Harrogate turf war: residents offer to swap fake grass for flowers

Harrogate Borough Council has rejected an offer from a residents group to remove the fake grass in town and plant flowers instead.

Lucy Gardiner, co-founder of the original Harrogate Residents Association group, wrote to council leader Richard Cooper offering to carry out the work with local schoolchildren.

Her offer follows yesterday’s direct action by Extinction Rebellion Harrogate in which. the plastic grass in one of the raised beds was removed and replaced by shrubs.

Yesterday’s direct action by Extinction Rebellion Harrogate.

Harrogate Residents Association’s offer is the latest twist in the turf war saga that has provoked a fierce backlash by residents concerned about the environmental impact as well as the damage to Harrogate’s reputation as an upmarket, floral town.

Ms Gardiner’s letter, seen by the Stray Ferret, said:

“We have quite a few volunteers who would like to remove the Astro turf in the centre of town and plant up the beds with flowers/shrubs that survive in shaded conditions.

“Do we have the permission from you as the head of the Harrogate Borough council to do this please?

“We thought we could also engage with some of the primary schools to encourage the children to help plant them up, supporting a greener future and community spirit for their future town.”

Cllr Cooper declined her offer and in his reply copied yesterday’s council statement, which apologised for not explaining its actions better.

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The statement, which can be read in full in this article, said the artificial grass would serve as a base for planters that will sit on top of the beds, resulting in “a vibrant display of colour all year round”.

It added the scheme was a trial and if it didn’t make the town look better “we will remove them and try something else”.

Ms Gardiner said the group would pursue the matter with Harrogate and Knaresborough Conservative MP Andrew Jones.

 

 

 

Harrogate council apologises for fake grass saga

Harrogate Borough Council has apologised this afternoon for not doing a better job explaining its decision to put fake grass  in the town centre.

The statement, which can be read in full below, outlines the council’s reasons for choosing to install plastic grass.

It also reveals the council will place planters with flowers on top of the plastic grass — something it has already begun to do.

Early today campaigners from Extinction Rebellion Harrogate removed fake grass from one of the raised beds in Harrogate’s Cambridge Street, and replaced it with plants in protest at the council’s use of plastic.

The council statement says that although it recognises Extinction Rebellion’s reasons for its action, it would have preferred the group to speak to the council first.

It goes on to explain that the current installation is a trial, and will be removed if it turns out not to “make the town look better and bring more plants into the town centre”.

The statement adds the council has plans to plant trees on three sites totalling 17 hectares.

It says:

“We haven’t explained this well and we are sorry about that. We concentrated too much on getting the trial in place and not enough time explaining the totality of what we were doing.”

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A spokesperson for Extinction Rebellion Harrogate explained why it engaged in direct action this morning:

“We felt really shocked and disappointed and just a bit baffled by the fact that plastic grass had been put down in the first place, we’ve all spoken to lots of people, locals and visitors, and they all say it looks hideous.”

She denied the group had committed any legal offences, saying it had not damaged the plastic grass and will return it to the council in due course.

Asked about the council’s statement, she said it was more interested in aesthetic issues than environmental ones:

“What about the micro-plastics that are going to be layered on the soil? All you have to do is to plant plants that are shade loving, they’re ones that members grow themselves. Why bring plastic into the equation?”

“We don’t want Harrogate to be this plastic town and the council seems to be sending out such a strong message that neat and tidy is much better than biodiversity.”

Extinction Rebellion Harrogate removed the fake grass and planted flowers this morning.

Here is the council’s statement in full:

“While we recognise Extinction Rebellion Harrogate’s reasons for removing the artificial grass and installing plants, we would have preferred them speaking to us first so that we could have explained the full scheme and how it enables even more plants right into our town centre.

“Traditionally, we’ve put plants in the beds beneath the trees, but these rarely last very long because the trees soak up all the moisture and nutrients in the soil, leading to the plants looking rather sorry for themselves.

“Inevitably, this means the beds end up being visually dull and nothing more than a magnet for cigarette butts, empty coffee cups and fast-food takeaway packaging. They look a mess and prompt almost as many complaints as we’ve had about the artificial grass.

“The artificial grass is a base for planters that will sit on top of the beds.

“These planters – that have already started to be installed – will have their own water source, separate from the tree roots, so that the bedding plants can thrive on their own. This will result in a vibrant display of colour all year round. Using the artificial grass as a base means we can have more and more plants in our town centre and make the area more attractive.

“We’ve been asked why we didn’t put down stone or bark. We ruled this out because, regrettably, it will be most likely end up being used as an ashtray or messed-up because it is loose. Surfacing with stone, or something more substantial, would also compromise the tree root system.

“This is just a trial though. If, when the beds are fully installed, they don’t make the town look better and bring more plants into the town centre then we will remove them and try something else.

“We share the passion people have for Harrogate’s award winning floral displays and is something we will continue to support.

“We are also have further plans to reduce carbon emissions having recently identified three new council-owned sites, covering some 17 hectares, for new tree planting schemes.

“We haven’t explained this well and we are sorry about that. We concentrated too much on getting the trial in place and not enough time explaining the totality of what we were doing.”

Baltzersen’s to trial reusable cups again after covid

Baltzersen’s is waging war once again on single use cups after a brief ceasefire brought on by coronavirus.

Concern over spread of the virus forced all coffee shops to stop accepting reusable cups as a route to safely open up businesses.

Big chains like Starbucks and Costa have accepted them since summer but take up has been patchy across independents.

The move back to reusables is being trialled in the Knaresborough cafe as it starts to serve coffee for the first time.

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Paul Rawlinson, owner of Baltzersen’s, believes that the environmental impact of coronavirus has gone under the radar.

He told the Stray Ferret:

“We stopped using disposable cups in 2018 but we had to bring them back in order to reopen the business. It’s not something we wanted to do.

“I know some are worried about staff handling the cups but basic hygiene like washing hands will make it perfectly safe.

“The time is right to bring back the reuseable cups. We just want people to have that option again.”

If the trial in Knaresborough goes well, Baltzersen’s will look at rolling it out in its Harrogate cafe and bakery.

Live: Met Office yellow warning for ice as storm subsides

Residents in the Harrogate district woke today to more flood warnings after days of heavy rain.

Keep refreshing this page to get the latest updates on weather and travel.

Help to keep our live blog up to date by sending pictures and information about flooding to contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.

4.30pm – Boroughbridge residents fight the flood

People in Boroughbridge have been fighting hard to keep their homes and businesses dry as the river and canal spill over.

We sent a reporter to the town to see how people were coping with the floods.

Read our report here: https://thestrayferret.co.uk/boroughbridge-care-home-garage-and-homeowners-fight-floods/

3.07pm – Met Office yellow warning for ice tonight

Storm Christoph may be abating but weather problems are likely to persist, according to the latest Met Office update. It says river levels could continue to rise “for a little longer” and colder weather is on its way.

A yellow warning for ice is in place for the Harrogate district tonight. Temperatures are forecast to fall as low as minus one degree centigrade tonight and sub-zero nighttime temperatures are forecast until Monday.

https://twitter.com/metoffice/status/1352269742548115456

2.35pm – York-Leeds trains cancelled for today

The train operator has said the weather is causing some issues on its lines meaning services between York and Leeds will be withdrawn for the rest of the day.

Northern added it was working with Network Rail to recover the tracks following the bad weather.

https://twitter.com/northernassist/status/1352247289629257728

1.35pm – Number of flood alerts and warnings reduces

Is the situation improving? There are now eight flood warning and alerts in place in the Harrogate district, compared with 11 last night. Areas near Boroughbridge seem to be experiencing the main threat now.

Flood warnings, which are more severe, remain active for:

Swinney Beck in Masham

River Ure at Roecliffe caravan park

River Ure at Milby Island

River Nidd at Hunsingore

Flood alerts are in place for:

Upper River Nidd catchment

Lower River Nidd catchment

Lower River Ure

Lower Dunsforth Access

12.39pm – Fountains Abbey affected by storm damage

Fountains Abbey has withstood some tumultuous times but Storm Christoph has left a scar.

1/2 The arrival of storm Christoph has caused some dramatic affects here this morning.
More frequently occurring extreme weather events are a direct result of climate change and are the single biggest threat to the precious landscapes cared for by the National Trust. pic.twitter.com/bHUGTeTBVj

— Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal, National Trust (@fountainsabbey) January 21, 2021

11.36am – Warnings over travel on A59 at Whixley

North Yorkshire County Council has issued a warning to drivers travelling between Harrogate and York.

It says the A59 at Whixley is only ‘passable with care’ thanks to water on the carriageway.

Other roads affected are Tockwith Road in Long Marston and Spofforth Lane in North Deighton.

A full list of road closures and affected routes can be found on NYCC’s website.

10.53am – List of roads affected by weather

North Yorkshire County Council has just published seven tweets listing which roads in the county have been affected by weather.

Many are not in the Harrogate district but the east of the district, around Cattal and Bishop Monkton, features prominently.

New Row, between Darley and Birstwith, is also on the list.

(1/7)A number of roads in #NorthYorkshire are effected by #flooding or #snow.

Closed
•C32 Fleet Moss
•Unclassified Askrigg East and West Moor
•Unclassified Redmire Moor
•Kirby Wiske, Maunby
•Dalton lane at Cod beck Blenders
•Cowlands Lane, Holme-on-Swale pic.twitter.com/vHPQjNmeYc

— North Yorkshire Council (@northyorksc) January 21, 2021

10.20am – Homes may flood in Masham

The government’s flood information service has updated at 10am to say homes may flood in Masham today.

“River levels have risen as a result of heavy rainfall associated with Storm Christoph.

“Consequently, flooding of property is possible. Areas most at risk are properties along Westholme Road.

“No further significant rainfall is expected today. We are closely monitoring the situation.

“Our incident response staff are closely monitoring the forecast.

“Please put your flood plan into action and activate any property flood protection products you may have.”

10.15am – Firefighters pump water from flooded Harrogate home

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue pumped flood water from a basement in Harrogate this morning.

The incident summary for the night details how the crew used a light portable pump at the property on Lancaster Road at 8.30am.

A crew also attended a property in Nun Monkton surrounded by floodwater and gave advice to the homeowner.

10am – More than 100 flood warnings and alerts

There are currently 65 flood warnings and 52 flooding alerts across North Yorkshire and the surrounding area.

North Yorkshire County Council has warned people to only travel if the journey is essential and to not drive through flooded roads.

The government’s flood alert system is currently a sea of orange and red warnings across the UK and North Yorkshire.

https://twitter.com/KnaresPolice/status/1352194198800371712

9am – Close call for Knaresborough caravan park

Residents living at the Nidderdale Lodge Park in Knaresborough had a close call with the river Nidd’s water levels last night.

This picture below shows just how high the water is this morning. The resident said the blue bench (pictured) was submerged last night but it has not reached the same levels as in 2015.

Photograph: Margaret Pearson

8am – River Nidd flowing fast in aftermath of Storm Christoph

Our reporter captured this video of a fast-flowing river Nidd near Killinghall this morning.

Storm Christoph now appears to have passed but many residents in the district will have to keep a close eye on the rivers near them.

How the river Nidd is looking today in the aftermath of Storm Christoph. Follow our live blog here: https://t.co/Fc0lNqw4cb pic.twitter.com/I5H7GCgXd6

— The Stray Ferret (@thestrayferret) January 21, 2021

7.30am – Boroughbridge river levels peak at 15 metres

The river Ure in Boroughbridge reached 15 metres over night and appears to be on the way down.

According to the Gauge Map, the river levels topped off at around 2am last night.

While still high, the river lowered to 14.8 metres at around 7am this morning.

On 21/01/21 at 01:15 the river level was 14.93mAOD and above its typical range. pic.twitter.com/KlSi0455I8

— Boroughbridge (@riverlevel_1874) January 21, 2021

7am – Harrogate district through worst of heavy rain

The Met Office no longer has any weather warnings in place for the Harrogate district after days of heavy rain.

Forecasters are predicting some showers to hit around midday but only for around a couple of hours.

Friday and the weekend is set to be largely dry, providing relief for rivers running at high levels.

6.40am – Several flood warnings in place

The government’s flood information service added more flood warnings to the Harrogate district last night.

Swinney Beck in Masham and the Bishop Monkton Beck are the latest to be added to the list of places expected to flood.

Warnings also remain in place for Knaresborough, Boroughbridge and Low Laithe.

Flood warnings are more sever than alerts and mean that “flooding is expected,” with “immediate action required.”

 

My year: Zero Carbon Harrogate on hope for the environment

One of the few positives taken from the coronavirus lockdowns has been a focus on the environment and a recognition of how our actions impact on climate change, writes Jemima Parker, chair of Zero Carbon Harrogate.

“Can you hear me? Am I on mute?” have been some of the most uttered words of 2020.

For me, however, it was a year when the climate adaptation message has come off “mute” and a more meaningful conversation began about how we move to become a thriving zero-carbon society.

Perhaps it’s because covid has reminded us all that humanity is still vulnerable to natural forces. If a tiny virus can take down a global society then global heating, leading to sea level rise, extreme weather and the collapse of ecosystems, has to be taken seriously.

If you have truly looked at the impact of climate change you will have felt that vulnerability. It is something I have grappled with for years but felt alone.

However, as we come to the start of a new year, I am more hopeful about the future. The pandemic has given us a painful insight into what it is like to live in an emergency, but it has also shown us how our local culture and economy can rapidly adjust to deal with a new reality.

A vision of Harrogate in a zero-carbon future. Credit – James McKay.

What brings me hope is the ingenuity and resilience that has been seen across the district. Pop-up neighbourhood support groups, repurposing of businesses, cafes, charities and Harrogate Borough Council’s services and financial support taken to a new level.

It is this creativity and determination that we will need to enable Yorkshire to transition effectively to a low carbon economy, ensuring no one is left behind. Earlier this year it gave me great pleasure to publish the Zero Carbon Harrogate vision and strategy document, Becoming a Net Zero Carbon District by 2030, which sets out what a flourishing Harrogate District could look like, if we do it right. We could see cleaner air, new jobs, lower energy bill and a resilient local economy.

To help make this happen I’ve been working, with others from Zero Carbon Harrogate, to support the Harrogate District Climate Change Coalition, bringing together businesses, community groups and the Council to form an independent body to coordinate this transition.

We were unprepared for the pandemic, which resulted in a response that has been a disorderly stop-start sprint, trying to understand the science, assess the risks and implement appropriate mitigation measures.

In contrast, decarbonising our district will be a marathon but the science is clear, the risks are clear and we know what action to take to mitigate them. Now I’m excited about how we take things forward here in Harrogate.

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Pateley Bridge farm wins national award for eco efforts

A farm near Pateley Bridge has won a national award as recognition for its environmental efforts over the last four years.

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) chose Humberstone Bank Farm as the rural and land winner for its social impact awards.

Jonathan Grayshon took on the tenancy of the farm from Yorkshire Water in 2016 and hoped to become a leading example of sustainable farming.

Since taking on the farm they have planted, with the help of volunteers, around 6,000 trees.

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It is a large farm with 904 hectares of protected moors, grazing land, traditional hay meadows, a wildlife and sediment pond as well as Belted Galloway cattle for conservation grazing.

The judges said of Humberstone Bank Farm’s work at the awards:

“At a time of huge change for the rural sector, we felt that Humberstone Bank Farm was a real exemplar as to what could be achieved on many levels.

“The collaboration between landlord and tenant in terms of land management to manage aspects such as flood risk in the environment, is an innovative approach.

“We believe Humberstone Bank thoroughly deserves to be a winner.”

Of the award win, Lisa Harrowsmith, lead surveyor at Yorkshire Water said:

“As one of the region’s largest landowners, our land strategy is to ‘deliver exceptional land for Yorkshire, forever’ and Beyond Nature plays a key role in that.

“The RICS award is a recognition that we are heading in the right direction to deliver on our ambition and make a lasting difference for future generations.”

Pinewoods tree protester vows to lobby council offices every week

A primary school teacher is to spend several hours every Friday dressed as a tree outside Harrogate Borough Council’s offices as a protest against plans to extend a bottling plant in the Pinewoods.

Sarah Gibbs, who lives in Knaresborough, does not want the council to approve Harrogate Spring Water’s expansion plans, which would include felling trees.

Ms Gibbs began her one-woman protest at the council from 8am to 3.30pm on Friday and intends to repeat it every Friday for the foreseeable future.

Being a lone protester in the cold winter months will be tough but Ms Gibbs is passionate about the cause.

Dressed as a tree outside the council building and moving to keep herself warm, she told the Stray Ferret:

“I was here last Friday, I am here today and I will be here every Friday to demonstrate the importance of this issue.

“I just felt that I had to do something else and make more of a stand so I have planted myself here.

“There are lots of different groups working on this so I am hopeful they will take that into account and reject the proposal.”

A council decision on whether to grant Danone permission to extend its water bottling plant has been delayed from December until the new year.

The delay is to allow further discussions between Danone and environmental groups about the company’s plans to compensate for the loss of trees and biodiversity.

It means Ms Gibbs could be protesting for many weeks to come.

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A spokesperson for Pinewoods Conservation Group told the Stray Ferret it hoped the extra time would result in a plan that is “acceptable to all parties”.

The spokesperson said:

“We welcome the pause on this planning application and the offer from Harrogate Spring Water for further discussion on this important topic.

“There was a clear condition on the original planning application that there must be replacement land and trees to compensate for the ecological loss to the area.”

A life of campaigning and activism

Not only does Ms Gibbs protest against Pinewood but she is also a fierce critic of the high speed train line, HS2.

If the project, which has a £44.6 billion budget for its first phase, goes ahead Sarah believes it would be an environmental disaster.

She feels so passionately she travels around the country and ties herself to trees to get her message across and put pressure on government.

“It might not be happening outside my doorstep but my local environment is connected to the rest of the UK and the world. I wanted to see the truth of HS2 for myself. There’s absolute devastation taking place.

“I think that HS2 will result in ecological collapse. Those animals will return to their habitats but they will no longer be there. It is just insanity, none of it really makes sense to me. Without the protesters there we fear what they will do.”

The government disputes Ms Gibbs’ claims and believes HS2 is critical for the UK’s low carbon transport future.

The high speed rail line will connect the likes of London, Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester and Edinburgh.

However, Ms Gibbs believes the economic and environmental cost of the project is too high.

Some projections put the full cost at £230 billion. The Wildlife Trusts found that it would risk the loss of 693 wildlife sites and 108 ancient woodlands.

A before and after picture of Rugby Road where Sarah protested against HS2.

Ms Gibbs’ experience of campaigning at Rugby Road (pictured above) near Leamington Spa at the end of August until the beginning of October had a major impact. She said:

“The space they are clearing is phenomenal. When you start looking into it you think ‘I can’t not do something’ even if it is just signing a petition online or going to a camp. Any small or big actions can make a difference.

“I have seen some real brutality against the protesters. People have had their fingers broken but it doesn’t deter me. If anything it makes me feel more determined and makes people want to fight against HS2 more.”

Harrogate council to stop selling plastic wreaths

Harrogate Borough Council has said it will not buy any more plastic wreaths for its horticultural nursery after complaints.

The nursery, which is in the heart of the Pinewoods, mainly stocks poinsettias over Christmas but also sells decorations.

Some decorations are made with plastic and glitter, which contravenes a council commitment to stop using single-use plastic.

Neil Hind, chair of Pinewoods Conservation Group, wrote to senior councillors and shared his concerns with the Stray Ferret:

“We were surprised to see a range of plastics/glitter decorations on sale.

“We find it difficult to see how these fit with the council’s aspirations on reducing single-use plastic and becoming more sustainability focused.

“We would not want to see stranded costs for the taxpayer but can we request that once these items are sold no other such items are purchased for resale?”

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Alison Wilson, head of parks and environmental services at the council, wrote back to Mr Hind:

“I can confirm we do have a small number of products on sale that are plastic in the form of wreaths.

“However, we would consider this as something to be purchased for use over a number years rather than a single-use product.

“They were provided by our supplier, however I can confirm we will not be looking to purchase any more.”

Ms Wilson added the nursery had recently sourced recyclable plant containers, which will be introduced soon.

Showcasing the beauty of Nidderdale through art

Many of us have come to appreciate nature more during lockdown, including Nidderdale landscape artist Sarah Garforth.

In normal times, Nidderdale’s rivers, reservoirs and footpaths are Sarah’s muse — but the last year has given her breathing space to look at where she lives in a new way.

She said:

“Even though I’m very much about the countryside and nature I’ve noticed more things this year. I’ve taken the time to look at things properly, and we all feel we’ve had that time this year.”

Sarah works from Ramsgill Studio in Upper Nidderdale, which she bought nine years ago as a derelict barn to convert into a contemporary space to showcase her work and that of fellow artists.

She said she is fortunate to be able to call Nidderdale her home and to be able to use creativity as a tool to get through this strange year.

She said:

“That was a conversation that often came up amongst my friends. Also, how lucky we are to have a creative mind. A lot of people found the solitude as something really hard for them to cope with.

“Being creative people, we’re also quite happy setting ourselves a project and cracking on with it. We get a lot of pleasure making things and producing things.”

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Nidd Gorge by Sarah Garforth

Sarah has had lots of commissions during lockdown. She said more people were coming to Nidderdale to take inspiration for art, to explore or simply relax.

She said:

“Up here it really is all about nature and the countryside. It’s encouraging that people are tapping into that a little bit more and starting to notice what’s free and around us all the time.”

An exhibition based on Nidd Gorge will take place from December 12 until spring at Chantry House Gallery in Ripley. It is also being held online for people who cannot attend due to lockdown.

The exhibition includes art from Sarah as well as Hanna Kerwin, Mark Sofilas, John Thornton and William Watson.

Sarah added:

“It’s a cracking topic. It’s to showcase the beauty of it and how picturesque the woodland and the gorge itself are.”

 

‘Leaving a legacy’: why people bought shares in Long Lands Common

“Leaving a legacy” and ensuring “safe areas for wildlife” were some of the driving forces that have encouraged people to buy shares in the district’s first community woodland.

Today, the Long Lands Common Ltd announced thousands of local people’s dreams had become a reality as it raised the funds to buy 30 acres of land in Harrogate and Knaresborough.

The project’s aim was provide an area for the whole community to enjoy and create a wildlife haven.

But for many shareholders it gave them the opportunity to pass something on to future generations and ensure there was always some green space for them to enjoy.

“The shares are for them”

Dave Hamilton, Harrogate, said:

“I have four grandchildren and I wanted them to grow up with the hope of green space. I wanted to improve their awareness of the natural world around them. The shares are for them.”

Tracey Davison-Franks, Harrogate, said:

“I wanted to know what legacy I could give to my grandson and this felt just right. The value of the great outdoors is something we have lost a little with technology but we can make memories with him here. We wanted something we could pass down. This was our opportunity to do something meaningful and benefit those future generations.”

Long Lands Common

James McKay, an artist from Knaresborough drew what proposed plans for the 30 acres could look like.

For others it was their determination to protect natural habitats that encouraged them to buy shares.

“I think it’s worth saving”

Ben Thompson, Harrogate, said:

“For me it was my love of nature and natural history and the need to preserve the natural world. Things like this will help make the proposed road difficult, we are preserving what we’ve got for future generations. I think it’s worth saving.”

Gillie McAvoy, Harrogate, said:

“We are huge wildlife lovers in our house, we have lived along the Nidd Gorge for 30 years. It was really important for us to provide those safe areas wildlife especially with all the development going on.”

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After four months of community share sales the target has been reached. Thanks to a huge response from people in the district and beyond the local community has a space to call their own.

“Given the community a reason to smile”

Faye Harris-Frost, Harrogate, said:

“Having so much natural beauty on our doorstep is something that we are extremely thankful for. The idea that some of these areas may not still be around when our children are fully grown is incredibly sad and so we were keen to sign up.

At a time when many people feel disillusioned and let down by the powers that be, the scheme has not only given the community a reason to smile and hope for the future but has shown what we can all achieve when we work together to drive change.”