A “green gap” proposed for a 3,000-home scheme in the Harrogate district will protect surrounding villages from the huge housing plans, council officials have claimed.

Ever since being revealed five years ago, a key concern of the proposed site in the Green Hammerton area has been the impact on existing residents who fear the new homes will put pressure on local services with a “devastating effect on the community”.

Harrogate Borough Council is behind the development and said it recognised that separating the site from existing communities was “very important”.

It has proposed a “green gap” to the north east of the site which will act as an area of safeguarded land and aims to “protect the distinctive rural character of existing villages”.

Residents have argued this area of land should be expanded further north and south to also protect the nearby villages of Whixley and Cattal.

However, the council has rejected these calls, saying it does not believe there is “sufficient justification” to do so and that it did not want to restrict a potential expansion of the 3,000-home site to be named Maltkiln.

The council said in a report: 

“Development of Maltkiln is a long term project, with delivery over a period of some 30 years.

“Whilst there is no expansion planned for the current Local Plan period, the council does not wish to prejudice potential for future expansion in the longer term by creating a buffer around the proposed settlement boundary.”

The council also argued that safeguarding more land to the north and south would result in a “green belt by the back door” and not accord with national planning policy. Green belt land is protected areas where developments are only allowed in special circumstances.

The council added: 

“A strategic green gap on the eastern edge of Maltkiln is proposed in order to prevent coalescence and protect the distinctive rural character of existing villages.

“It is also a key part of achieving Maltkiln’s vision to be a vibrant new community in its own right, which provides new services and complements existing villages.”

The proposals for Maltkiln include two primary schools and land for a secondary school, as well as shops, employment space and a GP surgery which will be centred around Cattal train station.

Read more:

• Green Hammerton gets final approval for 3,000-home settlement
• ‘Let’s make the best of it’: Hopes and fears for 3000-home Maltkiln settlement
• Harrogate council to commission climate change study for new 3,000-home settlement

The council said it chose this location due to its transport links with the York-Harrogate-Leeds railway line and the A59.

A six-week consultation on the development plan document is planned for October when residents will be asked to share their views on areas including roads and public transport.

After this, the document will then be submitted to the government for public examination.

Business Breakfast is sponsored by Harrogate law firm Truth Legal. 

Boroughbridge-based online women’s fashion retailer and brand Kit and Kaboodal is set to expand into the United States and Australia.

The company, founded in 2013, has posted a 48% increase in revenue on the same period the previous year, 20% ahead of target.

It’s now on track to surpass its annual target of £8m for the full 2022/23 financial year.

The retailer has now made the decision to trial international expansion and, from this autumn, it will launch specific sites and products in the US and Australia.

Helen Marsden, co-founder and buying director, said:

“We’re a family-run and family-owned business that began by making all our decisions around the kitchen table. Now we’re watching the orders grow daily and we’re reaching entirely new markets and customers.

“We’ve focused on building strong relationships with suppliers and customers and that has helped us navigate some of the most disruptive years in history and come out the other side with a strong business that’s fit for the future.”

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Harrogate district nursery supplies plants to luxury resort

Johnsons of Whixley are supplying plants to The Springs.

Johnsons of Whixley has supplied plants worth £135,000 for a multi-million-pound renovation at the 133-acre The Springs Resort & Golf Club in Oxfordshire.

The plants have been used to enhance the grounds of the Tudor-style hotel building, clubhouse, golf course and spa grounds and most recently used to landscape the modern lodges which include private outdoor areas with hot tubs and landscaped decking.

Johnsons has supplied a large number of hedging, shrubs, herbaceous, trees and grasses with varieties including mixed native hedging elements, Choisya, Geraniums, Heleniums, Hebes, Hydrangeas, Heucheras, Ilex, Lavender, Magnolia, Prunus, Stipa, Taxus, Viburnum and more.

Eleanor Richardson, marketing manager at Johnsons, said:

“We are pleased to be working with Darwin Escapes once again, and are honoured to be their principal plant supplier. It’s great to see our plants adding the finishing touches to this ambitious project, the grounds look fantastic and will certainly entice people to stay.”

Four men have been arrested after a BT cable was stolen last week near Green Hammerton.

North Yorkshire Police said the men, aged 21, 38, 43 and 52 were arrested in connection with the theft at 11.11pm on August 8.

The cable was stolen from a BT cable junction box on the B6265 between Little Ouseburn and Green Hammerton.

Phone cable theft, which disrupts services for customers, has increased because of the value of copper wires.

The four men were arrested when officers pulled over their white van, which was displaying the false registration plates YT16 YTS and had been stolen.

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The 21-year-old man has been charged with driving while disqualified and driving without insurance. He remains on bail.

The three other men have been released under investigation while police enquiries continue.

A police statement added:

“Officers are urging anyone who saw the van, or saw anything suspicious, in the area at the time of the incident to get in touch. Dial 101, press 2 and ask to speak to PC 1362 David Kaye, or email David.Kaye@northyorkshire.police.uk

“Please quote the reference number 12220140263 when passing on any information.”

Members of a military re-enactment group sweltered in 31 degree heat in Boroughbridge on Saturday.

The arming the knight display was part of the launch of the Battle of Boroughbridge battlefield trail.

It was the final event of a programme celebrating the 700th anniversary of the Battle of Boroughbridge in 1322.

3 Swords re-enactment group demonstrated how mediaeval knights equipped themselves for battle.

Group members took 45 minutes to put on layer upon layer of clothing, maille armour, leather padding, steel plate and helmets, which were almost too hot to handle.

The new battlefield trail has information boards erected at key sites around the town to explain what happened when rebel barons led by Thomas, Earl of Lancaster, fought across the River Ure with King Edward II’s forces led by Sir Andrew de Harclay.

Mayor Sean Hynes with the 3 Swords team and Chris Rock and Louise Whittaker, of the Battlefields Trust.

The battle ended in victory for the king’s army after one of the rebel’s leaders, the Earl of Hereford, was killed when a pikeman thrust his spear from beneath the narrow timber bridge across the Ure and Sir Roger de Clifford, of Skipton, was seriously injured.

After an overnight truce, the king’s army entered Boroughbridge and arrested Lancaster, who was taken to his castle at Pontefract for a show trial. He was sentenced to be hung, drawn and quartered, but received a merciful death by beheading.

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The anniversary celebrations were organised by the Battlefields Trust, Boroughbridge and District Historical Society and Boroughbridge Town Council, with support from developer Miller Homes.

The information boards were illustrated by Chris Rock, Yorkshire region chair of the Battlefields Trust.

Sean Hynes, the Mayor of Boroughbridge, paid to everyone involved during Saturday’s events.

A motorcyclist was airlifted to hospital after suffering serious injuries in a major crash on the A1(M) near Boroughbridge yesterday afternoon.

Police are appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage following the single-vehicle collision, which happened at around 3.30pm on the northbound carriageway, just south of junction 49.

The rider of a yellow Honda Z125 motorbike, a man in his 40s, came off the bike and was taken to hospital by air ambulance for treatment.

The road was closed between junction 48 (Boroughbridge interchange) and junction 49 (Dishforth interchange) to allow emergency services and the air ambulance to attend the scene. It re-opened at around 6.45pm.

Motorists faced delays of up to an hour.

Any witnesses, or anyone who has dashcam footage of the collision itself, or of the motorcycle involved prior to the collision, is asked to contact North Yorkshire Police.

Email chris.storey@northyorkshire.police.uk, quoting reference 12220144369.

Read more:

• Serious collision causing long delays on A1 at Boroughbridge
• Battlefield trail to be launched in Boroughbridge this month

Police are currently dealing with a serious collision on the A1(M).

It’s on the northbound carriageway between the Boroughbridge interchange at junction 48 and junction 49 at Dishforth.

Both carriageways closed to allow emergency services and the air ambulance to attend.

The southbound carriageway has reopened but the northbound route remains closed and is causing hour-long delays.

National Highways tweeted at about 5.30pm.

#A1M remains closed northbound between J48 and J49 near #Thirsk #NorthYorkshire after a serious collision. Police investigation is underway. The closure is causing severe delays of over 60 minutes to journeys between J47 and J48. Allow extra time and consider alternate routes. pic.twitter.com/0w8vIC9w3c

— National Highways: Yorkshire (@HighwaysYORKS) August 14, 2022

North Yorkshire Police is advising motorists to avoid the area if possible, saying the northbound carriageway “may be closed for some time”.

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• Praise for A1 junction 47 upgrade – but overspend remains unknown
• Harrogate Neighbours set to relocate residents to Boroughbridge

Harrogate Neighbours is set to relocate some of its residents to a new home in Boroughbridge.

The not-for-profit organisation, which provides residential and community care, has acquired a new site formerly known as Springfield Garth in Boroughbridge from North Yorkshire County Council.

The site is undergoing refurbishment and will see residents from 28-bedroom Heath Lodge on Pannal Ash Road, Harrogate, moved to the new facility.

Sue Cawthray, chief executive of Harrogate Neighbours, said: 

“We have been working very closely with North Yorkshire County Council and the local authorities to identify a suitable site that will allow us to offer and deliver excellent quality care to residents and clients now and in the future.

“The site in Boroughbridge will enable us to grow and develop our services into the community, as well as providing job opportunities within the care sector. We are delighted to be moving to the area and we look forward to being part of a supportive and caring community.

“Heath Lodge residents and their relatives have been updated on the relocation and have all been very supportive on the move. We look forward to welcoming them and new residents to the newly named ‘Heath Lodge Community Haven’ in the next few months.”

Harrogate Neighbours said the new building has larger communal areas, wider corridors and improved facilities.

Heath Lodge Community Haven is due to open November 2022.

Cllr Michael Harrison, North Yorkshire County Council’s executive member for Health and Adult Services, added: 

“Harrogate Neighbours provides much needed services in this part of North Yorkshire and we have been very pleased to help make sure this very positive development could happen.

“It not only brings a building back into use but offers potential for growth and an opportunity to be more sustainable, whilst caring for older people in the local area, which is of paramount importance for our ageing population.”

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Temperatures are set to soar close to 30 degrees in the next few days — but today’s extreme heat warning does not include the Harrogate district.

The Met Office has issued a four-day amber extreme heat warning for much of southern and central England from Thursday.

The warning, which predicts temperatures of up to 35C, extends north as far as Leeds.

Although the Harrogate district is not included, it is still set to be very warm for the rest of the week.

The Met office is forecasting temperatures of 29 degrees centigrade in Boroughbridge tomorrow, with the rest of the district a degree or two cooler.

Temperatures are not expected to fall until Monday to Tuesday next week when there could be thunderstorms.

Many farmers are praying for rain.

Yorkshire Water said today average stocks in its reservoirs were 51% last week, which is around 20% less than usual for this time of year.

https://twitter.com/metoffice/status/1556941086316236800

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• Image gallery: 72 hours of wild weather in Harrogate district
• Harrogate climate change scientist warns of more extreme heatwaves

A Boroughbridge woman who failed to return home on Friday night has been found.

North Yorkshire Police issued an appeal for help finding the woman after she went missing.

It issued photos and a description and asked people to get in touch with details of possible sightings.

Police said yesterday the girl had been found.

Consequently this article has been updated to conceal the women’s identity.

Commemorations marking the 700th anniversary of the Battle of Boroughbridge will end this month with the unveiling of a permanent battlefield trail.

The trail will guide people around sites where fighting took place in 1322.

The Battle of Boroughbridge was fought on March 20, 1322, between supporters of King Edward II and a rebellious group of barons led by Thomas, Earl of Lancaster. It ended in defeat for Lancaster, who was the king’s cousin and one of the wealthiest people in England.

A series of events have taken place this year marking the anniversary.

In March, Viscount Hereford, an ancestor of Humphrey de Bohun, who was killed in fighting across the original bridge over the River Ure, took part in a wreath laying ceremony at the Battle Cross in Aldborough.

Medieval combat by 3 Swords re-enactment group and medieval walks also took place on the anniversary weekend.

The trail will tell the story of Boroughbridge’s turbulent past.

On Saturday, August 13, 3 Swords, who make regular appearances at the Royal Armouries in Leeds, will return to give a demonstration of their arms and equipment at Hall Square in Boroughbridge at 10am before a parade to St James’s Square.

At 11am, Boroughbridge mayor Sean Hynes will unveil one of a series of display boards, which form the Battle of Boroughbridge interpretation trail.

The boards will be sited at either end of the bridge over the River Ure, on St James’s Square where Lancaster was captured after seeking sanctuary in the original church, on Aldborough Road and near the lock on the canal at Milby.

Read more:

• Medieval combat and walks mark 700th anniversary of Battle of Boroughbridge
• New battle trail to tell of Boroughbridge’s turbulent past
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After the ceremony, Louise Whittaker, of Harrogate, a member of the Battlefields Trust, will lead a tour of the battlefield sites.

The 700th anniversary has been marked by Boroughbridge and District Historical Society, the Battlefields Trust and Boroughbridge Town Council, with funding from Miller Homes, which has built housing on part of the battlefield site.

Medieval artwork designed by the Yorkshire region chair of the Battlefields Trust, Chris Rock, has been incorporated into the display boards and an accompanying leaflet to provide a permanent battlefield trail around the town.

What was the Battle of Boroughbridge?

The king’s army was led by Sir Andrew de Harclay, who managed to prevent Lancaster’s forces fleeing north to Dunstanburgh Castle in Northumberland by blocking river crossings at the narrow, timber bridge and at a nearby ford.

After an overnight truce, during which Edward II’s army was reinforced, the royal troops entered Boroughbridge and arrested Lancaster. He was taken to his own castle at Pontefract and sentenced to death after a show trial. Lancaster was beheaded on March 22.

The rebellion had begun after Lancaster, a former member of the royal court, became disillusioned with Edward, whose reign was marked by military failure and constant internal disputes.

The Battle of Boroughbridge raged around a timber bridge crossing the River Ure and a ford, believed to be to the east of the present town, possibly between Milby and Aldborough.

Wreath laying at the battle cross in Aldborough in March. 

When Lancaster’s army, which probably amounted to a total of 3,000 men at arms with their followers, arrived at Boroughbridge, Harclay was already in possession of the bridge and the ford, which proved to be a strategic advantage.

The royal army numbered 4,000 men. At the ford its pikemen were deployed in a schiltron formation, a defensive shield, which they had learned from the Scots in the Scottish Wars. The king’s bowmen created mayhem against Lancaster’s cavalry.

The rebels divided into two columns, led by the Earl of Hereford and Roger de Clifford, of Skipton Castle, who attacked the bridge on foot, and Lancaster, who attempted a cavalry charge at the ford. Both ended in chaos.

One chronicle relates how Hereford was killed by a spearman, who thrust into him from below the bridge. Clifford also suffered serious injuries. Heavy archery fire from the bowmen forced Lancaster’s force to retreat before reaching the ford.

Lancaster negotiated an overnight truce with Harclay, but by morning many of the rebels had deserted. When the Sheriff of York arrived to reinforce the king’s army, Lancaster had to surrender.

He was taken to his home at Pontefract Castle where he was sentenced to death, originally to be hung drawn and quartered, but he was given a merciful beheading.

Thirty of Lancaster’s followers were executed in towns around England, including Roger de Clifford, Second Lord of Skipton, who was hung from Clifford’s Tower in York, which now bears his name.

Edward made Harclay the first Earl of Carlisle for his service at Boroughbridge. Only a year later Harclay was accused of treachery for making a peace treaty with Robert the Bruce without Royal approval.

Harclay was sentenced to death at a hearing in Carlisle and he was hung, drawn and quartered. His head was delivered to King Edward at Knaresborough Castle before being hung on London Bridge. Parts of his body were displayed in Carlisle, Newcastle, Bristol and Dover.