The long-running saga over where to build a 3,000-home settlement in the Harrogate district appears to be over, with Green Hammerton selected ahead of Flaxby.
Harrogate Borough Council last night voted to adopt its Local Plan, the planning blueprint for the district, which includes Green Hammerton as the site of the new settlement.
It was the second time the council voted on the matter, after a High Court judge last month ordered it to do so again.
Just like last time, the full council voted in favour of Green Hammerton, this time by a near-unanimous decision.
This appears to have ended any hopes of building at Flaxby, near the A1.
Nick Brown, Conservative councillor for Bishop Monkton and Newby, was the only person to vote against the recommendation.
Cllr Brown said he felt Flaxby was a more sustainable option and he would therefore vote against the Local Plan. He said:
“Flaxby is the best site still, and I feel saddened for the thousands of residents in Green Hammerton who will be so badly and necessarily affected by the new town site.”
Norman Waller, Conservative councillor for Marston Moor, abstained.
Mr Justice Holgate ordered the re-vote after a three-day judicial review between the council and Flaxby Park Ltd, which planned to build on the former Flaxby golf course.
The judge ruled in the council’s favour by saying the decision to select Green Hammerton did not have to be made again.
But he said the council had to vote again to adopt its Local Plan after considering a report known as a strategic environmental assessment, which was not put before the full council when the plan was first adopted in March 2020.
The judge said this “legal flaw” invalidated the adoption of the Local Plan.
Before the vote, cabinet member for planning councillor Tim Myatt conceded that Flaxby Park Ltd “landed a punch” on the issue of the strategic environmental assessment, but he added it was a “procedural error” that could be rectified.
He said he hoped councillors “share my regret” that they were being asked to vote on the Local Plan again, after less than a year.
He added:
“The reason we are here is simple. A site developer was unsuccessful with a proposal for a new settlement in the district.
“When the planning inspector didn’t provide the result they wanted, they went to a judicial review to try and quash the new settlement policies within the plan. If that had happened our Local Plan would have fallen in total.
“The Local Plan process was a long and complicated one. Many controversial decisions about where homes would be built had to be made. There were few easy decisions.
“Across the district, we’ve seen the impact of not having a plan can have, but that does not mean getting an agreement on a plan is or was easy.”
Now councillors are satisfied the report would not have affected their decision to choose Green Hammerton over Flaxby, it should finally put to bed the question of where the new settlement will be built.
A public consultation on options for the Green Hammerton / Cattal settlement will run until January 22.
Speed sign to be installed outside Western Primary School
A speed sign is to be installed outside Western Primary School in Harrogate as part of the school’s long-running campaign to improve road safety.
Western is one of the largest primary schools in the Harrogate district, with 500 pupils.
It is also situated on one of the busiest streets — Cold Bath Road.
Tim Broad, headteacher of Western Primary School, has spoken of his fears a child could be killed crossing the road.
He and teachers have lobbied North Yorkshire County Council for action.
The campaign finally bore fruit when John Mann, who represents Harrogate central on North Yorkshire County Council, agreed to fund a vehicle-activated sign from his locality budget.
Each county councillor receives a locality budget of £5,000 per year to spend on local needs, and councillor Mann’s allocation covered the £3,200-plus VAT cost of the sign.
Mr Broad said the school was “very grateful” to councillor Mann. He added:
“This will make a significant difference to the safety of our pupils and it is a relief to know that somebody is listening to our concerns and taking some positive action.
“However, there is much more that needs to be done and I am hoping we can work with North Yorkshire County Council and Harrogate Borough Council to make the whole of Cold Bath Road a safer and healthier environment for everyone who uses it.”
The sign, which has a five-year warranty and a life expectancy of 10 years, will be fixed to the street lamp immediately outside the school.
A radar in the sign detects vehicles travelling above the 20mph speed limit from at least 50 metres away and this triggers a ‘slow down’ message.
The sign will be spun round every few weeks to face traffic from the opposite direction.
No action taken against Harrogate district venues in tier checksThe police and council have taken no formal action against any of the 100 or so pubs and restaurants they visited over the weekend to check they were complying with tier two restrictions.
However, Harrogate Borough Council has said it will continue to follow-up any complaints about non-compliance.
Council staff accompanied officers from North Yorkshire Police on spot checks at venues on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, amid fears some might not be enforcing restrictions.
A spokesman for the council said today:
“Most businesses understood the new rules. We have given those who haven’t further information to ensure customers have a safe and enjoyable visit.
“We also want to ensure all businesses are operating on a level playing field and no-one is gaining an unfair advantage by breaking the current rules.
“We are pleased to say all businesses have been very willing to make any necessary adjustments.”
The Harrogate district recorded a further 21 coronavirus cases today, taking the total number up to 3,725.
Harrogate District Hospital has not recorded any further coronavirus deaths. The total remains at 104.
The seven-day infection rate for the district is now 93 cases per 100,000 people. This is for the seven days to December 4.
£85,000 project to create a masterplan for Ripon’s futureConsultants are to be paid £85,000 to devise an “inspiring and innovative” vision for regenerating Ripon.
Harrogate Borough Council has advertised a 12-month contract to draw up a masterplan for the city.
The scheme, called the Ripon Renewal Project, will provide a framework for future development that also considers current initiatives, such as the regeneration of the former Ripon barracks.
Applicants have until December 22 to apply. Work is due to start on January 10 and last all of next year.
Whoever is appointed will be tasked with setting out “clear and robust” delivery timescales, funding options and a business case for the council to use to bid for money for projects.
The contract brief says:
“The aim of this project is to maximise the opportunities within Ripon which will regenerate the city and boost the local economy.”
A computer generated image of the proposed redevelopment of Ripon barracks.
The brief says the council will use its own funds as well as funding from York and North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership and North Yorkshire County Council for the initiative.
Ripon has a population of about 16,000 people.
Plans for the 1,300-home re-development of the former Ripon barracks were submitted in September.
The development is a joint project between public bodies Homes England and the Defence Infrastructure Organisation, which is part of the Ministry of Defence.
The planned homes will include a significant number of two and three-bedroom mid-range houses plus apartments.
The project also includes a community centre, employment space, shops, parkland, a new primary school and sports facilities.
Residents have raised concerns about issues such as transport and health.
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.
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.”
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:
Harrogate council creates temporary homeless shelters“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 Borough Council has placed temporary homeless units in a car park to give people a place to stay as the temperatures drop.
The four container units will be in Tower Street Car Park in Harrogate for the next three months. While the shelters are in place the car park will remain closed off.
Each of the units is connected to power and comes with a portable toilet unit outside.
Councils need to provide accommodation under the Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP).
SWEP is normally triggered when the forecast hits zero degrees. Other extreme weathers like high winds, heavy rain and heatwaves can also trigger the protocol.
New government guidance this year warns of the dangers of coronavirus in night shelters. It also asks local authorities to consider “self-contained accommodation options”.
A council spokesman told the Stray Ferret:
“Emergency accommodation, which we are legally obliged to provide, has been installed in Tower Street Car Park in Harrogate.
“This accommodation is for when the weather conditions worsen and a homeless person may need a roof over their head. The units will be in place for three months.”
Local authorities were encouraged to house rough sleepers temporarily under the “Everyone In” initiative during the first lockdown.
The borough council housed people in hostels in the town, as well as in Leeds.
According to council figures, 29 rough sleepers in the district were taken off the streets, of which 10 are still being supported by the authority.
Police questioned Harrogate diners on the first day after lockdown yesterday to ensure they were complying with tier two restrictions.
North Yorkshire Police, working alongside staff at Harrogate Borough Council, approached customers in pubs and restaurants.
The Stray Ferret is aware of at least three restaurants in Harrogate that were the subject of inspections.
William and Victoria restaurant on Cold Bath Road was among those to receive visits.
David Straker, the owner, told the Stray Ferret he welcomed the patrols:
“I think that they have got to do it and be seen to be doing it.
“I know there are some places locally who say they are going to bend the rules.
“This has been a tough year for everyone. If some places bend the rules then it is not a level playing field.”
The Fat Badger was also visited, and the Stray Ferret is aware of one other that did not wish to be identified.
https://twitter.com/simoncotton69/status/1334213225525678081
Superintendent Mike Walker, the coronavirus lead for North Yorkshire Police, has warned police will step up patrols and use number place recognition cameras to track people coming into the Harrogate district from tier three places, such as Leeds and Bradford.
He also said the police would work with local businesses to ensure they understand the regulations:
“There will be a visible police presence in our day and nighttime economy areas.
“It is our job to engage with the public and sometimes find out the purpose of their journey — especially if we see groups coming into the area.
“We will also work with local businesses to ensure that they understand the tier two regulations and make sure they are operating in a safe way.”
The Stray Ferret approached both North Yorkshire Police and Harrogate Borough Council for comment but did not receive a reply by the time of publication.
Harrogate Borough Council did, however, tweet that officers were in the district last night and will be out tonight and again tomorrow.
Harrogate district charities receive £200,000 boostLast night, tonight and tomorrow night we will be out and about in the #Harrogate district offering advice and guidance to businesses to ensure customers have a safe and enjoyable visit. pic.twitter.com/B7tTwWaYuF
— Harrogate Borough Council (@Harrogatebc) December 3, 2020
Local charities received a £200,000 boost last night from Harrogate Borough Council.
The council agreed to make a one-off payment for the sum to the Local Fund for the Harrogate District, which was set up in 2018 to encourage long-term, sustainable income for voluntary organisations.
The council currently allocates £30,000 a year to the fund, which it set up in collaboration with Harrogate and District Community Action and Two Ridings Community Foundation.
But at last night’s cabinet meeting, the council agreed to give a one-off lump sum of £200,000, which will be placed into an endowment.
This will replace its £30,000 annual contribution.
Interest from the endowment, along with private donations and contributions from the Local Lotto and dormant trust funds, will be awarded to charities.
The Local Fund’s latest funding round allowed not-for-profit organisations to apply for grants of up to £5,000.
The council’s £200,000 will be used to attract match funding, with council leader Richard Cooper suggesting this could potentially double its value.
In 2018/19, the Local Fund distributed £70,000 to 23 different projects.
At last night’s meeting, council leader Richard Cooper called the fund a “brilliant initiative”.
He said:
Harrogate council to stop selling plastic wreaths“This is an opportunity to establish a permanent fund for good causes in the Harrogate district.
“We expect to double our money from match funding, so our investment could potentially grow to be £400,000.”
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?”
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.
Visit Harrogate website contract awarded without tenderHarrogate Borough Council has awarded a contract without competitive tender to a company from Ipswich to rebuild its tourism website.
The council approved the move on Thursday, saying covid had created an “economic crisis” that necessitated bypassing its usual procurement rules.
The meeting was not open to the public but a report prepared in advance for councillors recommended hiring the Jacob Bailey Group for four years to redevelop the Visit Harrogate site.
The report said it would take six months to undertake a “full procurement process” and the site needed to be ready in time for the 2021 tourist season. It adds:
“The exceptional circumstances that justify this are due to covid creating an economic crisis within the visitor economy.”
The document says there were just two main companies providing services in this field and “market research” had identified the Jacob Bailey Group.
Recently the authority was criticised by a local businessman for awarding a contract to project manage its investment in leisure services to a firm in Somerset – again without going through a tendering process.
HBC said the current Visit Harrogate site, which the council acquired in 2020, had suffered from “historic underinvestment” and “visually no longer meets the user requirements or expectations”.
According to the report, the site receives over 800,000 hits a year. It adds:
“The 2021 tourism season is going to be vital for the visitor economy and its success will decide the fate of local businesses, to ensure the best possible outcome an optimal online presence for the visitor experience must be operational.”
The Stray Ferret asked the council the value of the contract, why it had not dealt with the matter sooner, what market research had led it to select the Jacob Bailey Group and whether it felt any local firms were capable of providing the service.
A council spokesman replied with the following statement:
“In March 2021 the contract with the current supplier of the Visit Harrogate website will expire.
“On November 26, the cabinet member approved the appointment of Jacob Bailey Group to provide a new destination marketing website incorporating a destination management system.
“This is vitally important in order to support the recovery of the Harrogate district’s visitor economy.
“This is an exciting development, building on the success of the existing Visit Harrogate site and will ensure our district continues to attract visitors at a time when the sector needs support the most.”