Sawley Arms submits cafe and shop extension plan

A pub near Ripon has submitted plans to extend in order to create a cafe and village shop.

The Sawley Arms, which has eight bedrooms and is popular with diners, has applied to Harrogate Borough Council for the extension.

It would see a ground floor and first floor extension built at the pub on Lowgate Lane.

In documents submitted to the council by Leeds-based NJ-Architects on behalf of the pub, it said the extension would also provide more jobs for the local area.

It said:

“The proposed extensions incorporate our client’s criteria regarding the provision of additional local employment, providing a village shop, a café to serve the many visitors and locals, and environmental awareness whilst re-evaluating the local vernacular.

“We believe the design results in a extension that respects the character of the site, the village, the AONB and also achieves a contemporary, comfortable and understated destination.”

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The authority will make a decision on the extension plans at a later date.

The move comes as the pub was recently granted an extension to its licensing hours.

In October, Steve Manton, owner of the Sawley Arms, applied for an extension until 1am, seven days a week.

But Harrogate Borough Council’s licensing committee decided on Friday that alcohol could only be served until midnight.

Harrogate council spends £2.2m on new tourism body in first year

Harrogate Borough Council spent £2,224,000 on Destination Harrogate in its first year operating — almost a million pounds more than budgeted, figures reveal.

The council’s draft statement of accounts, which will be discussed at a meeting this evening, lists income and expenditure for the year ending March 31, 2022.

Destination Harrogate was officially launched as the council’s destination management organisation last year.

It has four streams aimed at promoting tourism, hosting events, bringing in investment and supporting culture and was launched amid concerns the authority had a “fragmented” approach to tourism and marketing.

Its campaigns have focused on promoting the district as a health and wellbeing destination to capitalise on Harrogate’s spa town heritage.

Campaigns in 2021 included ‘Destination Christmas’, which saw a giant helter skelter installed in the town. In summer 2022, the organisation helped organise a four-day celebration on the Stray for the Queen’s platinum jubilee.

Destination Harrogate’s website also provides details about how businesses can invest in the district, including at the new Harrogate West Business Park on Burley Bank Road.

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The report found the organisation generated £342,000 in income during 2021/22 and there was an overall net spend of £1,942,000.

However, it says the authority spent an additional £946,000 more than budgeted.

As reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service last week, the council paid out £220,000 in exit packages last year with the majority due to the Destination Harrogate restructure that merged marketing teams at Visit Harrogate and Harrogate Convention Centre.

A council spokesperson said:

“Aside from investment to premises, funded through reserves, much of the expenditure during the destination management organisation’s early stages was in staffing the new service to ensure the organisation was fit for purpose and suitably flexible to respond to changing customer expectations/market developments and seasonal demand.

“While the 2021 restructure enabled the right mix of skills and experience to be in place to deliver the destination management organisation’s vision and strategy, the new service was no greater in size, in terms of employees, staffing costs or departmental budget than the previous service that it replaced.

“Prior to March 31 2022 the destination management organisation launched a new events bureau, Events Harrogate, and implemented successful marketing activity to increase awareness of the Harrogate district as a visitor destination and boost subsequent visitor expenditure – for example, the award-winning Destination Christmas campaign in 2021.

“Industry data shows that visitors to the Harrogate district were staying longer and spending more money with local businesses in 2021 than they did prior to the pandemic.

“Throughout 2022, Destination Harrogate delivered a wealth of successful events to bring more visitors into the Harrogate district, alongside successful marketing campaigns promoting the district as a first choice health and wellbeing destination, destination for garden-themed holidays and Christmas destination.

“In addition to visitor-facing marketing campaigns, the destination management organisation has also, through Events Harrogate, been working to bring more events into the district, while Invest Harrogate continues to attract inward investment in the district to encourage long-term growth in the economy. We can look forward to further successful outcomes for Destination Harrogate as we move forward into 2023 and beyond.”

Wildflower planting programme launched at Ripon nature reserve

The Skell Valley Project is inviting people to help restore wildlife habitats at Ripon’s Hell Wath nature reserve.

The £2.5 million project aims to provide a sustainable future for 12 miles of the River Skell through Dallowgill Moor and Ripon an on to the vale of York.

Throughout January, the project team will be working with the Friends of Hell Wath and Harrogate Borough Council to carry out habitat improvements by restoring areas of grassland and continuing to remove areas of scrub.

The areas for clearance have been selected with the aim of creating a rich environment for a wide range of animal and plant species.

The conservation work is part of the Friends’ management plan for the site developed in liaison with the four-year Skell project, which is led by the National Trust and Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

On Saturday January 14, members of the community can find out more about the wildflower planting programme and how they can become involved by meeting at the Ripon City Panthers clubhouse at Hell Wath, where a drop-in session will be held between 10am and 3pm.

Following the public event, scrub clearance will continue throughout the week with various volunteer groups. Information boards and maps throughout the site are being put in place to provide details of what’s happening.

Red Admiral is one variety of butterfly playing a key role in pollination at Hell Wath. Picture: Ripon Photographic Society

Hell Wath is a designated local nature reserve important for its grassland and contains species such as the common spotted orchid and adder’s-tongue fern.

Work so far has helped wildflowers recover and rare bee orchids have reappeared in key areas. This month’s work will ensure these wildflowers are not swamped by the encroaching scrub and woodland, which will create more feeding opportunities for pollinating insects.

The project’s area ranger Gabby Crisp said:

“We’d love the local community to come and give Hell Wath a hand by joining us on Saturday January 14 at a drop-in practical session we’ll be holding on site.

“We’ll be hand-cutting some scrub to allow space for the grassland and the wildlife it supports to thrive. It’ll be a great way to kick off the new year with some fresh air and a chance to burn off some Christmas calories too!’.

Jeremy Dunford, secretary of the Friends, added:

“Growing the wildflower population of the large grassland meadows is a key part of the management plan for Hell Wath. This will increase the range and number of butterflies and other insects in this area which will in turn see a larger variety of birds and small mammals at the nature reserve.

“Those unable to make the public event can still get involved in helping nature thrive in this special place from the comfort of home. Friends of Hell Wath are asking the local community to help by cultivating wildflower plugs to plant on Hell Wath in the autumn.”

For a £5 donation, the Friends will provide a pack of wildflower seeds, a tray of 12 biodegradable seeds pots, peat free compost to fill the trays and an instruction leaflet for cultivating the seeds provided.

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Referendum should not ‘slow down’ Harrogate town council creation

A referendum should not slow the process of creating a Harrogate town council, local Liberal Democrats have said.

Harrogate and Scarborough are the only parts of North Yorkshire which do not have a parish or town council. However, a lower-tier authority looks set to be created after 75% backed a proposal in an initial consultation.

North Yorkshire County Council looks set to hold a second consultation on the plans instead of a local referendum.

Both Liberal Democrat and Conservative councillors in Harrogate called for a binding referendum over the matter in September last year.

However, local Lib Dems have now said that, while the party backed a referendum, they feel it should not slow down the town council process.

Cllr Chris Aldred, who represents Fairfax on Harrogate Borough Council, said:

“Harrogate and Knaresborough Lib Dems are in support of a town council and have been out talking to residents about the need to protect our local voice.

“We encouraged people to take part in a consultation last year and make their opinions known.

“Our council group voted in favour of a referendum but would not want to see a referendum process slow the establishment of a town council if the outcome of the public consultation showed strong support.”

‘Democratic legitimacy’

Cllr Richard Cooper, Conservative leader of the borough council, tabled a motion at a meeting in September last year calling for a referendum on the matter.

The resolution also said information should be made available prior to the referendum as to which services a new town council could provide, together with an indicative level of investment required to give “democratic legitimacy” to the process.

The creation of a town council will see Harrogate residents pay an additional precept on their council tax to fund its functions.

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At the time, Cllr Cooper said a ballot had to be held before residents were asked to pay an extra tax to fund it.

He said:

“Asking the public if they want a new town council without informing them what it might do and how much extra council tax they would have to pay is not a meaningful conversation.

“And if as everyone tells me that the people of Harrogate are clamouring for a town council, then what do we have to fear?”

The Stray Ferret asked Cllr Cooper for comment on the news that a consultation couldl be held instead of a referendum, but did not receive a response.

Referendum ‘not justified’

A report due before North Yorkshire County Council’s executive on January 10 says a referendum “may not be justified” if a consultation is likely to give the same result.

Cllr Carl Les, Conservative leader of the county council, said in response to the borough council’s motion:

“It should be noted that it is not legally possible to hold a binding referendum to create a town council as the legislation does not provide for this and the council cannot fetter its discretion in this way.

“However we note the council’s request about how to carry out any future consultation.”

The report goes on to add that such a referendum may not “illicit a different response” to a consultation and that the additional cost may not be justified.

“It is not clear that a referendum would elicit a different response. There is no requirement under the law for a referendum to form part of a community governance review to provide democratic legitimacy to the outcome.

“The additional cost of a referendum may not be justified if the outcome is likely to be the same as writing to all households.”

Instead, the county council has recommended a second public consultation to be held for eight-weeks from February 20.

Harrogate district residents to be offered cost of living support

Thousands of people in the Harrogate district will be offered support amid the cost of living crisis.

North Yorkshire County Council is working with Harrogate Borough Council to offer a one-off payment in supermarket e-vouchers to help those most in need to pay for food and other essentials.

The scheme was initially set up by the Department for Work and Pensions to help people meet the cost of energy bills, food and other essentials as the country recovered from the covid-19 pandemic.

The funding is allocated to councils, which then distribute the money in a way that meets the needs of their local communities.

Cllr David Chance, North Yorkshire County Council’s executive member for corporate services, said: 

“These are difficult times for people, so the third phase of the Household Support Fund will really make a difference to the many residents who are struggling to afford food and basic necessities.

“We’ve been working closely with borough and district council colleagues to identify who is eligible for the Household Support Fund vouchers based on guidance from the Department for Work and Pensions, so you do not need to approach your local council, we will contact you.”

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The latest round of the Household Support Fund has also been used to supplement other schemes which will help residents with their household costs. 

This includes support for food banks and other schemes providing free food across the county.

For more information on the Household Support Fund in North Yorkshire, visit the county council website here.

Knaresborough housing site should be reviewed under local plan, says councillor

A councillor has called for land earmarked for homes in Knaresborough to be reviewed under the council’s new housing plan.

North Yorkshire Council is set to draw up a new local plan when it comes into force in April. It will outline where development can take place across the Harrogate district over the next 30 years.

But Andy Bell, who sits on Knaresborough Town Council, has called for land at Water Lane in the town to be “questioned” after it was previously allocated for housing in Harrogate Borough Council’s Local Plan.

The site was subject to a 170-home proposal last year, but it was thrown out by the government’s Planning Inspectorate on appeal.

Cllr Bell, a Liberal Democrat who spoke against the application at the Inspectorate hearing, said the new council should “think again” on the development.

He said:

“There have been four developments within a few hundred metres of this site recently, three of which are still under construction.

“We can not lose what makes Knaresborough special by allowing development if it is not right for the physical site or the community. This is not a no to all development.

“The Water Lane development had huge issues with access, no public transport provision, and was far too close to the neighbouring site of special scientific interest.

“It has been rejected at all levels of the planning process. It’s time to think again and question its place in the local plan.”

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The Water Lane site is currently allocated for 148 homes under the current Harrogate district Local Plan 2014-2035.

The creation of a fresh local plan for North Yorkshire was agreed by senior councillors last month.

The new local plan will look ahead for a minimum of 15 years, and at least 30 years in relation to any larger scale developments, such as new settlements or significant urban extensions. It would encompass all areas of the county outside the national parks.

Conservative Cllr Simon Myers, executive councillor for growth and housing on the county council, said:

“The plan will be vital to the new North Yorkshire Council’s ambitions to deliver sustainable economic growth, through good homes and jobs, as well as the best facilities and infrastructure for everyone who lives or works in the county.

“Planning guidance will also play a key role in meeting our ambitious targets to tackle climate change. In addition, it can support other services in meeting the needs of our many communities at a local level, taking into account everything from transport and education to housing, health and social care.”

Developer fails to submit plans for 214 homes in Boroughbridge before deadline

Planners have refused to grant permission for a development in Boroughbridge to go ahead because the applicant has failed to provide sufficient information.

Barratt and David Wilson Homes were criticised by Harrogate Borough Council for not submitting the required documents for the southern half of the Stump Cross development, despite repeated requests.

Planning officer Kate Broadbank told the planning committee yesterday:

“Without information relating to scale, design and appearance of houses, which would be affordable and where the open spaces and landscaping would be, it’s not possible to assess the relationship between the buildings, routes and open spaces to confirm whether this layout would be acceptable.”

The site, which is east of the A168 and is included in the local plan, already has outline planning permission for 450 homes granted in 2019.

A condition of that outline permission was that full details would be submitted for approval within three years, which would have been last April.

Ms Broadbank added:

“We have had no applications for the remaining reserved matters and the applicant is out of time for the submission of these, therefore the outline permission can no longer be taken forward.”

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Details of the first phase of development on the northern half of the site have already been submitted and were approved last February, with 256 homes included.

If the second phase were to be approved with the proposed 214 homes, it would bring the total to 470.

Speaking at yesterday’s committee meeting, Conservative Cllr Robert Windass said the council had worked with the developer on the first half of the site. He added:

“I’m totally and utterly surprised that they haven’t engaged with us as they did last time, because we came to a very amicable conclusion on that one, but this beggars belief.”

Ms Broadbank agreed, saying:

“They have had plenty of opportunity to engage with us and to discuss everything with us that we’ve asked for.

“We have had various meetings and they’ve kept saying, ‘it will be coming, it will be coming’, but it’s got to the point where enough is enough.”

Flats plan approved for Harrogate’s Wetherby Road despite traffic concerns

A three-storey building of six apartments will be built on Wetherby Road despite concerns from residents over traffic problems.

The site, at the corner of Wayside Crescent, was previously a home with a large garden, where two detached homes have been built since 2020.

Meeting today, Harrogate Borough Council‘s planning committee followed officers’ recommendation to approve the plans to demolish the building and create the new flats.

They had heard from Martin Hughes, representing nearby residents on Wayside Crescent, who said the area was a “living hell” with cars regularly mounting the pavement to pass each other.

The situation had become worse, he said, during construction of the two detached homes in the former garden of the house in question.

Mr Hughes said:

“We had contractor vehicles parking on double yellow lines throughout — in fact they are still parking on double yellow lines.

“There’s no policing of that and I understand why, because there’s insufficient resources, but it doesn’t help matters on the ground.”

The location of the site, close to the football ground, hospital, and several schools, made it a busy “rat run”, said Mr Hughes.

As a result, he said, residents had undertaken their own survey on a weekday morning in November to assess the situation.

They found 151 pedestrians had crossed the end of Wayside Crescent between 8am and 9am, of which 26 were accompanied children and 72 were unaccompanied children.

Meanwhile, 162 cars were driven along Wayside Crescent, and 17 of those had to take evasive action, either pulling into a driveway or going onto the pavement, in the face of an oncoming vehicle.

He added:

“This is already a dangerous road and are we really, seriously going to add to this madness?”

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While Cllr Pat Marsh, of the Liberal Democrats, said she could not support the proposal because of the impact on the nearby roads, Conservative Cllr John Mann disagreed.

He said although traffic was clearly a problem in the area, there had been no objections raised by North Yorkshire County Council‘s highways team to this plan. On those grounds, he said, he would support the application.

He added:

“I agree with the comments of colleagues and the objector. In relation to the rat-running and the amount of traffic on Wayside Crescent and the difficulty of crossing Wetherby Road apart from using the pedestrian crossing.

“I also agree with the amount of pedestrian traffic, the school children etc. But at the same time, I don’t think the addition of six flats is going to change that at all in terms of the quantity of traffic and the difficulties which people experience with that.

“I don’t think that will alter the situation one way or the other.”

Planning committee members voted by nine votes to one in favour of the plans. They also voted by the same margin to write to the highways department to ask for traffic on Wayside Crescent to be assessed with a view to making improvements, which could include making the road one way.

Kingsley residents call for halt to new housing decisions

Residents in the Kinglsey area of Harrogate have called for a halt to new housing decisions until North Yorkshire Council comes into force.

The Kingsley ward area will eventually see more than 600 homes built, including developments at Granby Farm and 149 homes on Kingsley Road.

The scale of housebuilding has led residents and councillors call for a stop to further decisions amid concern over noise, transport and open space.

In an email seen by the Stray Ferret circulated to both Harrogate borough and North Yorkshire councillors, Kingsley Ward Action Group pleaded for no further housing decisions to be made until April, when the North Yorkshire Council will take over from existing local authorities.

The group said the new council should be able to “assess the damage already caused and re-evaluate the need for any further development in this area”.

It said:

“You have an opportunity to right the wrongs inflicted on the Kingsley ward area by deferring all new applications until after the change of council boundaries and a new better thought out plan investigated. 

“It has been pointed out multiple times that this area of the plan was ill thought out and now you have the chance to put it right before it is too late. 

“For the sake of the residents and this area of Harrogate please take action because if you don’t it will be a stain on Harrogate and the reputation of the council.”

The plea comes as Persimmon Homes resubmitted a revised plan for 162 homes on Kingsley Drive.

It is the third time the developer has submitted a proposal at the location, which used to form part of Kingsley Farm.

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Persimmon Homes had initially lodged plans to Harrogate Borough Council for 181 homes in March last year.

However, the proposal was met with concern from council officials and 222 letters of objection from residents.

The developer said it had reduced the size of the scheme in response to comments from the authority and “other third parties”.

It said:

“The development proposals have again been amended to respond directly to the comments and matters raised following the submission of amended documentation in August 2022.

“The proposed amendments to the scheme will deliver a green space and landscape driven development, which will enhance pedestrian and cycling connectivity within the local area, and which will overall provide a very high standard of residential amenity for prospective residents.”

Harrogate council agreed £222,000 in exit packages due to tourism restructure

Harrogate Borough Council agreed exit packages worth £222,000 last year with the bulk of the payouts given to former marketing staff in its culture and tourism departments.

In the summer of 2021, the council agreed to create a new destination management organisation for the district called Destination Harrogate after a review found the authority had a “fragmented” approach to tourism and marketing.

Destination Harrogate was set up to raise the profile of the Harrogate district and help attract tourists and investment but the restructure meant its marketing teams from Visit Harrogate and Harrogate Convention Centre were merged into the one organisation, resulting in job losses.

The council’s draft statement of accounts, which lists income and expenditure during 2021/22, includes details of 14 exit packages with the majority of payments linked to the restructure.

It says 12 payments worth up to £20,000 were agreed as well as one payment worth between £20,001 and £40,000 and another worth between £80,001 and £100,000.

The number of exit packages last year was unusually high for the authority. In 2020/21 it only agreed one worth £15,000.

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In 2022, Destination Harrogate unveiled a three-year plan to position the Harrogate district as a “first choice destination for tourism, large-scale events and investment”.

Alongside its partner Market Place Europe Ltd, it recently organised Christmas festivities in Harrogate, which included a Ferris wheel, ice rink and Christmas market.

A council spokesperson said:

“In summer 2021, Harrogate Borough Council agreed a restructure of the culture, tourism (including Visit Harrogate) and Harrogate Convention Centre marketing teams in order to establish a new destination management organisation for the Harrogate district.

“The destination management organisation’s purpose was to raise the profile of the Harrogate district as an exceptional place to visit, meet and invest.

“The destination management organisation required a staffing structure that was fit for purpose and suitably flexible to respond to changing customer expectations/market developments and seasonal demand. The restructure supported this and enabled the right mix of skills and experience to be in place to deliver the DMO’s vision and strategy.”