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.

A1(M) junction 47 upgrade at Flaxby completed

Long-term work to upgrade junction 47 on the A1(M) at Flaxby has now been completed.

The project, to improve infrastructure before more houses are built in Knaresborough and Green Hammerton, is at least £2.3 million over budget and took seven months longer to complete than planned.

The original budget was £7 million. This had increased to £10 million by September and the final cost has yet to be revealed.

The A59 corridor has been identified in the Harrogate district Local Plan 2014-35, which outlines where development can take place, as an area of rapid increase in residential and business growth.

Work on the junction began in September 2020 and this week became fully operational. The traffic lights have been switched on for the first time and all lanes are now open.

Three of the four slip roads, on and off the roundabout, have been widened to increase capacity.

Traffic signals are now in place on the roundabout to manage traffic flow and a T-junction has been added between the A168 and A59 to help drivers on the York side turning onto the A59.

A lane has been added to the west of junction 47 between the A1 and Flaxby roundabout so there will be two lanes in each direction between those two roundabouts.

Rapid growth

Barrie Mason, North Yorkshire County Council’s assistant director for highways and transportation, said the rapid growth in the area meant the works were essential.

He said:

“This important scheme has the aim of supporting the future growth and prosperity of Harrogate and Knaresborough. We anticipate significant residential and commercial development along the A59 corridor, resulting in many more people using this key link road.”

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The council attributed the delays to the discovery of great crested newts, which must be legally relocated, covid and poor ground conditions.

Mr Mason added the traffic lights will need to be monitored to ensure the timings are right and reduce queueing. He has asked motorists to be patients whilst the final adjustments are made.

The project has been supported by £2.47m from the government’s Local Growth Fund, secured by York & North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership, along with contributions from the county council, National Highways and developer Forward Investment LLP.

David Dickson, chair of the York & North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership infrastructure and joint assets board, said:

“This project is a real boost for the York and North Yorkshire economy. By improving east-west connectivity, the much improved junction unlocks the opportunity for further economic growth across the region.”

Plans for 350 ‘eco lodges’ and hotel in Flaxby refused

Harrogate Borough Council has refused a bid to build a luxury eco-resort with 350 lodges on the former Flaxby golf course.

The plans included a hotel, outdoor swimming pool, spa and sports area as well as a pub/cafe, farm shop, gift shop and activity hub.

The developer Flaxby Park Ltd had previously said the resort would attract “the most discerning visitors” and would have a focus on sustainability to allow families to “reconnect with nature”.

But council planning officer Kate Broadbank said the development would have a negative impact on the district’s natural environment as well as harming views from the nearby Temple of Victory, which is Grade II* listed.

The golf course, off the A59 and A1(M), closed in 2014 and has been derelict ever since.

Ms Broadbank wrote:

“The scale and layout are considered to have an unacceptable adverse impact upon the district’s natural and historic environment.

“In addition, the application site is not considered to be accessible to local services nor is it demonstrated that an acceptable connection to public utilities can be achieved.”

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The application generated 31 objections, including one from Knaresborough Town Council which feared the hotel would never be built and the site would be re-marketed as a residential development.

An aerial computer generated image of the proposal. The A1 (M) is to the east and the A59 is to the south.

The council added:

“The applicants seem to have no experience of running a holiday park, have no proven business case and have not considered the constant traffic noise from the adjacent motorway.”

The Stray Ferret has approached Flaxby Park Ltd for a response but we had not received one by the time of publication.

History of the site

In 2008 The Skelwith Group bought the site from farming family the Armstrongs for £7m. It published plans for a 300-bedroom five-star hotel on the site that it touted as the future “jewel in Yorkshire’s tourism crown”.

But in 2016 the company went out of business after these plans never materialised.

Flaxby Park Ltd is a company made up of businesswoman Ann Gloag and regeneration specialists Chris Musgrave and Trevor Cartner.

It bought the 260-acre golf course site from administrators in 2016.

Its original proposal for the site was to build 2,750 homes and a rail link at Goldsborough. But these plans ended after the council chose the Green Hammerton area as the site for a new settlement in the district.

In October 2020, the developer challenged the council’s decision in the High Court but was unable to overturn it.

Flaxby parish council calls for government to reject eco-homes

Parish councillors in Flaxby have called on the government to refuse a proposal for a nine-home eco-development in the village.

Holmes Planning Ltd has appealed a decision by Harrogate Borough Council to refuse the development off York Road.

It would have seen houses built to environmental standards and include solar panels, air-source heat pumps and super-tight insulation. The houses were planned to be custom built.

Following refusal by the authority, the developer took the decision to the government’s Planning Inspectorate.

However, in a letter to the government, Goldsborough and Flaxby Parish Council said the previous reasons for refusal still stand.

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It added that a lack of custom build homes in the district was “simply not enough of a justification to permit the building of nine individual self-build houses on the land in question”.

The letter said:

“We are parish councillors, ordinary people with neither the skills nor the knowledge to quote such housing policies inside out, simply representing the residents of Flaxby, whose homes and lives would be detrimentally affected should this planning appeal be approved.”

But, in documents submitted for the challenge, the developer argued that there were not enough custom build developments in the district.

It said:

“The appellant submits that the custom self-build deficit is so severe, and likely to get worse, that this material consideration outweighs any departure from the Harrogate District Local Plan and that the appeal site is suitable for custom self-build and the appeal, if allowed, would be secured for custom self-build through the Unilateral Undertaking.”

A government planning inspector will make a decision on the plan at a later date.

Developer appeals decision to reject Harrogate district eco-homes

A developer has appealed a decision to refuse plans for nine new eco-homes near Flaxby.

Holmes Planning Ltd submitted a planning application to Harrogate Borough Council for the development in October 2021.

It would have seen houses built to environmental standards and include solar panels, air-source heat pumps and super-tight insulation.

It also included self-build and custom homes on the site at York Road in Flaxby.

The council rejected the plan on the grounds that it was outside the development boundary, the affect on the character of the area and because the number of homes was below the council’s requirement per hectare.

However, the developer has appealed the decision to the government.

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In documents submitted for the challenge, the developer argued that there was not enough custom build developments in the district.

It said:

“The appellant submits that the custom self-build deficit is so severe, and likely to get worse, that this material consideration outweighs any departure from the Harrogate District Local Plan and that the appeal site is suitable for custom self-build and the appeal, if allowed, would be secured for custom self-build through the Unilateral Undertaking.”

A government planning inspector will make a decision on the plan at a later date.

Harrogate district unemployment continues to fall

The number of people receiving out-of-work benefits in the Harrogate district has fallen again.

Latest monthly figures by the Office for National Statistics show 2,080 people were claiming the benefits on February 10, falling by 55 from January’s figure of 2,135.

The figure, however, remains considerably above pre-pandemic levels. In January 2020, 1,410 people claimed the benefits, which includes Universal Credit.

Universal Credit can also be claimed by people who are in work but on low incomes.

Across the UK, 4.3% of all adults are claiming the benefits. In the Harrogate district, it is 2.3%.

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In a boost for jobs in the district, a 600,000 square feet business park approved was approved last week by Harrogate Borough Council.

The business park will be called ‘Harrogate 47’ because it will be built at Flaxby close to junction 47 of the A1 (M). The developer Opus North believes it could support 2,000 jobs.

It is allocated as the main strategic employment site in the council’s Harrogate district Local Plan 2014-35, which identifies where development can take place.

‘Do you need to wait until somebody is killed by a speeding car?’

A parish council near Knaresborough has written to 32 North Yorkshire county councillors urging them to make 20mph the default speed limit in their area.

Goldsborough and Flaxby Parish Council said in the email action should be taken now to reduce the current 30mph limit before somebody is killed.

The council wrote the letter in support of the 20s Plenty campaign, which is a national initiative to make a 20mph speed limit normal on residential streets and in town and village centres.

The email says drivers “put their foot down” in Goldsborough even though it has a primary school. It adds that only about 15% of all the roads have pavements on both sides, forcing them to walk on the highways,

Goldsborough

The red arrow shows the playground entrance in Goldsborough.

It adds:

“There is a high proportion of elderly residents in Goldsborough, many of whom may have hearing issues and reduced sight, and are physically less able to move out of the way quickly.

“There are not many street lights in the village and, as such, at dusk or in the dark, it is not easy for drivers to see people walking in or crossing the roads.”

Flaxby speed signs ‘in wrong place’

The email says the current 30mph signs in Flaxby “are completely in the wrong place, and drivers have already entered the village before they see the speed signs and even think about slowing down”.

It adds a speed survey in 2018 revealed 17.5% of motorists travelled over the 30mph speed limit. The correspondence also raises concerns about the lack of street lighting and the number of HGVs driving through the village to visit the weigh-station at Gill’s Farm, just past Coneythorpe.

Flaxby

HGVs often go along Shortsill Lane in Flaxby, which has no pavements.

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The email says:

“Do you really need to wait until somebody is killed by a car speeding through a North Yorkshire village before you begin to tackle this important issue?”

North Yorkshire County Council is the highways authority for the county. The parish council wrote to 32 county councillors that sit on boards, panels and committees that could influence speeding decisions.

Caroline Greenhalgh, vice chairman of the parish council, told the Stray Ferret it had received just two responses from councillors so far, saying the matter was being considered.

 

 

Business park near Flaxby that could support 2,000 jobs approved

Ilkley-based property developer Opus North and Bridges Fund Management have been granted planning permission from Harrogate Borough Council to build a 600,000 square feet business park near Flaxby.

The business park will be called ‘Harrogate 47’ as it will be built close to junction 47 of the A1 (M). The developer believes it could support 2,000 jobs.

It’s allocated as the main strategic employment site in the council’s Harrogate district Local Plan and already has existing planning permission for more than half a million square feet of employment space.

The new plans include up to 130,000 sq ft of office accommodation, about 75,000 sq ft of tech starter units and approximately 430,000 sq ft for logistics and warehouses.

Ryan Unsworth, development director of Opus North, said:

“This development is key for the Harrogate and wider North Yorkshire economy due to its capacity to transform vacant land into office and industrial space for local, regional and national occupiers, and the vast job-creating potential it has.

“The delivery of Harrogate 47 will allow local companies to expand and grow within the region in addition to attracting inward investment into the district and we are delighted that its potential has been recognised through the positive planning outcome.”

Electric vehicle show comes to Harrogate

A global event that promotes clean energy and electric vehicles will come to Harrogate’s Yorkshire Event Centre in May 2023.

The event is called Fully Charged, the World’s no.1 Electric Vehicle and Clean Energy Show, and is expected to attract 10,000 visitors from May 19 to May 21.

The event will be hosted by Red Dwarf actor and YouTuber Robert Llewellyn.

There will be 120 exhibitors and visitors will be able to test drive some of the latest electric vehicles on sale in the UK.

Dan Caesar, joint chief executive of Fully Charged Live, said:

“Fully Charged Live has been a huge global success, and we are delighted to be bringing the show to the north of England at last. Harrogate is a great location, and the Yorkshire Event Centre, with its indoor and outdoor space, and its sustainability credentials, is a natural partner.”

(L to R) presenter Robert Llewellyn, Richard Moorhouse operations manager at the YEC, Dan Caesar, joint CEO of Fully Charged Live and Ben Chatburn sales manager at the YEC.

Grants of up to £100,000 available for Yorkshire social enterprises

The Social Enterprise Support Fund is now open for the second round of funding and will provide grants of between £10,000 and £100,000 for social enterprises that have been impacted by covid.

This follows the first round of applications in December that saw over 800 applications from enterprises across England, requesting grants worth over £37m.

The fund is available to social enterprises if most of their beneficiaries are in England, and their annual income has been between £20,000 and £1.8m in either of the last two financial years.

Sheffield-based Key Fund supports social enterprises across Yorkshire. Its chief executive, Matt Smith, said:

“The UK’s social enterprises have been at the heart of community survival and recovery during the pandemic. In a post-covid world, where the inequalities within society are even starker, the work of these organisations will be needed more than ever.

“This grant funding has already proven to be a lifeline to many social enterprises and the communities they work in, and so we welcome this second round of financial support.”

Matt Smith, CEO of Key Fund

Road closure warning as delayed A1 (M) junction 47 works come to end

A multi-million pound project to upgrade junction 47 on the A1(M) at Flaxby will be completed by the end of this month.

Work began at the start of September 2020 to widen slip roads and install traffic lights to prevent vehicles queueing.

The project, carried out by contractors Farrans Construction on behalf of North Yorkshire County Council, also involves upgrading the road network just off the junction.

Work was originally due to be completed in September 2021 but has encountered several delays. The council blamed ‘unforeseen ground conditions’ and the discovery of great crested newts for setting the project back.

Final repair works on the A168 bridge and verges along with resurfacing of the A59 will run from March 14 to 26 under overnight weekday closures.

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Once the traffic signals are installed there will be a period where the signal timings are adjusted by engineers to the optimum settings for traffic flow conditions. This may result in some extra delays during March and April.

Conservative councillor Andy Paraskos, member for the Ainsty division, added:

“The upcoming works will involve repairs, resurfacing as well as the installation of road markings and traffic loops. For the safety of our workforce this must be carried out under a full road closure and we apologise in advance for any inconvenience this essential work may cause.

Conservative county councillor Don Mackenzie, executive member for access, said:

“The finish line is in sight for this important scheme which will support the future growth of the Harrogate and Knaresborough areas.

“The scheme promises to reduce congestion and improve road safety at this major junction. It is a great example of how we are delivering on our aim to improve east-west connections across North Yorkshire.”

Rising costs

The council initially earmarked £7.7m for the project, but it said last year it now expected it to cost over £10m.

The project is being funded by the council, with £2.47m from the government’s Local Growth Fund along with contributions from Highways England and developer Forward Investment LLP.

The Stray Ferret has asked the council for the current cost of the project but did not receive a response by the time of publication.

Flaxby modular housing developer posts £41m loss

Flaxby-based modular housing developer Ilke Homes has posted a loss of £41m in its latest annual report.

The company, which has 500 employees, builds homes at its factory on Flaxby Moor Industrial Estate near Knaresborough that are then delivered across the UK.

In the year to 31 March 2021, the company sold 199 homes, up by a third from the previous year.

The report says the company was “significantly impacted” by covid. It adds a restructuring and redundancy programme in summer 2020 led to the departure of 122 employees.

But it adds that the long-term future of the company is healthy and it aims to become a top 10 house builder within the next five years.

It adds:

“In spite of these significant interruptions to business operations and to the wider economic environment, the company continued to make meaningful process, with additional designs and approvals, factory automation and production process improvement leading to capacity growth, sales pipeline development and strengthening the senior management team.”

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Since the company was founded in 2018 it has yet to turn a profit, and has reported combined losses of over £100m.

Homes England, the government’s housing agency, has invested £60m into the company since 2019.

The Stray Ferret asked Ilke Homes for comment but did not receive one by the time of publication.