harrogate borough council Archives - Page 28 of 159

‘Significant interest’ in Harrogate’s former Viper Rooms, says council

Harrogate’s former Viper Rooms has already attracted “significant interest from potential tenants”, according to landlord North Yorkshire County Council.

The nightclub, which was part of the historic Royal Baths, closed suddenly on Friday last week when bailiffs changed the locks.

Nightclub owner Paul Kinsey said on social media the landlord had repossessed the building after the two parties failed to agree a new lease and that 30 people had lost their jobs.

Gary Fielding, corporate director for strategic resources at the council, said in a statement last weekend it had acted “in the best interests of North Yorkshire’s taxpayers” but declined to elaborate.

The closure of the Viper Rooms means two of the four commercial units at the Royal Baths are now empty.

Asked about the council’s plans for the Royal Baths, Mr Fielding indicated all four units could be occupied soon. He said:

“Two of the four units which are overseen by ourselves are occupied by a JD Wetherspoon pub and the Royal Baths Chinese Restaurant.

“A unit which did house the Viper Rooms has already attracted significant interest from potential tenants, while a new agreement for the final one is in the final stages of negotiations.

“We remain firmly committed to working constructively with tenants where this is in the interests of both local residents and businesses.”

Viper Rooms

Mr Fielding said North Yorkshire County Council inherited the terms of the Royal Baths lease when it bought the grade two listed building from Harrogate Borough Council for £9 million in 2018. He added:

“Among those conditions is Harrogate Borough Council continuing the lease arrangements on a peppercorn rent for two units, which are occupied by the Tourist Information Centre and the Turkish Baths.

“The significance of the visitor economy to Harrogate is well-documented, so both of these units serve important roles in providing information to visitors as well as housing a renowned attraction in the Turkish Baths.

“Alongside the units at the Royal Baths, there are various car parking arrangements at the site including a long-term lease to Harrogate Borough Council and some private arrangements that generate income.

Mr Fielding defended the council’s decision to repossess Viper Rooms. He said:

“We have tried hard to understand the difficulties all our tenants have experienced as a result of the covid pandemic and to offer them our support. This has, in turn, had an impact on our own finances.

“Residents and businesses here rightly expect us to ensure that every effort is made to protect public money and we have a duty to do just that.

“While we do not want to comment on individual cases, we must be fair and consistent and act in the best interests of the public who we serve.”

Mr Kinsey has said he does not wish to comment further at this stage.

Harrogate council company to run leisure centres in Selby

An arm’s-length company set up by Harrogate Borough Council will run Selby’s leisure services from September 2024.

North Yorkshire County Council’s executive met yesterday to approve a report recommending Brimhams Active takes over Selby’s services, which include Selby Leisure Centre, Tadcaster Leisure Centre and Summit Indoor Activity.

The arrangement will be on an interim basis whilst the new North Yorkshire Council, which comes into existence in April, undertakes a £120,000 review of leisure services with the aim of creating a countywide model for delivering leisure and sport by 2027.

Selby District Council will not renew its contract with Inspiring Healthy Lifestyles, a charity that manages its leisure services.

Brimhams Active was launched by Harrogate Borough Council in August 2021 when it took over control of leisure centres and swimming pools in Harrogate, Starbeck, Ripon, Knaresborough and Pateley Bridge.

Jack Laugher Leisure and Wellness Centre

Ripon’s new leisure centre is among the facilities already run by Brimhams Active.

Harrogate Borough Council hailed the move as a “new vision for the future” of services and said it would save around £400,000 a year through business rates relief and VAT benefits.

Ownership of the company and the contracts of staff will transfer to the new North Yorkshire Council on April 1.

Cllr Michael Harrison, the Conservative councillor for Killinghall, Hampsthwaite and Saltergate as well as executive member for health and adult social care, told the meeting yesterday:

“The fact we can move management into Brimhams so seamlessly is an indication of the wider strength of all the counties coming together.

“We know we’ll do a review and due to the fact that Brimhams Active is relatively new but performing well, we can use strength of the joint councils to move things forward”.

The Brimhams Active board includes managing director Mark Tweedie, Harrogate Borough Council chief executive Wallace Sampson, director of economy and culture Trevor Watson and councillors Sam Gibbs, Stan Lumley and Pat Marsh.

Of the seven soon-to-be abolished district and borough councils, Harrogate Borough Council is the only authority that uses an arm’s-length company to run services. Scarborough, Ryedale, Selby and Richmond outsource their services whereas Hambleton and Craven provide theirs in-house.

Plan to convert former River Nidd mill into housing

Plans have been lodged to convert the former Nidd Valley Saw Mills into housing and build a further 15 homes.

The proposal has been tabled by Wakefield-based Milner Homes for the former mill, which is based next to the River Nidd near Dacre Banks.

The mill was sold to the developer in 2020 after its former owner retired.

Now, Milner Homes plans to convert the mill into five homes, and build a further 15 houses consisting of two to four bedrooms.

It also proposes to build 12 glamping pods on the site.

The housing and glamping pod scheme as outlined for the Nidd Valley Saw Mills site.

The developer said in documents submitted to Harrogate Borough Council that it intends to build both a sustainable residential and tourist development.

It said:

“The proposal will create a distinctive residential development which is sympathetically designed to respect the surrounding built and natural environment.

“Housing will compromise a mix of two to four bedroom houses, to create a sustainable and mixed community.

“The site provides a leisure use in the form of camping pods which seeks to promote sustainable tourism and leisure whilst respecting the character of the Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty.”

Harrogate Borough Council will make a decision on the plan at a later date.

Knaresborough business criticises electric vehicle parking ‘madness’

A Knaresborough businesswoman has described as “madness” a decision to close 20 parking spaces in the run-up to Christmas.

Harrogate Borough Council has allocated 10 parking bays in Chapel Street car park and 10 at Conyngham Hall for electric vehicles only. But the bays are currently sealed off, meaning no vehicles can use them.

The loss of spaces in a town where it is notoriously difficult to park has angered traders, particularly as it has occurred in the busy run-up to Christmas.

Kelly Teggin, who owns Kelly Teggin Hair and Beauty in Castlegate, said yesterday:

“In the middle of December we have people driving out of Knaresborough because they can’t get parked. It’s unbelievable — total madness.

“I agree we need more electric vehicle parking. But why close these spaces now in the run-up to Christmas so nobody can use them? I lost two customers today and as a small business I can’t afford this.

“I’m part of the chamber of trade and everyone is ringing me saying ‘why are the council doing this at Christmas?'”

Chapel Street car park in Knaresborough

One of Ms Teggin’s customers, called Lynn, described the situation as “ludicrous”. She added:

“It defies common sense. Kelly lost one customer when I was there today because she couldn’t get parked. The town is losing people it needs. We are all a bit gobsmacked this is happening now.”

Ms Teggin’s father, Steve Teggin, a businessman and former president of Knaresborough Chamber of Trade, said:

“Knaresborough has always been drastically short of car parking. Now we have a line of bays empty yet people are driving around trying to get parked up. It’s unfair and where was the consultation?”

100 charging bays being installed

A council spokesperson said:

“To help achieve our net zero-carbon economy by 2038, and to support the demand and rapid uptake of electric vehicles (EV), almost 100 charging bays are being installed across the Harrogate district.

“More than 20 of these will be installed in Knaresborough, including Chapel Street car park, Conyngham Hall and the new Knaresborough Leisure and Wellness Centre.

“These bays account for less than three per cent of the more than 800 spaces available in Knaresborough, not to mention the various on-street disc parking spaces available,, so we are confident that non EV drivers will still be able to find a space.

“These new charging points support the uptake in electric vehicles for both our residents and our visitor economy, and complement other sustainable travel options.”

County council agrees creation of 30-year housing plan

North Yorkshire County Council has agreed to create a county-wide local plan that will plot where housing and development can take place over the next 30 years.

Conservative councillors on the authority’s executive met today to approve the creation of the document, which must be finalised within five years of the new North Yorkshire Council forming on April 1.

It will replace the seven local plans that are currently used by the soon-to-be abolished district councils.

This also means the reviews that are under way on the plans for Harrogate Borough Council and Craven District Council will be halted. However, both documents will still guide planning decisions until the new local plan is created.

Harrogate Borough Council’s local plan says around 13,000 homes can be built across the district between 2014 and 2034.

Conservative Mid-Craven councillor Simon Myers, executive member for planning for growth, told the meeting that the local plan will be “hugely important to the economic vitality of the county”.

He said:

“It’s hugely important for the provision of housing and for many strategic matters. It is imperative we have an ambitious local plan for North Yorkshire and that planning committees abide by it.”

Cllr Myers confirmed that the new council will create six new planning committees to oversee decisions across parliamentary constituency areas, such as Harrogate and Knaresborough, and Skipton and Ripon.

Linda Marfitt, acting head of place-shaping and economic growth at the council, said the creation of a new local plan is a “great opportunity to deliver some of the ambitions the new council will have”.

She said:

“A plan-led approach will ensure the new council is in the best possible place to guide quality development and infrastructure.”

Maltkiln

While a review into Harrogate council’s local plan will now not take place, work on the Maltkiln development plan document will continue.

Maltkiln is the name of a new settlement proposed by the Oakgate Group around Cattal railway station.

It is set to have between 3,000 and 4,000 homes, as well as two primary schools, shops and a GP surgery.

The development plan is in the latter stages of development, after being worked on for the last two years. It sets out a 30-year vision and policy framework on how Maltkiln is designed and developed.

However, Arnold Warneken, Green Party councillor for Ouseburn division, described the process of forming it as “rushed” and said residents have unanswered questions over the boundary of the settlement as well as the position of a new relief road.

He said:

“The whole process, from my perspective and the eight parish councils it will affect, has been rushed. I’m really, really keen that if this settlement goes ahead it becomes the exemplar it’s meant to be.

“I don’t want it to be rushed, I want it to be right. I want to exercise caution before the inspector gets his hands on it”.

In response, Cllr Michael Harrison, Conservative councillor for Killinghall, Hampsthwaite & Saltergate as well as executive member for health and adult said:

“We want the Maltkiln DPD to be right and planning in Harrogate could never be described as rushed.”

He added:

“If we pause progression of DPD it ceases to be a plan-led approach in the local area.

“The worst thing we could do is to stop the Maltkiln DPD because we’d still have to determine those planning applications.”

Tributes paid to long-serving Harrogate councillor who has died

Tributes have been paid to former Harrogate mayor and long-standing councillor Jim Clark, who has died.

Mr Clark, who was born in Arbroath and later moved to North Yorkshire, represented residents on both Harrogate Borough Council and North Yorkshire County Council.

He represented the Harlow division on the county council for 20 years before stepping down in May.

During his tenure, he was made chair of the county council – a role he held during the covid pandemic when meetings were held remotely. He had previously served as Mayor of the Borough of Harrogate, with Cllr Shirley Fawcett as Mayoress.

Mr Clark was a keen advocate for mental health and hospital facilities and represented the county on West Yorkshire Health Scrutiny Panel.

Paying tribute to him, Cllr Carl Les, leader of the county council, said:

“Jim was a strong advocate for mental health services as well as the preservation of key hospital services in the county.

“This was highlighted during his time as the chair of the council’s scrutiny of health committee from September 2010 to May 2019, when he stood down to be appointed as the authority’s chair.

“His presence in County Hall was already missed after he decided not to stand for re-election at the elections in May this year.

“But the news of Jim’s passing is a huge shock to all of us who knew and respected him for the dedicated and talented man that he was.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with Jim’s family at this desperately sad time, and he will be remembered as someone who was committed to ensuring the very best was achieved for North Yorkshire.”

As well as a councillor, Mr Clark was a keen supporter of the arts and served as chairman of Harrogate Theatre for 10 years.

After standing down from the county council, Mr Clark had moved back to Scotland to be closer to family.

Paying tribute to him, Cllr Richard Cooper, leader of Harrogate Borough Council said:

“By profession, Jim was an accountant and a very accomplished one too. His interests included the theatre, being an occasional amateur actor as well as an active supporter.

“I liked Jim enormously. A passionate individual, a proud father and grandfather, a dry with and a powerful advocate for his community. He will be greatly missed.”

Plan to convert former Harrogate Post Office into holiday flats rejected

A plan to convert the former Harrogate Post Office into holiday flats has been refused.

The Post Office on Cambridge Road controversially relocated to WH Smith in 2019 amid claims by Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones the service was being “downgraded”. The building has stood empty since.

Proposals lodged to Harrogate Borough Council by Leeds-based property developer Priestley Group would have seen the building converted into 23 self-serviced holiday flats.

It would also have seen a commercial unit created on the ground floor.

However, the council has rejected the plan on the grounds the scheme would result in “poor standards” of residential amenity.

How the building used to look.

In a decision notice, the authority said:

“The proposal would result in poor standards of residential amenity for the future occupiers of the serviced holiday apartments.

“The proposed development would have a harmful effect on the living conditions of its future occupiers, with particular regards to privacy, ventilation, enclosing feeling and overlooking.”

It added that there was a lack of information on waste disposal and whether or not the proposal for the retail unit would “result in a significant adverse impact on the vitality or viability of the retail offering”.

The developer said in a statement to the council that the proposal would secure an “active re-use” of the building.

Two previous proposals to convert the former post office into flats were withdrawn.

In November 2020, Harrogate-based developer One Acre Group submitted plans for 25 apartments and offices on the site but withdrew the application last year.

Its plans had been welcomed by conservation group Harrogate Civic Society although it was concerned about a proposal to build an additional floor.

Meanwhile, in July the Stray Ferret reported that proposals to convert the building into 11 flats had also been withdrawn.

National Trust plans major £3.6m building project at Fountains Abbey

The National Trust today revealed designs for a new £3.6 million building and landscape project at the Studley Royal end of Fountains Abbey, near Ripon.

The project, called Studley Revealed, aims to create a more accessible café, admission point and toilets and restore historical sightlines to the 18th century Georgian water garden created by John Aislabie.

However, the new building would be situated inside the water garden and only be accessible to people who pay to enter.

The current tea room on the deer park side, which is free to enter, will close. A kiosk providing drinks and snacks will be built in the deer park car park, accessible to everyone.

The restaurant and parking at the main visitor centre will remain free for all to access.

How the new entrance and outside seating to the building from the canal bridge might look.

The trust says the plans, which went out to consultation in 2019 before being paused due to covid, will make Studley Royal less “muddled”.

It will submit a formal planning application to Harrogate Borough Council in the new year.

The organisation said in a statement today:

“This area is currently muddled with 20th century buildings and additions which make up an admission point, toilets, and the boundary of the pay-for entry area.

“For years this has created a large number of conservation and operational issues which are not appropriate in a World Heritage Site.

“The updated improvements will consolidate these facilities into one building and improve the way visitors move through this area.”

The trust added the landscape plans would “open up lost views and create walks that echo the original 18th century design”.

How the view of the building from the deer park might look.

New facilities including historical information, accessible toilets and a ‘space to change’ have also been included.

The trust has consulted Historic England, Harrogate Borough Council, World Heritage Site partners and Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty on its plans.

It has appointed London heritage architects Feilden Fowles and Edinburgh landscape architects Rankinfraser to carry out the work.

How the new cafe seating area might look.

Justin Scully, general manager of Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal, said:

“The Studley Revealed project is an exciting part of the ongoing conservation of the Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal World Heritage Site.

“It has long been our ambition to improve the appearance of this area of the site and how visitors experience it.

“Crucially, it means we can create a place for our visitors to learn more about the fascinating history of Studley Royal.”

The designs and information about the project will be displayed at the Studley entrance from tomorrow until December 22 (excluding December 16) and can also be viewed here.

The trust aims to open the new facilities to visitors in late 2024.

Key Harrogate infrastructure document will not be scrapped, says council

Work on a key infrastructure document to support a wave of housebuilding in the west of Harrogate will not be scrapped, according to Harrogate Borough Council.

The West Harrogate Infrastructure Delivery Strategy is being drawn up by the council and North Yorkshire County Council to shape how infrastructure in west Harrogate will cope with up to 4,000 new homes.

It will supplement the West Harrogate Paramaters Plan, which was approved in February.

The borough council has paid £25,000 to consultancy Hyas to produce the document. It was expected in May but is still yet to be published.

The area features heavily in the Harrogate district Local Plan 2014-35, which outlines where development can take place. For example, the area from Otley Road towards Beckwithshaw is set to be transformed with over 1,000 new homes.

Other major development sites in the area include Persimmon Homes’ under-construction 600-home King Edwin Park scheme on Pennypot Lane.

But with shovels yet to be put in the ground for many of the proposed sites, Harlow and Pannal Ash Residents’ Association, hopes the infrastructure strategy will ensure investment takes place into roads, schools and healthcare before homes are built.

As part of the delivery strategy, a review of existing infrastructure is being carried out ahead of the document being published in draft form during a public consultation.

With less than four months until the borough council is abolished, HAPARA is questioning if the document will now ever see the light of day.

Last week, the county council announced the new North Yorkshire Council will develop its own Local Plan to replace the one drawn up by Harrogate.

A borough council spokesperson said the parameters plan, which was approved by the authority’s cabinet in February, would still be used as a material planning consideration until the sites covered in the plan are developed.

However, David Siddans, a spokesperson for HAPARA, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service the infrastructure strategy has “practically receded from my memory” due to a paucity of meetings with the council.

Mr Siddans said:

“It is now so long since we had an engagement session with Harrogate Borough Council on the West Harrogate Infrastructure Delivery Strategy that it has practically receded from my memory.

“The last engagement session with Harrogate Borough Council was on July 19 following which we were promised a further session in October when it was expected that further analysis work by the consultants had been carried out. It is now December and there has been no further contact.”

A spokesperson for Harrogate Borough Council said:

“Work on the West Harrogate Infrastructure Delivery Strategy continues.

“It is an important piece of work to ensure the effective delivery of infrastructure to support the West Harrogate sites. We will hold further stakeholder engagement in due course.”

Plans resubmitted for Starbeck micropub

Plans to open a micropub in Starbeck are back on the table.

IT consultant Kevin Jones has resubmitted the proposal for the High Street after previous plans fell through.

Mr Jones abandoned a prior attempt to get permission to open a pub at 67d High Street after the landlord offered the space to a different tenant.

At the time, he criticised Harrogate Borough Council for taking six months to consider the plan.

However, Mr Jones has now resubmitted the plan for next door at 67b High Street — which he intends to rename The Office Ale House.

He told the Stray Ferret:

“I wanted to open a place where people who are wandering home after work can call in.

“It will be dog friendly as well. It is about getting pubs back to what they used to be years ago.”

Mr Jones, who lived in Starbeck but has moved to Knaresborough, said he hoped to open the pub in March, if planning is approved.

The pub would included seating for between 15 to 20 people.

It would serve local ales, lagers and have a rotating cask ale on sale. It would be open between 12pm and 8pm during the week.

Harrogate Borough Council will make a decision on the plan at a later date.

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Maltkiln

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