A conservationist has warned that Harrogate’s “creaking sewerage infrastructure” needs investment to cope with all the new homes.

Keith Wilkinson, who is chairman of Nidd Gorge Advisory Partnership and honorary secretary of Bilton Conservation Group, said more pollution was likely without improvements.

His comments come as investigations into last weekend’s pollution of Oak Beck are ongoing.

The Environment Agency, which previously said it was unable to comment during the Queen’s mourning period, gave a brief update today in which it said it had investigated “several” reports of dead fish and pollution and it was “identifying the source of what caused the fish deaths”.

Oak Beck, which rises at Haverah Park and empties into the River Nidd at Nidd Gorge, is classed as a main river by the Environment Agency even though it is narrow.

Oak Beck looking discoloured this week.

Mr Wilkinson said long-recognised problems with broken and wrongly connected Victorian pipes near The Hydro remained unresolved.

This, along with new housing developments in the area, would exacerbate the issue further, he said.

Mr Wilkinson said:

“North Harrogate’s sewerage system has been operating on optimum-to-overload capacity for at least a decade — before we see the aggravating grey water outputs of the excessive housing expansion on the A59 and Penny Pot Lane.

“In other words ‘we ain’t seen nothing yet’.”

Mr Wilkinson, who was awarded an MBE for services to conservation, also said he wasn’t aware of any plans to develop the northern outfall sewage works at Bilton to cope with the anticipated increase of sewage caused by new homes. He added:

“Their site has many spare acres of unused land — it occupies 56 acres in total — but I detect no suggestion that there will be significant investment in new infrastructure to increase its capacity to receive and process more inputs.”

Oak Beck fish deaths still a mystery

Contaminated water on Oak Beck stretched from The Hydro to Bilton this week. Mr Wilkinson said the watercourse would take three years to recover.

A Yorkshire Water spokesman said yesterday it was “still on site, trying to investigate possible sources” of the contamination. He added initial tests had shown the cause was not sewage.

Read more:

• ‘Hundreds’ of fish killed by pollution on Harrogate’s Oak Beck
• Oak Beck will take three years to recover from pollution, says Harrogate conservationist

Northern Gas Networks said the pollution is unconnected to work it is carrying out on the site earmarked for a new Tesco.

Mark Johnson, senior project manager at NGN, said:

“We’re currently undertaking work to safely dismantle the gas holder on Skipton Road and all of our discharge takes place into the main sewerage system, as is required.

“Following reports of a possible contamination at Oak Beck, we’ve been liaising closely with the Environment Agency and Yorkshire Water, both of whom have confirmed that there is no connection with our work. We will continue to monitor the situation closely.”

A new woodland in Bilton will be planted next month with trees dedicated to lives lost during the covid pandemic.

Around 500 trees will be planted by Bilton Conservation Group volunteers in Bilton Fields close to the viaduct.

It will be called Victory Wood, as it was originally intended to mark VE Day, with the trees planted in the shape of a V.

However, covid has delayed the planting by several years. Keith Wilkinson, chair of the group, said planters can dedicate a tree to a friend or family member that has died from the virus.

The dedication will be private as trees will not be identified with a plaque.

Read more:

• ‘Devastating news’ as 500 trees to be chopped down in Nidd Gorge
• Green Shoots: Keeping Harrogate district trees healthy

Planting will take place on Saturday May 21 from 10.00am.

Twelve species will be planted, including oak, cherry and hazel trees.

If you’d like to plant a tree and make a dedication, contact Mr Wilkinson: niddgorge2016@icloud.com

The woodland has been sponsored by the Harrogate Lions.

Over 2,000 trees have been planted on the edge of Nidd Gorge to form a new woodland for people to enjoy.

Bilton Conservation Group was helped by employees from Belzona Polymerics as well as members of Knox Valley Residents’ Association and the Scout movement to plant the trees at Bilton Fields during February.

Sixteen native broadleaf species were planted, including a specimen of the rare wild service tree.

The woodland is sponsored and paid for by the Society of the Holy Child Jesus, a Catholic congregation of women that was founded in 1846.

Scout volunteers planting a tree

Four nuns, representing the order, came from Oxford and France to help on the second day.

Read more:

• Bilton and Woodfield Community Library closed due to flooding
• Dramatic photos show firefighters saving Bilton tree in storm

Bilton Conservation Group has planted over 20,000 trees in Bilton Fields since 1985.

Keith Wilkinson, of Bilton Conservation Group, said:

“We had hoped to plant them last year but the weather and covid got in the way.

“Fringed with blossom species such as wild cherry, crab apple, dog rose, hawthorn, blackthorn and rowan it will be magnificent in years to come, providing food and shelter for birds, butterflies and bees. It will look fantastic.”

Bilton Conservation Group has criticised horse riders for damaging a boardwalk in Nidd Gorge.

The group, whose responsibilities include repairing footpaths and boardwalks, has urged dog walkers to avoid the area until repairs are complete.

George Moore, membership secretary of the group, said a witness saw horses crossing the boardwalk on the cross path intersection of Milne’s Lane. He added:

“This was thoughtless damage caused by unknown horse riders in the Nidd Gorge.

“Bilton Conservation Group has a backlog of repairs to carry out in Nidd Gorge and this unwanted damage will cost us dearly in time, effort and cost.

“Whilst the boardwalk is still passable with due care it is not recommended for folk with dogs to use at this present time.”

The group, which was set up in 1982 to protect the rural environment of Bilton, hopes to complete the repairs next week.

They are predicted to cost £50 and require 20 hours of work.

In the meantime the group has asked walkers to be wary in the vicinity.

Read more:

• Bilton Conservation Group plants crocuses on West Park Stray. 
• Long Lands Common reaches its target to buy the district’s first community woodland. 

Bilton Conservation Group is one of a number of volunteer groups that will be planting crocuses on West Park Stray over the coming days.

Five volunteers from the group began planting 5000 bulbs this afternoon.

The team were enthusiastic to take part in the council’s project to plant 60,000 crocuses across West Park Stray.

Other organisations will take over planting as it continues over the weekend and into next week.

Bilton Conservation Group has been involved in several similar projects with the council. Normally a project like this would include 20-30 volunteers from the group but due to covid restrictions they could only invite five.

Keith Wilkinson MBE, Secretary of Bilton Conservation Group, said:

“This is our contribution to the town effort. It’ll look fantastic at Easter. This is what we do in Nidd Gorge principally with the trees and footpaths but this is something different and you’ll see the benefit.

“We’re putting 5000 bulbs in two hours. It’ll be a great benefit there’s been a lot of adverse publicity with this part of the Stray with the problems with the flooding after the cycling event. But we’ve been having a lot of positive comments as people walk by. They just start to be seen in February.”

This is one of several groups who volunteered to help plant the 60,000 crocuses.

Read more:

• The Harrogate Green Party is continuing to campaign to improve the biodiversity of the Stray. 
• The West Park Stray drainage system has been defended after heavy rain caused flooding onto the walkway. 

The council has said it received a huge number of responses to its call for volunteers.

West Park Stray was damaged by the UCI World Championships a year ago to the dismay of many residents. It has gone under extensive landscaping work since then and the council is hoping the crocuses will create an impressive display for next Spring.