‘Many first-time customers from Harrogate are surprised when they walk through our doors’Three men charged after stabbing in Harrogate

Three men have been charged with wounding after a man was stabbed in Harrogate on Thursday night.

It happened in the Dragon Road area, where police were called just after 9.30pm to reports a man had suffered stab wounds.

The victim’s injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.

The men, all from West Yorkshire, were arrested by North Yorkshire Police and are due to appear at York Magistrates Court tomorrow (Monday).

All three were charged with wounding with intent, while one has also been charged with possessing a knife in a public place.

Another of the trio faces a further charge of possession with intent to supply class A drugs and possessing a knife in a public place.

Detective Chief Inspector Fionna McEwan, of North Yorkshire Police, said:

“I hope members of public in Harrogate are reassured by the swift police response in this case, which has resulted in three men being charged.

“Incidents like this are extremely rare in our area. Officers from the local Neighbourhood Policing Team have increased local patrols, and will be happy to speak to residents if they have any further concerns.”

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Second knife amnesty bin installed in Harrogate

A second knife amnesty bins is being installed in Harrogate this week as part of a national police action week.

The town already has a permanent knife bin between Asda car park and Dragon Road car park to encourage people to safely get rid of potentially lethal weapons.

But a second amnesty bin is being put at Harrogate Police Station on Beckwith Head Road this week.

Bins are being installed in police stations in Harrogate, York, Scarborough, Malton, Northallerton and Skipton as part of the ‘save a life – bin a knife’ national police campaign running from today until Sunday.

Police will also be educating young people this week about the dangers of knife crime as well as carrying out high-visibility patrols, stop and searches and other enforcement activity in areas linked to possible knife crime.

A North Yorkshire Police press release today said:

“Simply wrap an unwanted knife in thick paper or cardboard as a safety precaution, and bring it directly to one of the locations.

“You do not have to give your name or any other details – just drop it in the clearly-marked bin.

“The aim of the bins is not only to reduce knife crime, but also give reassurance to people who simply want to dispose of unwanted knives and sharp objects – such as old kitchen knives, or unused work tools – safely and securely.”

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Detective Superintendent Andrea Kell, of North Yorkshire Police, said:

“Every knife placed in an amnesty bin is one less knife that could be used as a lethal weapon on the streets. That’s why I’m urging everyone to take advantage of the opportunity to dispose of them this week.”

Harrogate’s Dragon Road car park to shut for two weeks for £140,000 resurfacing

Dragon Road car park in Harrogate is set to be closed for two weeks as part of resurfacing work.

The car park will shut from Monday, March 13, until Monday, March 27.

Harrogate Borough Council has earmarked the site for resurfacing work at a cost of £140,000.

The authority said the car park needed to be resurfaced as it had become worn.

The site is currently open to drivers on a pay and display basis from Monday to Sunday between 8am and midnight.

However, it is closed on exhibition days at Harrogate Convention Centre.

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The car park had been earmarked as a potential site to create affordable flats or extra care housing.

However, senior borough councillors decided to pause the plans in November in order for the site to continue to support parking at Harrogate Convention Centre.

Cllr Tim Myatt, cabinet member for planning at the council, proposed the authority should ensure that “adequate parking for Harrogate Convention Centre associated vehicles take primacy over site redevelopment”.

He added that the council should “pause consideration of this site until it is clear that the Harrogate Convention Centre redevelopment will be able to accommodate exhibition traffic on site”.

Fifty knives dropped off in Harrogate’s ‘knife amnesty bin’ during first month

Fifty knives have been anonymously dropped off in a safe bin since it was installed at the Dragon Road car park in Harrogate last month, figures reveal.

The Harrogate Borough Council and North Yorkshire Police project, which is paid for and managed by the police, was introduced due to a sharp rise in the number of knife-related incidents in the county.

In the Harrogate district alone, there were over 2,700 recorded incidents where a knife or bladed article was mentioned between the beginning of 2020 and June 2022.

High-profile incidents involving knives included a January 2020 attack near the Victoria Shopping Centre and a murder at Mayfield Grove in 2021.

The police blamed the rise in people carrying knives on fueding drug gangs and criminals using the weapons to protect themselves.

The council said previously the bin also provides a place for parents who might have confiscated a knife from their child but who do not want to hand them directly to police.

The bin in Harrogate was installed on January 23 and is the first of its kind in North Yorkshire.

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According to a report that will be discussed by councillors next week, 50 knives have been deposited so far, which includes a one way-chute that stops anyone from retreiving a knife that’s inside.

The Dragon Road car park is directly next to Asda and the supermarket chain has backed the scheme.

It no longer sells single knives and it has a policy of questioning anyone who buys a pack of knives after 10pm or appears under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

The deposit box will be there for 12 months as part of a pilot scheme. If it’s successful it could be rolled out elsewhere in the county.

The report added:

“To date we have received positive feedback and a number of other locations across the district and county interested on enhancing the offer.”

North Yorkshire’s first ‘knife drop’ bin installed in Harrogate

The first “knife drop bin” to be installed in North Yorkshire has been set up in Harrogate.

North Yorkshire Police and Harrogate Borough Council worked together to install the orange bin between Asda car park and Dragon Road car park near to the recycling bins.

The facility is designed for people to dispose safely of knives, blades or sharp tools in a safe, anonymous way.

People wishing to deposit a knife are advised to wrap the blade in either thick paper or cardboard and secure with tape as a safety precaution. Once secure, take the knife directly to the bin location and deposit it safely by dropping it through the hatch.

Nicola Colboure, North Yorkshire Police inspector in Harrogate, said:

“While knife crime in North Yorkshire is very low compared to many surrounding areas, we do see the awful injuries knives and other bladed items can inflict if they fall into the wrong hands.

“This is an excellent way to ensure they’re permanently taken out of circulation, which in turn helps us ensure North Yorkshire remains officially England’s safest county.”

The force said the purpose of the bin is to give reassurance to the public that knives are disposed of, but also to reduce knife crime and violence.

A police press release said those who use the knife bin for its intended purpose of disposing of weapons will be granted amnesty to do so and will therefore not face prosecution for disposing of their knives.

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It added:

“Discarding knives by handing them directly into police stations can be a daunting prospect, which is why introducing this simple and discrete method of disposal will hopefully encourage people to utilise the knife drop bin, particularly when coming across old surplus kitchen knives or sharp work tools such as Stanley knives.

“Under the Offensive Weapons Act 2019 it is now also illegal to possess certain weapons in private places. Items that could have previously been considered as decorative, collectable or antique pieces are now unlawful to own and you will face prosecution if weapons such as samurai swords, shurikens and flick knives are found in your home.

“Many of these weapons are held in innocence or lack of knowledge of their illegality. We therefore want to urge those in possession of such items to take advantage of the knife drop bin.”

Harrogate’s Dragon Road car park set for £140,000 resurfacing

Dragon Road car park in Harrogate looks set to undergo a £140,000 resurfacing.

Harrogate Borough Council has advertised for a contractor for the scheme on the government’s procurement portal.

The authority is looking to resurface the car park because it has become worn.

According to the advertisement, the contract is due to start on January 30.

The car park had been earmarked as a potential site to create affordable flats or extra care housing.

However, senior borough councillors decided to pause the plans in November in order for the site to continue to support parking at Harrogate Convention Centre.

Cllr Tim Myatt, cabinet member for planning at the council, proposed the authority should ensure that “adequate parking for Harrogate Convention Centre associated vehicles take primacy over site redevelopment”.

He added that the council should “pause consideration of this site until it is clear that the Harrogate Convention Centre redevelopment will be able to accommodate exhibition traffic on site”.

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New Pannal business park rejected

Senior Harrogate councillors have rejected plans for a new business park in Pannal as the proposal was “not viable without significant support”.

Harrogate Borough Council’s cabinet last night put the brakes on the proposals for a site off the A61 Leeds Road between the railway line and Crimple Beck.

Councillors also paused plans for a redevelopment of Dragon Road car park in Harrogate and agreed to progress with a housing plan for the Harlow Nursery site provided a new nursery is found.

It comes after council-appointed consultants BDP and Colliers undertook a study to come up with options for three brownfield sites under the Harrogate district Local Plan 2014-35.

Cllr Tim Myatt, cabinet member for planning at the council, told a meeting last night he was not comfortable with the standard of the design for the Pannal proposal.

He said:

“The options presented, which aren’t viable without significant support, are not up to a standard design with which I can feel comfortable.

“There seems little hope to producing something to the quality that I believe the site needs. I will therefore propose that we do not progress with options for the site.”

He also recommended that the employment site be removed from the local plan “at the review stage or during the creation of a new local plan on a North Yorkshire Council geography”.

The proposed layout of the employment site along the A61 near Pannal

The proposed layout of the employment site along the A61 near Pannal.

An officer’s report said the site could be used for high-tech manufacturing, research and development, or business headquarters. Buildings would be up to three storeys and 5,000m sq in size.

The total office space allocated for the site was 10,000m sq alongside 31,500m sq of industrial space.

The officer’s report acknowledged that any development of the site was likely to take place after Harrogate Borough Council is abolished next spring, when the new North Yorkshire Council comes into effect.

Dragon Road redevelopment paused

Meanwhile, senior councillors also decided to pause plans for development on Dragon Road car park in Harrogate.

The site could be used to create affordable flats or extra care housing.

However, Cllr Myatt proposed that the council should ensure that “adequate parking for Harrogate Convention Centre associated vehicles take primacy over site redevelopment”.

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He added that the council should “pause consideration of this site until it is clear that the Harrogate Convention Centre redevelopment will be able to accommodate exhibition traffic on site”.

The cabinet did, however, approve plans to procure technical drawings and surveys into how infrastructure for the Nidderdale Greenway cycle route, which passes through the car park, could be improved.

Cllr Myatt said:

“We do certainly want to see improvements to the cycle path.

“But greater development isn’t possible until the site’s role as a car park for Harrogate Convention Centre traffic has been explored during Harrogate Convention Centre redevelopment.”

Harlow Nursery housing

The council approved plans to press ahead with housing for the site at Harlow Nursery provided a replacement nursery is found.

Cllr Myatt recommended that any sale of the site was “contingent on the relocation of the existing council nursery”.

Consultants hired by the council came up with two options for the site this year. The first option was to build a mix of 57 family homes and flats. The second was to build 62 homes and flats with smaller gardens.

Harlow nursery council

The Harlow Nursery site in Harrogate.

A report before councillors recommended the 62-home option and invites expressions of interest for the land before proceeding to tender for a conditional sale.

Cllr Myatt told councillors:

“On Harlow Nursery, we must make sure that a successful nursery relocation is prioritised and that should be explicitly referenced in our recommendations.”

Plans to build 72 flats and care home in Harrogate’s Dragon Road car park

The Dragon Road car park in Harrogate could be used to create affordable flats or extra care housing if a proposal is approved next week.

Harrogate Borough Council‘s cabinet is set to decide on Wednesday whether to take the next steps in planning for the site’s redevelopment.

The project could see 72 apartments created, including 40% affordable homes, and part of the site could be used to create an extra care facility.

However, officers presenting a report for the cabinet have said the use of the car park to support events at Harrogate Convention Centre will take precedence over any development. They said:

“Given the current HCC investment project, it may be more appropriate to keep the site available for that facility until the full details of the HCC project are finalised. However this needs to be balanced with the development opportunity…

“During the course of the masterplanning study and in response to the market-led challenges, housing officers have expressed an interest in the site.

“They are in the early stages of looking at plans to develop the rear part of the site for either extra care (for which there is an identified shortfall in the district) or affordable housing. This provides an opportunity to maximise grant funding to improve viability.

“Officers recommend further discussions are held with housing colleagues to explore this registered provider led opportunity and consider whether this can be achieved without compromising HIC parking requirements. Officers note that adequate parking for HCC associated vehicles takes primacy over site redevelopment.”

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The report suggests development of the site would be an opportunity to improve the Nidderdale Greenway entrance to the town centre:

“The masterplan illustrates how a high quality urban residential development could be accommodated within the site. The masterplan proposes three apartment blocks of three storeys that will enhance the character of the site to provide an attractive setting for living and an enhanced gateway to the Nidderdale Greenway.

“The entrance to the site is enclosed by an ‘L’ shaped block to follow the grain of Dragon Road and enclose the route into the site. This is followed by a more regular shaped block, which reinforces the building line and defines the second edge to a green courtyard through which the Nidderdale Greenway passes.

“A third block positioned along the line of the railway replicates the terraced form of adjacent street and creates a buffer to the railway with apartments facing eastward to overlook the greenway.”

It recommends council officers should draw up plans and find a contractor for the work, as well as reporting back on costs and potential sources of funding for the improvements. It also suggests speaking to providers of affordable housing and extra care facilities about the potential of developing the site.

The report recommends speaking to providers about the feasibility of maintaining HCC use of the site for service vehicles during events if it were developed, noting again that adequate parking “takes primacy” over any development.

The proposal suggests access through the site for deliveries to the neighbouring Asda supermarket and to the railway for maintenance would be maintained.

Plans to develop the Dragon Road car park

The site is allocated for mixed use in the local plan, but the latest report suggests it is unlikely to be suitable for business development. It said:

“Employment use on this site was discounted early on in the study due to viability constraints and lack of market demand for this location. The masterplan reflects the sustainable, edge of town centre location with a high density apartment scheme.

“[Seventy-two] units are shown including 40% affordable housing. Improvements to the Nidderdale Greenway within the site will provide a welcome entry into Harrogate, much improved from the current provision.

“Access for Asda service lorries is retained through the centre of the site as well as Network Rail access to the railway line. The masterplan assumes the current use of the site as a public and HCC car park is ended, as per the local plan allocation.”

The council’s seven-man cabinet will decide whether to proceed with officers’ recommendations when it meets next Wednesday at 5.30pm. The meeting at the civic centre is open to the public, as well as being live streamed on YouTube.

West Park car park to host Harrogate covid testing

Harrogate’s permanent coronavirus testing centre off Dragon Road will close this weekend and be replaced by a mobile unit in West Park car park.

In a sign that the emergency response to the pandemic is being scaled back, the permanent site in the Dragon Road car park near Asda will close on Sunday

The mobile units at the West Park car park will open several days a week although precise details are not yet known.

Speaking at a briefing on Wednesday, Matthew Robinson, head of resilience and emergencies at North Yorkshire County Council, said the move to mobile units was being done so tests could target hotspot areas.

He said:

“The advantages of mobile testing sites is that we can flex and strengthen as we go. We will make sure that if covid cases are increasing in a particular area we will continue to provide more frequent testing in that location.”

It was announced in March that the Dragon Road site would close due to the car park being needed by Harrogate Convention Centre, but health officials have now decided a permanent replacement site will not be needed.

The Coronavirus testing site on Dragon Road, Harrogate.

The site on Dragon Road.

Officials are instead urging residents to use the mobile sites, online ordering and local pharmacies where testing has become more widely available.

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The closure of the site follows an announcement that the vaccination centres at the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate and Ripon racecourse will also close in August – with local pharmacy sites set to play a larger part in the rollout.

Dr Ian Dilley, GP partner at East Parade Surgery in Harrogate and clinical director of the Mowbray Square Primary Care Network, said in a statement on Tuesday:

“With the huge number of people now vaccinated in the local area, we feel August is an appropriate end date.

“We need to be mindful of the other pressures that will be placed on doctors’ surgeries as we head towards autumn and winter, and the annual flu vaccine campaigns that GP practices need to provide.

“We also need to enable our kind hosts at the Yorkshire Events Centre and Ripon racecourse to provide their own events as restrictions continue to be eased and more public events are permitted.”

There are two types of coronavirus tests: rapid tests, known as lateral flow tests, and PCR tests, which are sent to labs for analysis.

Mr Robinson said anyone with symptoms should get a PCR test – and not a lateral flow test – because they are more accurate and can also better detect variants of concern.

He said:

“Now that lateral flows are more readily available it is easy to think you can just do one, especially if you have got them laying around your house, but the national testing policy is very clear and it is a PCR test that is needed for anyone with symptoms.

“The PCRs miss fewer positive cases and they can help us identify strains of variants as well which is really important at the moment.”

For more information on testing go to www.northyorks.gov.uk/book-coronavirus-covid-19-test-if-youve-got-symptoms