journey to Knaresborough, the other passenger began to challenge the way the taxi was being driven, alleging the driver was speeding and cutting across junctions.

When the driver pulled over into a lay-by, the court heard Dumsday, 26, was trying to calm the situation down, but the other passenger called the police.

Dumsday then lost his temper and began making threats towards the driver, who had locked himself in the car. Prosecuting, Alison Whiteley said:

“He was telling the police that if they didn’t get there very soon, he would assault the taxi driver. He said, ‘I’ve been done for assault before and I don’t mind being done again’.”

The driver then decided to try to run away, and the defendant chased him across a busy road three times before police arrived.

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Defending, Andrew Tinning said Dumsday had drunk six or seven pints in Harrogate, but it had been an untroubled evening until they became concerned about the way the taxi was being driven on the way home.

Dumsday acknowledged he should not have lost his temper in the way he did, said Mr Tinning, adding:

“Fortunately, he doesn’t touch [the taxi driver]. He is here for assault on the basis the taxi driver feared he was going to use violence against him.”

The court heard Dumsday, who had served four years in the army and now worked as a lorry driver, had “a short fuse” and could lose his temper when he felt he needed to defend those around him. He had two previous convictions for assaulting police officers in 2018, for which he received fines.

Magistrates imposed a 12-month community order with the requirement to undertake 20 days on a programme to help him manage his emotions.

He was fined £710 and ordered to pay a surcharge of £114, costs of £85, and compensation of £6.80 for the taxi fare and £100 for the distress caused to the taxi driver.

A scheme to build 1,300 homes on historic army barracks in Ripon looks set to be approved next week.

Harrogate Borough Council officers have recommended its planning committee gives the scheme the go-ahead when it meets on Thursday.

If councillors vote to accept the recommendation, it will see Ripon’s population increase by almost 20%, with an estimated 3,000 people expected to occupy the new homes.

Building work is likely to continue until 2035 and 30% of homes would be deemed ‘affordable’.

The 85 hectare-scheme would also include a new primary school and sports pitches as well as shops, restaurants and offices that could support up to 678 jobs.

However, there are concern about the impact on health services, the road network and the loss of key sites of military history.

The report to councillors concludes:

“The proposed development will deliver a range of significant public benefits that demonstrate compliance with adopted policies and the aspirations of the Ripon Neighbourhood Plan.”

Payments for health and schools

Applicants the Secretary of State for Defence and Homes England, a non-departmental public body that funds new affordable housing in England, which are behind the proposal, have agreed to pay a minimum of £907,267 for health care facilities as part of a section 106 agreement developers pay to fund infrastructure costs associated with their schemes.

The agreement would also see the developers pay £2.7 million for primary school education and £1.9 million for secondary school education.

A two-form primary school with a playing field would be built on the site.

A computer generated image of the proposed Ripon barracks site.

Development would take place on the sites of Claro Barracks, Laver Banks and Deverell Barracks, which played key roles in the First and Second World Wars.

The report acknowledges “strong concerns” over the demolition of Deverell Barracks, which according to the non-departmental public body Historic England contains buildings that make it ‘one of the best surviving WWII temporary standardised prefabricated sites’.

The report says the developers would ‘explore retention of these structures’ but adds there are ‘significant issues with their re-use’ due to the presence of asbestos and concludes there is no ‘certainty of retention’.

Part of the current site

The significance of two military bridges on Laver Banks became apparent recently following research by Ripon Military Heritage Group and the report says the applicants have “confirmed a commitment to keep on working together” with the group.

The report says the highways authority, North Yorkshire County Council, “considers there is no defensible reason to refuse the application on highway or transportation grounds” in the wake of proposed highways changes.

Read more:

• NHS objects to planned 1,300-home development on Ripon barracks
• Calls to assess impact of Ripon Cathedral’s £6m expansion on cafes and shops

Junior soldiers in Harrogate have become some of the first British army service personnel to swear the oath to King Charles III.

A total of 211 junior entry soldiers at the Army Foundation College, on Penny Pot Lane in Harrogate, swore the oath on Sunday night, signifying their enlistment into the army.

The college provides basic training to recruits aged 16 and 17. The courses last for either 23 or 49 weeks.

credit MOD Crown Copyright 2022

Read more:

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• Harrogate’s Royal Hall to broadcast Queen’s funeral live

Twenty-two junior soldiers at the Army Foundation College in Harrogate said they were raped or sexually assaulted last year.

Figures released by ministers reveal 47 British army recruits under the age of 18 claimed to have been raped or sexually assaulted last year.

Dave Doogan, the Scottish National Party MP for Angus, asked armed forces minister Leo Docherty how many of those were from the Harrogate college.

Mr Docherty replied:

“Of the 47 victims in those statistics, 37 were female and of those cases one has been proven, four are ongoing, and 11 have been transferred to the civilian police.

“Twenty-two were based at the Army Foundation College at the time of the offence.”

The Harrogate college, which recruits about 1,500 recruits each year, is the only British army establishment that delivers military training to junior soldiers aged 16 and 17. Recruits undertake 23-week or 49-week basic training at the college on Penny Pot Lane.

The college on Penny Pot Lane.

Colonel Philip Ingram a former army commanding officer and NATO planner was quoted in The Sun saying:

“These statistics are shocking whatever way you look at them.

“They highlight the most basic of failures in command at a number of different levels and yet it takes a parliamentary question to get the information into the public domain, delivered by the very minister who continuously says the MoD is making huge progress in addressing inappropriate behaviours.

“It is clear that either he is lying or is being lied to in his briefings and the result is the lifetime of trauma imposed on the victims, some of whom are still children. Until defence gets some form of independent oversight then it will continue to cover up what can only be described as atrocious acts.”

Read more:

• Junior soldiers graduate at Harrogate’s Army Foundation College
• Abuse allegations at Harrogate Army Foundation College raised in House of Lords

The Stray Ferret asked the Ministry of Defence to respond to the allegations and asked why so many abuse claims were made by recruits at Harrogate.

An MoD spokesperson said:

“There is absolutely no place for unacceptable behaviour in the army. We recognise the great courage it takes to come forward and report a sexual offence and commanding officers will always refer any allegation of rape and sexual assault, or any other offence which may have a sexual element, to the service police. All allegations are thoroughly investigated, and support provided to alleged victims.

 “At the Army Foundation College emotional, psychological and the physical safety of our young junior soldiers is taken extremely seriously and is central to the ethos at the college. Junior soldiers are empowered to call out unacceptable behaviour and should have confidence that their complaint will be investigated.”

Series of claims

This is not the first time concerns have been expressed about behaviour towards junior soldiers at the Army Foundation College.

Claims of bullying and abuse were raised in the House of Lords in November last year.

Last year also saw a female instructor at the college demoted after being convicted of punching teenage soldiers and three parents call for the college to be closed after claiming their children were abused.

But the college was rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted last year. Government inspectors gave positive feedback on safeguarding at the college, saying it investigated incidents thoroughly and made necessary improvements.

Last year Carol Monaghan, the Scottish National Party’s spokesperson for the armed forces, attempted to introduce a clause in the Armed Forces Bill preventing 16 and 17-year-olds enlisting in the army. Anyone under the age of 18 in the UK is legally classified as a child.

But Kevan Jones, Labour MP for North Durham, defended the college. He said:

“I suggest that anyone who wants to see the positive way individuals can and do improve their lives visits the Army Foundation College in Harrogate.”

Ex-Navy officer from Harrogate scoops £5,000 on veterans’ lottery

An ex-Navy officer from Harrogate has pledged to donate some of his £5,000 lottery prize money to a charity that supports veterans.

Jerry Anderson, 70, scooped the top prize in the latest Veterans’ Lottery draw. The lottery provides the main source of income for the Veterans’ Foundation, a military charity that supports men and women who served their country.

Mr Anderson served for 32 years in the Royal Navy and said he was shocked to learn he’d been awarded the winner’s cheque.

He said he planned to spend his winnings on two electric bikes, but he also wanted to give some of it back to the charity after seeing the work it does supporting fellow veterans.

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Mr Anderson said:

“Now I’m getting on a bit and I’m 70 with dodgy knees, we’re going to buy two electric bikes.

“But I’m also going to donate some back – I want to help veterans a bit more.”

He added:

“I’ve got some empathy with veterans as I was medically discharged myself.

“You’re not only supporting a very worthy cause (playing the Veterans’ Lottery), you might just win a prize.”

Find out more about the lottery here.