Rotary Wood campaigners stage demo in Valley Gardens

Environmental campaigners held a demonstration in Valley Gardens at the weekend to raise awareness of the threat to Harrogate’s Rotary Wood.

Harrogate Spring Water, which is owned by French firm Danone, has revived 2017 plans to fell trees in Rotary Woods so it can expand its bottling plant.

The company’s plans would involve removing a smaller area of woodland than it proposed in a failed planning application last year.

But campaigners are still concerned about the loss of trees in part of the Pinewoods that was planted by children in 2005 to help tackle climate change.

Harrogate forest school teacher Sarah Gibbs donned her tree costume to join fellow activists during Saturday’s four-hour gathering, which aimed to tell people about Rotary Wood and the company’s expansion plans. She said:

“This issue has really touched my heart. I’m a born and bred Harrogate girl as well as a teacher and knowing children planted this wood to tackle climate change, to say it’s OK to destroy it would send out a terrible message.

“Surely after lockdown we are more aware of the value of green space to the environment and to mental health.”

Rebecca Maunder, who also took part in the protest, said:

“The aim today is to raise awareness that this is on the agenda again. A lot of people still don’t realise it is.

“Harrogate Spring Water wants to have a consultation with local people so they need to be informed about what’s going on.”

Graham Dixon, who was also present, said:

“The best way to get people to care about what’s happening is to come out and tell them.”

‘Net biodiversity gain’

Harrogate Spring Water has said it wants to achieve “net biodiversity gain” for the site, carry out a compensatory tree planting scheme and will make the remaining part of Rotary Wood more accessible to the public.

It is currently consulting on its plans before submitting a formal reserved matters planning application to Harrogate Borough Council. It says the expansion would create 30 jobs.

Richard Hall, managing director at Harrogate Spring Water, said previously:

“We have a shared interest in driving prosperity for the town and creating a sustainable future for a key business that takes the Harrogate name around the UK and the world, and we hope that this process will allow us to come to a resolution which addresses people’s concerns and the town’s aspirations.”

Harrogate district second home owners face extra council tax charge

North Yorkshire County Council could introduce a 100% premium on council tax bills on second homes within the next two years.

The local authority estimates the charge could generate £1.5m a year in extra council tax payments in the Harrogate district and £14m a year in North Yorkshire overall.

The issue of second homes in the county has risen up the political agenda in recent years, with concerns that they are pricing local people out of buying homes in the places they were brought up.

House prices in the Yorkshire Dales, for instance, are about a third higher than the county average. The average cost of a property in the Dales is nearly £400,000, while the average weekly wage in North Yorkshire is just over £530.

Councillor Carl Les, the Conservative leader of North Yorkshire County Council, said the move depended on new legislation being introduced by the national government and the approval of the local authority.

He said any money raised through the premium would be used to fund council services, including council tax reduction schemes and affordable housing projects.

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The council’s executive will meet on Tuesday to debate the new council tax policy.

Carl Les

Council leader Carl Les

Cllr Les said:

“The issue of second home ownership has emerged as a major issue for many areas of the country, and it is one that we are acutely aware of in North Yorkshire.

“The county is a wonderful place to live and visit, and that has seen the trend towards people wanting to purchase a property either as a second home or a holiday let.

“Any proposed premium on second home owners will be carefully considered and debated by the council before the new legislation is introduced.

“But the revenue generated would prove to be a key source of funding to help to bridge the new council’s budgets and finance vital areas such as homelessness costs and also providing more affordable housing.”

Both the county council and Harrogate Borough Council will be abolished on April 1 next year and be replaced by a new authority called North Yorkshire Council.

Secure woodland for dogs to play off-lead opens in Knaresborough

A secure 3-acre woodland and meadow where dogs can safely roam off-lead away opens today at Hopewell Dog Park.

The dog park, which is located in a rural setting to the north of the Knaresborough, was set up by Rebekah Mudd two years ago for nervous dogs to play away from other dogs or people.

Owners can hire the woodland and will have the whole area to themselves.

The site has secure 6ft high fencing so dogs with little or no recall can’t escape. It means they are free to wander, play and sniff without the owner worrying.

The woodland and meadow is the latest addition to the dog park. It already has an adventure field with obstacles, an obedience field with agility equipment and an indoor barn.

For the new wooded area, owners pay a fee of £9 for 30 minutes or £15 for an hour. To hire the fields, prices start at £6.50 for 30 minutes.

All the areas are completely private, so you won’t have to share them with other dogs.

Ms Mudd said:

“People love the security and privacy of it. You can let the dog run around and have a picnic and the owner knows the dog is not going to escape.

“It’s for everyone, even if you have a well-behaved dog who has good recall, there is lots to do and lots to sniff”.

For more information about the dog park or to book a session, visit its website.

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Shocking video shows teens ripping up trees on Harrogate Stray

A group of teenagers have been filmed ripping trees from the ground on the Stray last night.

Sara and John Scott were walking home from town along the footpath adjacent to the railway line when they saw the group of teenagers ripping the trees from their roots.

The pair were so angry they chose to film what was happening. The video shows a small group of three teens tearing the trees down at 7.30pm.

Ms Scott said:

“There was a lot of them down there earlier, as I think it was the last day of the exams but at the time of this video, there was about 10 left. They were all drunk and doing this. Playing music, drinking and they ripped down 2 different trees that we saw.”

The couple live close by and often walk through the Stray, they said it was “infuriating” to see people treat it in such a way.

The Stray Ferret visited the area today and could see two young trees on the ground with just a stump remaining.

These images, taken today, show the remaining stumps of the two trees reportedly torn down last night

Judy d’Arcy Thompson, chair of the Stray Defence Association, said the actions of a few young people were “appalling”. She said the Stray is respected by thousands of people young and old and the actions of a few were a huge disappointment.

She said:

“Why did they feel the need to do that? We are blessed with the Stray so why is it deemed a celebration to destroy nature? It’s appalling to be actively destroying the Stray like this.”

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Harrogate Borough Council, which is the caretaker of the Stray, said:

“Our parks and grounds maintenance teams work year round to ensure we have a beautiful district to live or work in and for visitors to enjoy.

“To see this pointless destruction and disregard for our lovely natural environment is shocking. Unfortunately the individuals don’t seem to realise that their behaviour doesn’t just impact on them but the enjoyment of others.

“We urge anyone who witnessed the incident and has not yet reported it to North Yorkshire Police, to do so.”

The Stray Ferret also spoke to North Yorkshire Police, it said the incident had been reported at 7.40pm last night. In a statement the police said:

“We would advise anyone who witnessed the incident but has not reported it to the police to get in touch.

“Incident number 12220108383.”

Green Shoots: On a mission to tackle food waste in Boroughbridge

Green Shoots is the Stray Ferret’s monthly feature that explores the people and places who are doing great things for the environment in our district.

Boroughbridge residents are queuing out of the door at Boroughbridge Methodist Church to pick up potatoes, bread, carrots and other kitchen essentials.

But it’s not a food bank, they are here to do their bit to tackle the food waste crisis, which is one of the most under-reported environmental issues of our time.

In the UK, 6.7 million tonnes of food, worth £10 billion, is thrown in the bin every year.

There is a hidden environmental price too with much of the unwanted food heading to vast landfill sites which emit climate-damaging methane into the atmosphere.

The community larder is run jointly by volunteers from Boroughbridge Lions and Boroughbridge Community Care. The food comes from Morrisons supermarket, Fink, Minskip Farm Shop and Great Ouseburn Post Office.

As well as fruit and veg there are tins, drinks and even some rather tempting-looking cakes, which really would be a shame to see go to waste.

‘All about the environment’

The larder has been running for 11 weeks and kicks off each Wednesday from 12pm.

It also doubles up as a social get-together for the Boroughbridge community who gather for tea and coffee whilst they wait for their turn to collect the food.

The volunteers recently totted up how much food has been handed over so far, they had saved a massive 1.6 tonnes of food from going to landfill. Not bad going for a couple of hours every Wednesday lunchtime.

Sue Johnson from Boroughbridge Lions is one of the key figures behind the larder. She said, “It’s all about the environment”.

“We are reducing food waste and surplus food that would normally go to into landfill and create greenhouse gases. That’s what we are all about.

“We also want to bring the community together. The buzz in the coffee room is fantastic. “

Residents having tea and coffee in the church

Some of the food in the larder

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‘It’s still good food’

Unlike a food bank, you don’t need a referral to visit. It’s open to everyone, which the volunteers are keen to stress.

Andrea Bryson, one of the volunteers, said:

“We’re preventing food from going to waste. It’s still good food. We’re protecting the environment so there’s less methane in the atmosphere. It puts a smile on everybody’s face.”

Mo, who has lived in Boroughbridge for many years, said helping the environment is the main reason she comes along. She said:

“A lot of people wouldn’t go to a food bank because they think they are not deserving. This is a win-win as you are helping the planet and stopping food from going to waste so the environment is benefitting.”

Boroughbridge resident Mo

Kirri said she enjoys the range of items on offer which helps give new ideas for meals to cook for her family. She said:

“I get different ingredients here to what I am used to so I am cooking lots of new things. I can’t believe some of it was being thrown away, it’s crazy!”

Kirri

Green shoots

The Stray Ferret didn’t leave empty-handed, either, and took home some potatoes and carrots, which will look good as part of a Sunday roast this weekend.

Tackling climate change can seem like a daunting task for the individual but lessons learned from groups like the Boroughbridge Community Larder might just be one way for us to slowly turn the corner, one bag of potatoes at a time.

Developer resubmits Flaxby self-build homes eco scheme

A developer is not giving up on his dream of delivering a self-build eco-development in Flaxby after being knocked back by Harrogate Borough Council.

Ben Holmes, from Birstwith, first submitted plans last year to build the cutting-edge development in the village near Knaresborough.

It was for a community self-build scheme, which is a different model of housebuilding from what is usually seen.

Mr Holmes would install infrastructure, such as paths, water, drainage and a communal area, on the site.

Nine plots would then be available to people who want to build their own home. The buyers then hire an architect and builder and design a home to suit their family’s needs.

A stipulation would ensure all the homes are built to strict environmental standards and include solar panels, air-source heat pumps and super-tight insulation.

The plans were refused by the council on the grounds that it was not in the Harrogate district Local Plan 2014-35, which sets out where development can take place, and because the number of homes was below the council’s requirement per hectare.

‘Moving away from the car’

Mr Holmes appealed the council’s decision to the government’s Planning Inspectorate but it upheld the refusal.

He has this week submitted new plans to the council, which he hopes address the reasons for refusal.

The revised plans include plots for 20 homes, which would be available to those who have joined Harrogate’s self-build register.

He said:

“All of the principles of our original scheme will be included, which is again trying to move away from the car, with use of shared electric vehicles and further an electric mini-bus for the school run.

“The homes will generate their own electricity with photovoltaic panels on the roofs and rainwater harvesting will be used to cut down on energy bills.

“They will all be Passivhaus, relying mainly on solar gain for heating, and have air source heat pumps for any extra heating required. They will be extremely well insulated and air-tight. The intention is that they will set the standard for new homes across the area, and be a catalyst for greener developments.”

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New village hall

The initial proposal received a seven-page objection from Goldsborough and Flaxby Parish Council.

It cited concerns over flooding, sustainable transport and claimed the plans “gave no thought whatsoever to the village of Flaxby”.

To help win over locals this time, Mr Holmes has added a village hall and nature reserve for anyone to use.

He added:

“This was in response to some of the existing villagers’ comments that there was nothing in the original scheme to fulfil their social needs, and it should be more integrated for community cohesion.

“The joined parishes of Flaxby and Goldsborough don’t currently have a village hall so this would be an opportunity for them to have their own village asset, that they can use as they see fit.”

The council will decide on the plans at a later date.

Reservoir parking costs could cause ‘tremendous problems’ on nearby roads

Two local councillors have said the proposed introduction of parking charges at three local reservoirs could cause “tremendous” problems for local residents and visitors.

Yesterday, Yorkshire Water announced it would be introducing parking charges at Fewston, Swinsty and Thruscross reservoirs on a trial basis.

Comments on social media indicate many people believe parking at these much-loved beauty spots should remain free.  Yorkshire Water has said all funds raised will be reinvested in the sites.

Harrogate Borough councillor Victoria Oldham and parish councillor, Graham Hebblethwaite, both felt the charges could put off visitors using the car parks and that they’d park on nearby roads instead.

All three reservoirs are surrounded by farmland and narrow roads. Both councillors believe increased parking on the roads would create traffic problems, be a danger to pedestrians and potentially block the road to farm machinery.

Cllr Victoria Oldham, Conservative councillor for the Washburn ward, said:

“It will cause tremendous problems. I can understand if they are planning to make improvements but these come at an expense to others.

“When you’re out walking in a beautiful environment such as the Washburn Valley you often get distracted by the scenery but putting a timer on parking means some people may miss out on what is around them.”

Cllr Oldham said she’d be willing to talk to Yorkshire Water alongside residents about the plans.

Graham Hebblethwaite, chair of Washburn Parish Council, who lives half a mile from Fewston reservoir said:

“We have white lines on the road but that doesn’t stop people parking on them, I can’t ring 101 every time a car parks on the lines there’s just not enough time. It’s an easy money maker but they don’t have to live with it, it’s locals who will experience the problems.”

The proposed tariffs will be one hour at £1, two hours at £2, six hours at £3, an all day pass for £5 and an annual pass for £30.

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The Harrogate group of ramblers often visit the reservoirs, it said in the short-term it won’t cause problems but as it looks to plan future walks the charges could mean they choose not to start from one of the reservoirs.

Keith Wadd, publicity officer for the group, said:

“Anything that discourages walking in the countryside is a retrograde step. In the longer term it is likely fewer led walks will start from one of the reservoirs.

“The Washburn Valley is virtually inaccessible on public transport so a parking charge could put some people off and makes a place of beauty less accessible.”

Those commenting on social media called for the money to be invested in refurbishing public toilets and removing fallen trees off the land. Yorkshire Water has said the money will go towards the first ever in-house Yorkshire Water ranger team.

The nine rangers will help visitors enjoy their stays, do maintenance jobs and tackle anti-social behaviour that poses a threat to people, wildlife and the environment.

Alastair Harvey, lead countryside and woodland advisor at Yorkshire Water, said:

“We have thought long and hard about the introduction of these charges. We believe we’ve catered for all types of visitors we see. Whether they are looking for a day out or to visit every day to walk their dog.

“As well as improving security and safety at our sites, the parking charges will also be used to fund a variety of conservation, community, and facility improvement projects. It will also help wildlife to thrive on our sites.

“Ultimately, we hope that during the trial we will see incidents of fly tipping and antisocial behaviour decrease; making these sites safer and more enjoyable for people, and more wildlife friendly too. Likewise, we hope that the charges will encourage people to at least consider travelling via public transport, cycle paths, and walking routes rather than by car.”

First Harrogate church with solar panels on roof wins eco award

When it comes to being eco-friendly, churches don’t usually appear at the top of the list due to their age and size.

However, St Mark’s in Harrogate, which is believed to be the first in the town to install solar panels, is helping to buck the trend.

Now, as a result of its efforts, the church on Leeds Road has been awarded a silver eco church award.

Diocesan environment officer and member of St Mark’s, Jemima Parker, said:

“This silver award is recognition of the many leaps forward St Mark’s has taken to demonstrate its ongoing commitment to creation and environmental issues.”

The award also recognised the church’s links with food waste organisation Resurrected Bites, Harrogate Clothes Bank, the Car Free Sundays initiative and its renewable power schemes.

Church of England’s net zero ambitions

The Church of England has pledged to become carbon ‘net zero’ by 2030. It recently announced £30 million to support this ambition.

St Mark’s, Harrogate started its eco journey in 2011 when it installed the solar panels on its roof. Since then, eco improvements have continued.

Ms Parker, whose role includes helping churches across the whole of the Harrogate district to become carbon ‘net zero’, said:

“The 2030 target is quite ambitious considering the state of a lot of the churches. However, the Church of England understands that climate issues are an ethical and moral issue.

“Churches are very different from domestic properties in that they are often enormous spaces. Most of the carbon emissions come from heating.”

Ms Parker said as a result, churches were now looking at how to “heat the people” rather than the space, with some, including Fewston Church, now using ‘under-pew heating’, as well installing air source heating pumps.

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She added:

“The Church of England’s commission for things like solar panels has changed considerably. Obviously many of them are historic and listed buildings and it was quite difficult to get permission.

“Now there is a much greater understanding that they can be a real bonus for the church and the wider community.”

Andrew Jones MP to present award

On Sunday, Harrogate and Knaresborough Conservative MP Andrew Jones will present the award given to St Mark’s by A Rocha UK, a charity which measures how churches look after buildings and land; how they engage with their local community and in global campaigns, and the personal lifestyles of congregations.

Deborah Booth, St Mark’s environment officer said:

“As we become increasingly aware of the threats facing our natural world, St Mark’s has huge potential to raise the profile of creation care and facilitate and inspire action.”

As well as building improvements and community initiatives, the church has looked at ways to improve its surrounding land and provide a place for the whole community to connect with nature.

Developments include a new wildflower area, the planting of 50 native trees, a new prayer bench and a woodland walk.

Vicar of St Mark’s, Mike Resch, said:

“I want our ceiling to be the floor for the next generation, I urge us to leave this earth in a better place than when we inherited it. We know there is much more work to be done as we look ahead towards achieving a gold award.”

 

Recycle your unwanted electrical items at Knaresborough Market this week

North Yorkshire County Council will be collecting small electrical items such as plugs, kettles and hairdryers at Knaresborough Market this week.

It’s part of a campaign to reduce the number of small electrical items being thrown in the bin or hidden away at home.

Members of volunteer group North Yorkshire Rotters will be on hand to collect anything with a plug, battery or cable free of charge.

They will also be giving away free tubs to store used batteries, which will be available while stocks last.

Knaresborough Market is one of 20 locations in North Yorkshire where people can recycle electrical goods over the next month.

They can also be recycled at the household waste recycling centres, which are operated by Yorwaste on behalf of the county council.

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Scarborough Conservative councillor Derek Bastiman, executive member for waste management, said:

“The library drop-off service and market day events throughout June will make it easier for many people to drop off items that don’t work anymore and can’t be repaired.

“But, if you struggle to get to a household waste recycling centre please ask a friend or neighbour to take your broken appliance the next time they go and I would encourage residents who do visit our household waste recycling centres to ask anyone they know who doesn’t drive if they need any help.”

Harrogate Spring Water to submit new plans to expand bottling plant soon

Harrogate Spring Water is to revert back to its original 2017 plan to expand its bottling plant — and will submit a new application soon that proposes how felled trees at Rotary Wood will be compensated for.

The company won outline planning permission to expand its premises on Harlow Moor Road by 5,500 sqm five years ago. It means the principle of development has been established but the finer details have not been agreed.

The approved 2017 plans involve the felling of some trees at Rotary Wood, a woodland behind its current site that was planted by The Rotary Club of Harrogate and local schoolchildren in the 2000s.

In January 2021 a high-profile reserved matters application that was 40% larger and looked to chop down more trees than had been agreed was turned down by Harrogate Borough Council‘s planning committee.

The application provoked a public backlash and generated a debate about how a large, successful businesses should operate in the era of climate change.

Compensation

To compensate for the loss of trees, the company offered to plant new ones, create scrubland and build a pond on private land behind RHS Harlow Carr.

But this was an offer that dismayed some councillors on the planning committee and local groups including Pinewoods Conservation Group.

Piers Forster, a professor of climate physics at the University of Leeds who lives in Harrogate published a co-authored report that said about five times more new woodland was needed to properly compensate for the loss of trees.

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Next steps

The company said in July 2021 that it was working on a brand new application and the old plan would be disregarded.

However, the company has now decided to go back to its original plan rather than going through the torturous process of starting from scratch.

But, as in 2021, it still will need councillors on the planning committee to approve a reserved matters application that deals with its appearance and crucially, how the destroyed trees at Rotary Wood will be compensated for.

The company is yet to publish exact details on how it will do this.

Consultation events

Harrogate Spring Water said in a statement that it is looking to achieve “net biodiversity gain” for the site, carry out a compensatory tree planting scheme and it will make the remaining part of Rotary Wood more accessible to the public.

A series of public consultation events will take place in June where people will get to have their say and shape the proposals.

The company said the plans would create 30 new jobs.

Richard Hall, managing director at Harrogate Spring Water, said:

“The town of Harrogate and the local community are at the heart of our business. So it is important for us to ensure that, as we look to grow, create further job opportunities and continue to support the local and regional economy, we also listen to them.

“That’s why we are now encouraging people to engage with us on this process, to give us the benefit of their views and to help shape the future of the company.

“We have a shared interest in driving prosperity for the town and creating a sustainable future for a key business that takes the Harrogate name around the UK and the world, and we hope that this process will allow us to come to a resolution which addresses people’s concerns and the town’s aspirations.”

A spokesperson for the Pinewoods Conversation Group said:

“Whilst we are pleased that the plans for the larger site have now been dropped we are disappointed that the company still plan to progress with the original development first proposed 5 years ago. Since then, the public’s concerns around single use plastics and views on supporting the environment have strengthened substantially. This original development still has a large footprint of almost 2 acres that will see the removal of many trees and the loss of public accessible green space.

“However, we are encouraged by this new consultation and a commitment to work with us and other key stakeholders to achieve a net biodiversity gain for the site and to create more shared areas. Any replacement for land lost is a must for the local community. We would encourage all those with an interest to attend the planned events and make their views known.”