Plans approved for 264 solar panels at Bilton caravan park

Plans have been approved to install 264 solar panels at Bilton Park Village Farm to produce green electricity for its park homes and caravan.

The owner of the site lodged an application to Harrogate Borough Council for the solar panels which would be capable of producing 90,471 kWh of electricity a year.

The site, on Bilton Lane, is a popular holiday location for people wishing to explore Harrogate and Knaresborough.

Now, the borough council has approved the installation of the panels.

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Planning documents submitted to the authority say the park wants to improve the environmental impact of the business and the solar panels would reduce its carbon footprint by around 31 tonnes of carbon dioxide each year.

The panels would cover 454 square metres of field next to the park.

The documents say that around 30% of the electricity generated will be exported back to the National Grid so it can be utilised by the public.

It adds:

“This means that the public can also utilise electricity which has been generated by renewable energy, further reducing the reliance on fossil fuels and power stations.

“The installation of the solar PV system would not solely serve the applicant but would also benefit other households.”

Harrogate council awards £280,000 electric vehicle contract to London firm

A London company has been awarded a £280,000 contract to install 34 electric vehicle charging points across the Harrogate district.

Connected Kerb, which installs charging points across the country, has been appointed to oversee the project.

The company has already overseen electric vehicle charging point projects in Kent and Swindon.

Harrogate Borough Council has commissioned the company on a contract due to start this month.

The company will be tasked with installing, maintaining and managing charging points at:

Cllr Phil Ireland, Harrogate Borough Council’s cabinet member for carbon reduction and sustainability, said previously: 

“The Harrogate district has seen a rapid uptake in the purchase of electric vehicles, outstripping all other districts in North Yorkshire.

“If we are to achieve our ambition of net-zero by 2038 it is important we support those residents that have the ability to purchase electric cars, while also encouraging more cycling and walking.

“These new charging points will support the uptake in electric vehicles for both our residents and our visitor economy.”

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The contract is due to end in January 2027, however a council report published last month recommending the contractor be appointed said this could be extended.

The move comes as the council aims to get 10,000 electric vehicles on the districts’ roads by 2023.

To help hit this target, the authority plans to install charge points at several council-owned locations to encourage motorists to make the switch ahead of the government’s ban on the sale of petrol, diesel and hybrid cars in 2030.

Harrogate council ranks in lowest 15% of local authorities for tackling climate change

Harrogate Borough Council has been given a low score by a national campaign group for its plan to tackle climate change.

Climate Emergency UK employed a team of 120 volunteers to assess over 450 UK councils’ written plans to cut emissions.

They wanted to find out if each plan is costed, whether it has a clear goal and if local residents were engaged with what the councils were doing.

Harrogate Borough Council’s plan was ranked in the bottom 15% of all councils.

The authority’s carbon reduction strategy sets a target of a net zero-carbon economy in the district by 2038. This means the district would put no more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere than what it takes out.

A public consultation on the council’s updated carbon reduction strategy ended this month.

Climate emergency

Unlike around 300 UK councils, Harrogate Borough Council has not called a climate emergency.

Volunteers found its strategy did not outline the implications of climate change on the local area and failed to engage well with the community.

Each council’s climate plan was given a score out of 100, with Harrogate receiving 19. The UK average was 43 with Somerset West and Taunton coming top with 92.

Read Harrogate Borough Council full scorecard here.

‘No surprise’

Harrogate and District Green Party executive Arnold Warneken said Harrogate’s low score for tackling climate change “comes as no surprise”.

He said:

“We have seen how slow the council reacts to an “emergency“, a word that doesn’t feature in the climate motion.

“There is no mention either of ecology or biodiversity, at all, demonstrating a lack of commitment the council has to protecting our future.

“I want to see us lead on the climate issue, not just following forward-thinking authorities at a pace just fast enough to stay on the scoreboard.”

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Kirsty Hallett, from Harrogate District Climate Change Coalition, said the group was encouraging Harrogate Borough Council to develop a “robust roadmap” to reach net-zero.

She said:

“In December 2021, HDCCC trustees met with Harrogate Borough Council and responded to the council’s consultation on their revised carbon reduction plan, which has been updated since the version scored by Climate Emergency UK.

“We highlighted the need for a fully costed action plan with measurable and timed targets for climate friendly changes to our housing, energy and transport.

“Climate action plans should be communicated effectively to ensure local people understand the need to decarbonise and to highlight the climate, ecological and personal benefits of change.

“We are looking forward to seeing what improvements Harrogate Borough Council have made to their carbon reduction plan following the recent consultation.”

Jemima Parker, chair of Zero Carbon Harrogate, said she hoped the updated carbon reduction strategy can be fully costed:

“We suggested that a more holistic climate response was needed, not just carbon reduction but also climate resilience and carbon sequestration strategies were needed.

“Additionally, we felt that having an action plan which is fully costed, provides the likely carbon outcomes and also looks at the co benefits of each action would help the council prioritise their actions.”

Council’s response

A Harrogate Borough Council spokesman said:

“Unfortunately, we were unable to engage with Climate Emergency UK directly and understandably they have used historic information from our website. If we could have we would have provided a comprehensive wealth of information about the proactive work now underway across the Harrogate district.

“We have also recently consulted on an updated plan, which we look forward to sharing in the coming months.

“The existing action plan includes; improving our operational council buildings, introducing and supporting sustainable transport, working with business and public sector partners as well as influencing new development locations. The improvements we’ve made are already saving hundreds of tonnes of CO2 every year.

“We also have plans for more than 17-hectres of council-owned land have been allocated to support the White Rose Forest project. This project is a collaboration between councils across the Yorkshire region that aims to plant a substantial number of trees that will truly transform the region and help achieve carbon reduction goals. Thousands of trees will complement the 13,000 trees and hedgerow we’ve already planted.

“We are continually improving energy efficiency in our existing council buildings. The introduction of LED lighting, for example, not only makes us more energy efficient but also generates significant financial savings for the tax-payer every year.

“We’ve adopted an ultra-low emission vehicle strategy and are encouraging new developments to cater for the advances in electric vehicles. These new developments are also being supported with alternative travel options. We have also recently agreed to install electric charging points in a number of our car parks.

“Following a successful £1.8million bid from the borough council, through the government’s public sector decarbonisation scheme, the existing gas boilers at the Hydro will be replaced with heat pumps, along with the installation of solar panels as well as metering and energy monitoring and control systems. It is anticipated that the carbon footprint for the building will be reduced by up to 60%

“These are just some of the schemes and projects – to date – that will help us reach this target.

“The most effective projects for achieving our ambitious targets are not going to happen overnight but we are committed to working hard to implement the right measures in the best way possible.

“We can’t do this alone – and nor would we want to – and plan on continuing to work with partners, business, the Harrogate District Climate Change Coalition and communities to help achieve our target of a net zero-carbon economy by 2038.

“Together we can make a difference.”

Harrogate’s first street ranger given licence to ‘fight grime’

Harrogate Business Improvement District has given its new street ranger a licence to fight grime.

It may not be as glamorous a role as James Bond’s, but street ranger Chris Ashby is set to become a familiar figure in the town centre.

Mr Ashby’s job is to give visitors a better first impression of Harrogate by cleaning, painting and pointing out anti-social behaviour.

His work is in addition to Harrogate BID’s four major deep-cleans in a year and Harrogate Borough Council’s usual street cleaning work.

Harrogate BID manager Matthew Chapman said the role was a key part of the organisation’s ambition to create a ‘safe, clean and welcoming’  town centre. He added:

“Harrogate is the jewel in Yorkshire’s crown, and Chris will be there to give it an extra sparkle.

“The council already does a great job in terms of ridding pavements of litter, and Chris will be building on their day-to-day work.

“His battery-powered vehicle will carry a variety of tools including brushes, bin bags and a power washer allowing him to quickly react to any unsightly or hazardous incident that businesses might report, and what and he sees with his own eyes.”

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Mr Ashby said:

“Living in Harrogate, I’m aware of a what a very special town it is.

“I’m really looking forward to taking on this new role with Harrogate BID and getting to know business owners and levy payers as I carry out my grime fighting duties.”

Green Shoots: Harrogate Town’s vegan footballer who is passionate about environment

Harrogate Town midfielder George Thomson is part of a growing cohort of professional footballers who are vegan and passionate about the environment.

Fan favourite Thomson joined Town in 2017. He’s played more than 160 matches and been a key cog in Simon Weaver’s history-making side that was promoted to the English Football League for the first time in the club’s 100-year existence. Town are at home to Oldham this afternoon.

Players including Manchester City legend Sergio Aguero and England player Jesse Lingard have gone vegan for health reasons but Thomson told the Stray Ferret his conscience couldn’t allow him to continue eating meat. He made the switch five years ago.

He said:

“Agriculture is one of the main contributors to global warming, it gives off a high percentage of greenhouse gases. It’s known to contribute more than even cars.” 

Thompson was shocked after watching the Netflix documentary Cowspiracy, which exposed the impact of meat on climate change, water use, deforestation and ocean dead zones.

He also said that ethically he could no longer eat meat due to the suffering caused to animals.

He added:

“I saw what happens and I didn’t want to be a part of it. I didn’t want that on my conscience.

“There’s so much information now so I did lots of research.” 

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Thomson, who is known as one of the fittest players in Town’s squad, said it’s a misconception that becoming vegan will result in a lack of protein.

“I wasn’t going to be deficient in something that would affect my job. What stuck with me, no vegan player has been to a doctor with a protein deficiency. There’s protein in every single food. We eat a lot of beans and lentils that are high in protein. It’s like anything, you get used to it and it becomes easy.”

He’s not the only vegan at the club: midfielder Alex Pattison also recently made the switch, although Thomson said they face some friendly banter from the meat-eaters in the dressing room.

‘Something I believe in’

Forest Green Rovers, who play in League Two alongside Harrogate, have been described by FIFA as the “greenest club in the world” and they’ve even been recognised by the UN for their eco-credentials.

Only vegan meals are served at their ground, which is powered by 100% renewable energy and includes electric vehicle charging points.

Thomson, who cycles to training, said he supported the club’s model:

“It’s a great concept what they’ve done at Forest Green, even the kit is made of recycled plastic.

“The environment is a massive topic at the minute, everyone is beginning to be more conscious about their carbon footprint. For me, being vegan helps massively and you have the health benefits on top. I’d support what they’ve done there massively, it’s something I believe in”.

And with vegans options now much more mainstream, he said he doesn’t have to miss out on a celebratory pizza with teammates after a match thanks to Dominos’ vegan option.

Objectors clash with Skell Valley Project over Ripon nature reserve

Regular visitors to a Ripon nature reserve have launched a petition and called a public meeting over concerns about the scale of clearance works.

The Change.org petition titled ‘Keep Hell Wath Natural’ has gone online, while a paper petition has already been signed by more than 100 people.

The online petition calls for a stop to any more work at Hell Wath until the public meeting, which will take place at 7pm on February 23 at Ripon Bowling Club.

People are being invited to sign the petition to:

“Preserve the natural beauty, habitat and surroundings of Hell Wath open space, to protect the environment; animals, plants, hedges and trees and for this not to be changed or to become man-made or over-managed.”

Photo of Hell Wath

Trees have been cut down on various parts of the site

What do the objectors say?

Objectors are concerned about the extent of clearance works being carried out as part of the Skell Valley Project which they believe has progressed without detailed consultation or proper engagement with local residents, who have been visiting Hell Wath for up to 50 years.

Brian Don of Keep Hell Wath Natural, told the Stray Ferret:

“I’ve been going there for 35 years with my children and grandchildren and we have enjoyed the natural beauty of the place.

“We can understand a degree of cutting back of trees and shrubs, but what we have witnessed is devastation, with trees taken out and wide-scale clearance of hawthorn and blackthorn, followed by work on the pond, which has left an absolute mess.”

Janet Anderson, who has been visiting Hell Wath for most of her life, added:

“The removal of trees and bushes has taken away the habitat of birds and  small animals, such as hedgehogs. The bullfinches you used to be able to hear singing here have gone.”

Another local resident, Sandra Miles, who has been visiting Hell Wath for 50 years, said:

“I feel that this is being imposed on us and they don’t want to know what we have to say. It has been causing me sleepless nights.”

What does the Skell Valley Project say?

Nabil Abbas, manager of the Skell Valley Project, said:

“When the nature reserve at Hell Wath was designated almost 30 years ago the grassland areas were very open, but since that time the amount of scrub on the site has increased hugely. These changes are very clear looking at historic aerial photographs of the area.

“The increasing dominance of scrub has already resulted in the loss of areas rich in wild flowers which are an important feature in the designation of the nature reserve, and left unchecked the scrub threatens to overpower those open grassland areas, which provide habitat for many plants, insects and birds.

“The three days of scrub removal which took place in December had a really minimal impact on the overall cover of scrub on the site, so there is still abundant habitat around the nature reserve for bird species which use scrub.

“The scrub removal is being undertaken in line with the nature reserve management plan to conserve the balance of different habitats on the site, maintaining open areas for wild flowers, which are crucial for butterflies, bees and other pollinators, which in turn provide feeding opportunities for birds.

“The silted up wildlife pond, which was first installed in the mid 1990s but now regularly dries out, has been brought back into good condition so that it can provide habitat for amphibians, dragonflies and other insects.

“The habitat restoration has been undertaken in mid-winter when aquatic wildlife is inactive, and outside of the bird breeding season, to minimise any impact on wildlife.

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What consultation has taken place?

With regard to the consultation process, Mr Abbas said:

“In 2018, in preparation for the successful first stage application to National Lottery Heritage Fund for the Skell Valley Project a range of engagement, consultation and audience development tasks were undertaken by the National Trust and Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (NAONB) project team.

“This included engagement with individuals from the community as well as local parish councils, Ripon City Council, local landowners, local schools and colleges and the Ripon City plan committee.

“Throughout 2019 and 2020, ahead of the second stage bid, the Skell Valley Project team hosted a number of ‘Community Conversations’ workshops at Ripon Community House and Ripon Library.

“These sessions were designed to invite the local community to agree on a vision for the Skell Valley, discuss ideas for actions or initiatives which will help bring about the shared vision and to work together to develop those ideas and talk through how they compare with the current plan.

“These were widely advertised at key areas around Ripon, on social media and through the local press. including the Stray Ferret, Ripon Gazette, Harrogate Informer and BBC Radio York.

“More specifically at Hell Wath, the team hosted a free activity day to better engage with families as well as a public bioblitz event to record wildlife at the nature reserve.

“Both of these events were well attended. Following the successful stage 2 bid to the NLHF, the Skell Valley Project hosted the official launch celebration at Hell Wath in September 2021 which was open to the local community to come and enjoy the space and find out more about the project.

“Prior to any work taking place a Hell Wath the Skell Valley Project team posts public notices on site, on social media, and our website as well as engaging with the press for the more impactful work to keep the local community informed.

“Given that some people do not have access to social media, the project has also funded a new noticeboard which will be erected at the main site entrance to enable better communication.”

Mr Abbas confirmed that the Skell Valley Project would be happy to attend a public meeting. He said:

“Should a public meeting be held about the future of Hell Wath we would be happy to attend. The team are always willing to answer any questions or concerns about work carried out as part of the Skell Valley Project.”

No 10: How fake grass and rewilding unleashed Harrogate passions

In this article, which is part of a series on the 15 stories in the Harrogate district that shaped 2021, we look at how fake grass and rewilding resulted in a major backlash for Harrogate Borough Council (HBC).

It seemed like a simple solution for the council. The trees meant the plants in the beds struggled for light. So why not brighten the town centre up with some of that popular artifical grass?

So on a cloudy morning in early May, residents started to notice a new and very green look for Cambridge Street and Oxford Street. Soon thereafter came a wave of condemnation on social media.

The Stray Ferret broke the news and asked the council’s press office for a reply. Despite hundreds of negative comments online, a council spokesperson insisted the move had received “lots of positive feedback”.

Fake grass and planters

Fake grass and planters.

Pressure continued to mount on the council in the following days. Hundreds called for the removal of the fake grass but one group took matters in their own hands.

The fake grass may have looked green but Extinction Rebellion Harrogate was less than impressed with its environmental credentials so a small team of activists replaced it in one of the beds with shade-loving plants.

Extinction Rebellion later handed the plastic grass back in to the council offices on King’s Road along with annotated extracts from the council’s environmental policies.

The council finally relented, apologised and sent workers to remove the fake grass.

Extinction Rebellion hands the fake grass back.

It may have all been over in little more than two weeks but the fake grass saga saw residents engage with local politics like never before. It was, as Extinction Rebellion put it, a “victory for the people”.

Meanwhile a new debate was growing under our feet. Harrogate Borough Council’s environmental credentials may have come under fire in May but in June the town had a new, new green look.

Swathes of green spaces, including on the Stray, had been left alone by mowers and strimmers so nature can grow free as part of rewilding efforts.

The grass verges are growing in Harrogate.

Rewilding was welcomed by many who saw it as a sign that the council, which manages parks and green spaces in the district, is serious about improving biodiversity.

But others who cherish Harrogate’s long reputation for organised and elegant planting thought it made the town look untidy.

This new move sparked just as much interest as the fake grass saga with each story sparking hundreds of comment and fierce debate on social media.

Both stories revealed that, more than ever, Harrogate’s residents care about the look of our floral spa town.

Ashville College pupils plant hundreds of trees to improve campus biodiversity

Pupils at Harrogate’s Ashville College have planted hundreds of trees in an effort to boost biodiversity on campus.

In partnership with the Woodlands Trust, pupils under the supervision of the independent school’s grounds team added 420 native British trees to the site.

The trees included a mixture of hazel, blackthorn, crab apple, dog rose and rowan and created a hedge running adjacent to one of its sports pitches and a public footpath.

Annual tree-plantings are among many initiatives led by the College’s dedicated Green Committee, which works hard to encourage pupils to think about how their actions can either harm or benefit the environment.

In the last two weeks of term, the Green Committee also ran a Fairtrade stall in the College’s Pre-Prep, Prep, and Senior Schools, where pupils were the vendors.

Cathy Price, Ashville College Green Committee lead, said: 

“The latest round of tree planting and the Fairtrade stall have come at the end of an extremely busy term for Green Committee members.

“Climate change and the environment have been on everyone’s radar, and this is going to continue. By making even small changes to our daily routines, collectively we make a big difference to the environment in which we live, work and go to school.”

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The trees planted are in addition to 500 native trees that were planted last November to enhance existing hedges or establish new ones to the southwest edge of the 64-acre campus.

The Woodland Trust has provided all the trees as part of its Big Climate Fightback campaign, which has so far seen more than 1.8 million trees planted by schools, community groups and businesses around the UK.

As the saplings grow, they will provide a habitat and movement corridors for wildlife and produce pollen, nectar, nuts, fruit and berries for insects, birds and small mammals.

Harrogate council plans environment festival in new year

Harrogate Borough Council is planning to host a festival across the district in the new year to raise awareness of climate change.

The project, which has a working title of Winter Festival, looks set to take place in February 2022, according to a contract advertised by the authority.

The event is expected to involve street performance and art installations.

Stockport-based Maynineteen Ltd has been given the £50,000 contract to lead the project.

The events company has been tasked with coming up with ideas that “generate footfall and interest” in Harrogate, Ripon, Masham, Knaresborough, Pateley Bridge and Boroughbridge.

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A spokesperson for the council said more details on the event would be revealed in the new year.

The spokesperson added:

“The Winter Festival is a working title for a project which is likely to change. 

“The project aims to raise awareness of the global climate change and environmental issues we are all facing. It will involve art installations and street performances, for example, and we’ll have some exciting news in the new year.”

Council officials said the contract has been paid for through the government’s Welcome Back Fund, which was designed to “promote a safe environment for local trade and tourism, particularly in high streets as their economies reopen”.

In April, the government granted the borough council £144,714 as part of the fund.

In Depth: Where is the infrastructure plan for 4,000 homes in west Harrogate?

With as many as 4,000 homes planned for the Western side of Harrogate, a document is being drawn up by Harrogate Borough Council to nail down the infrastructure requirements of the area and who will pay for it.

HBC is working with developers and North Yorkshire County Council on the West of Harrogate Parameters Plan (WHPP). It will aim to allow for a more joined-up approach to infrastructure, including addressing roads and traffic, rather than assessment on a site-by-site basis.

But residents and councillors have grown frustrated with broken promises about when it will be published.

HBC initially said it would be published in October 2020, which was delayed until March 2021, then September 2021. It now says a draft version will be published in February 2022.

Harlow Hill, Rossett, and Pannal Ash are already some of the most popular residential areas in Harrogate and the stretch of Otley Road from Cardale Park to Beckwithshaw is set to be transformed with new housing developments.

However, the 200-home police training centre scheme in Yew Tree Lane was passed this week before the WHPP has seen the light of day.

Rene Dziabas, chair of Harlow & Pannal Ash Residents Association, told the Stray Ferret he is concerned that the decision not to wait until the plan is published before approving the police training centre scheme will set a precedent.

With a new local authority set to be created for North Yorkshire next year, he’s also worried the plan could be kicked down the road further. He believes staffing issues in the council’s planning department has contributed to the delays.

He said:

“If it’s delayed any further there will be the temptation to let the new unitary authority deal with it. That’s a concern.”

HAPARA is hoping the plan will go some way to tackling congestion and traffic on the west side of Harrogate, which could worsen considerably due to car-dependent housing developments.

“We’d like to see greater frequency of buses, junction improvements, the widening of pavements, cycle paths.

“Subject to appropriate investment, we can then start making improvements, otherwise why are you doing the plan?

He gave some examples of areas that he feels needs improvement:

“Leadhall Lane Marks and Spencers junction is known to be a pinch point, some work needs to be done there to help flow of traffic.

“The Prince of Wales roundabout is another pinch point as is other end of Otley Road and the tiny roundabout in Beckwithshaw.”

Poor communications

HAPARA has been unhappy with the level of consultation offered to residents by HBC during the process.

Mr Dziabas said the council has “confused contact and communications” and people who will be affected by the massive expansion of new housing have not felt like active participants in how the area will change.

He said:

“Not once has the council come back to us and said, ‘This is what we’re thinking, how do you feel this would work?’

“We’ve had no opportunity, all we’ve had from council is process. Communication has been poor.”

Mr Dziabas added:

“Perhaps the council feel if they involve residents too much it will slow the process down, or we might put an idea forward that doesn’t align with what a developer is saying.

“In their mind it might be a lot of extra hard work dealing with the nitty gritty with residents, so they keep us at arm’s length.”

‘Very frustrating’

Liberal Democrat councillor Pat Marsh sits on the 12 person planning committee that decides whether to approve or refuse large housing schemes.

She told the Stray Ferret it has been “very, very frustrating” that councillors are now being asked by officers to approve planning applications in the western side of Harrogate before the WHPP has been published.

She believes the majority of councillors wanted to defer the police training centre scheme until the plan is published, but were “bullied” into approving it by Homes England who threatened legal action.

She said the plan should have been drawn up years ago, before sites were allocated for development in the Local Plan, and that she shoulders some of the blame for that.

“It should have been in place prior to the Local Plan. I’ll hold my hand up for not realising that. Infrastucture is not being dealt with now.”

Cllr Marsh is concerned that even with the WHPP in place, it will be the houses that get built first and the necessary infrastructure such as schools or healthcare facilities could take years to follow.

“It will be the houses that get built first to make the money.”

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Council’s response

In a written statement sent to the Stray Ferret, Conservative councillor Tim Myatt, Harrogate Borough Council’s cabinet member for planning, said the WHPP will create a “clear vision” for infrastructure in west Harrogate.

He said “rather than rush” the council has been making sure the document is right for the town.

“By providing first-class community facilities, school provision, green infrastructure and sustainable travel opportunities, for example, we will be able to achieve the WHPPs goals and objectives.

“A significant amount of work – by qualified experts – has gone into what has been produced so far and we will continue to work hard until we’re comfortable we can achieve the best outcome in terms of quality of development and delivery of infrastructure.

“Rather than rush and produce a plan that fails to deliver this vision, we are taking a planned and strategic approach and anticipate concluding work on the WHPP in the New Year alongside an addendum to the Infrastructure Delivery Plan (IDP) thereafter.”

In response to HAPARA’s claim that residents had not been consulted, Cllr Myatt said several suggestions from residents have helped to shape the document.

He added:

“Although there is no statutory requirement to consult on the preparation of the WHPP, we value residents’ views.

“And a number of suggestions have helped shaped the WHPP, so I’d like to thank those residents for their valuable feedback.

“We will also engage with local stakeholders, of which HAPARA is one, in January to help achieve a WHPP that sets a benchmark for future communities across the Harrogate district.”