Another of Ripon’s eyesores is going to be tidied up.
The site of the former Express petrol station and convenience store on Skellbank, has been left derelict for years.
It is in a largely residential area of the city, diagonally across the road from Hugh Ripley Hall, named in honour of Ripon’s first mayor.
Now, following intervention from Councillor Mike Chambers, the fenced off and overgrown area will be smartened up.
Harrogate Borough Council’s cabinet member for homes and safer communities, told the Stray Ferret:
“The owner has been instructed to tidy the site, cut back vegetation etc to ensure it is left in an acceptable manner prior to any further development.”
He added:
“It has been in its current state for a number of years.”
Cllr Chambers, who is a parish, district and county councillor has worked with HBC planning enforcement officers, to bring about the tidy up demand.
The former Ripon Library site at Skellgarths has been tidied up and hoarded off
Last year, he was successful in getting hoardings erected on the former Ripon Library site on Skellgarths.
That area was left derelict for more than five years, after the developer who planned an in-fill residential development there went bust.
The clean-up of the former petrol station will mark a tidy ‘hat-trick’ for Cllr Chambers, who has also liaised with HBC over plans to level and ‘green’ a site in Allhallowgate.
The city centre site has been hoarded off for a couple of years, after a proposed social housing development for HBC had to be abandoned because a sinkhole opened up on the land.
Read more:
As Ripon looks forward to emerging from the covid lockdown city leaders want to see it back in business, and attracting visitors and tourists.
With both the former library site at Skellgarths and the petrol station at Skellbank on a key tourist route in and out of Ripon, city councillors have welcomed the tidy-up proposals.
In its bid to attract more visitors to boost post-pandemic trade, the council is planning to put seasonal lighting in the trees on the five Ripon bypass roundabouts.
This proposal is subject to approval from the highways department of North Yorkshire County Council and follows a extension of the city’s Christmas decorations.
An additional £65,000 was spent last year and money has been set aside for further improvements this year.
Derelict land in Ripon blocked off amid safety concernsWork is underway to block off derelict land on a former building site in Ripon that has been identified as a safety hazard to children and an eyesore.
Harrogate Borough Council is installing hoardings at a cost of £5,000 on the land at Skellgarths.
The land, at the junction with Duck Hill, formerly housed Ripon’s first purpose-built public library, which was demolished in 2014 after the site was bought for housing redevelopment.
Ripon city councillor Councillor Mike Chambers, who is also a district and county councillor, told last week’s virtual city council meeting the developer was declared bankrupt in January 2019 and the land now belonged to the Crown.
He added:
“However, following lengthy discussions I have had with the Harrogate Borough Council enforcement team about tidying up the site, it has been agreed that hoardings with a gated access will be put in place to cover off the area.”
Because the developer is bankrupt, there is no means of recouping the cost of blocking the area from view and it was agreed Ripon City Council will make a £1,250 donation towards the works.
The derelict site is on the route to Fountains Abbey, Newby Hall and Ripon city centre
Read more:
Council leader Andrew Williams said:
“We should make the payment on the proviso that when the land is eventually sold by the Crown, we and Harrogate Borough Council will be reimbursed.
“In the meantime, the area has to be tidied up and made safe. My concern is that there are footings on the site that are full of water and we wouldn’t want children to get in there and come to any harm.”
A suggestion made by Cllr Williams at the city council’s October meeting that the hoardings include artwork produced by a local group, was reiterated by Councillor Stuart Martin.
Cllr Martin, said:
“The artwork could include images that promote the city’s history and heritage attractions.”
Not all members were in favour of making a donation towards the cost of the project.
Councillor Pauline McHardy, said:
“I’m not opposed to the hoardings, but don’t see why we should be asked to pay £1,250 out of precept money. People in Ripon should not be facing double taxes.
“Harrogate Borough Council receives plenty of council tax from our residents and should pay for the work from this,”