Fast track rules which speed up the planning system have been slammed by a parish council after latest housing plans for a derelict office block near Harrogate were approved without a vote from councillors.

The proposals for 38 flats at the former Dunlopillo building in Pannal were passed by Harrogate Borough Council last week.

This came after the developers Echo Green previously won permission for 48 flats at the Station Road site before submitting a second application also under permitted development rights.

These rules were first introduced to ease the path of conservatories, small extensions and other uncontroversial works.

But in recent years they have been used by the government to drive up housing numbers through offices being converted into or replaced by entirely new buildings without usual planning permission.

Councillor Howard West, chairman of Pannal and Burn Bridge Parish Council, had raised several objections over the Dunlopillo plans and has now launched fresh criticism at the planning rules which he argues fails to take into account rural areas.

He said:

“We’re disappointed that the construction of an even bigger building than the one that was universally hated has been allowed.

“However, once Harrogate Borough Council officers made their original decision on the first prior notice of permitted development, there really was no way to stop construction.

“The principle of prior notice of permitted development was essentially to protect the high street from having empty commercial units when they could be converted to accommodation.

“However, to allow loopholes where rural villages could be overshadowed by bigger monstrosities than those originally built was patently an oversight by the civil servants who drafted the legislation and by those who voted it into planning law.”

The rules allow for developers to apply to councils to simply seek confirmation that a development is acceptable before commencing work.

This was the case for both applications for the Dunlopillo site and is different from usual planning permission which requires an outline and reserved matters application, and sometimes a vote from councillors.

But Harrogate Borough Council has admitted it could have allowed for a vote from councillors if it had acted quicker on the first application.

Read more:

• Plans approved for 38 flats at ‘Pannal skyscraper’
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It made this admission in a lessons learned review, which concluded that while the plans were “appropriately considered”, “a longer period of time than ideal” was spent on parts of the process.

‘Ghastly design’

Councillor West said he believes the plans could have been refused if presented to councillors as he also described the council-run review as “akin to marking one’s own homework”.

He said:

“Had council officers involved the planning committee for the first prior notice of permitted development then there might have been a chance in getting it stopped because of the ghastly design – although some of the past committee decisions defy logic.

“The second proposal is a country mile better than the first, albeit much too high and overbearing and not at all in keeping with a village environment.”

The latest plans for the Station Road site include demolishing the existing building to make way for an apartments block two-storeys higher.

This is something that has been a key concern for residents who are fearful the development will have a major visual impact on the area surrounding the site which pillows and bedding manufacturer Dunlopillo moved out of in 2008.

Since then, the building has fallen into a state of disrepair with residents describing it as an “eyesore” and “monstrosity”.

Its current state is far from how many employees will remember the building in the 1970s and 1980s when an estimated 440 people worked there.

The Sporting Influence Foundation is raising money to help disadvantaged youngsters in the Harrogate district attend sports clubs during school holidays.

Classes will take place at Harrogate Ladies College during the Easter break to develop young people’s sporting, teamwork and social skills.

Children will be able to choose five activities, ranging from swimming and tennis to football and dodgeball. At the end of the day, there will be a presentation of social skills wristbands.

The foundation is a community interest company that uses sport and exercise to tackle social inequalities. Its crowdfunder for this initiative, known as The Together Project, hopes to raise £1,500 to help pay for classes. If that target is reached, Sport England will donate £750.

Perks for donating include a year’s supply of Yorkshire Tea.

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David Moss

The foundation’s director, David Moss said:

“We realise that Harrogate is seen as an affluent area by many people, however at the Sporting Influence Foundation we see many children across our schools living with challenging circumstances every day.

“Sadly, they don’t get the same opportunities as others. The foundation will make positive steps forward in supporting our young people by working on their social skills. The Together Project is seeking crowdfunding to enable us to make school holidays fun, healthy, and safe for all children”.

A flood warning has been issued for Boroughbridge as rain continues to fall in the Harrogate district.

The warning for the Upper River Ouse was issued at 10.10am this morning at the start of what is expected to be a week of storms and rain.

Currently the main threat is just to the east of Boroughbridge but the situation is expected to worsen this afternoon.

The bad weather over the weekend has impacted river levels across the UK. 2 flood warnings have been issued, one in Boroughbridge and another in the Lake District. There are 28 other flood alerts.

Check here: https://t.co/ueaxxWzWWI#Flood #LakeDistrict #Boroughbridge pic.twitter.com/ew5DbhuLhN

— FloodAlerts (@FloodAlerts) February 14, 2022

It is one of two flood warnings nationally, the other one being active in Cumbria.

Less severe flood alerts were removed this morning for the Lower Nidd catchment area and the Lower Ouse but water levels remain high following days of persistent rain.

The government’s flood alert service says of the situation affecting Boroughbridge:

“Flooding of roads and farmland is expected. Areas most at risk are low lying land and roads and riverside foot and cycle paths.

“We expect levels on the River Ouse to rise through Monday and to peak late on Monday afternoon.

“Our incident response staff are closely monitoring the forecast and checking and operating defences as required.

“Please avoid using low lying footpaths near local watercourses and plan driving routes to avoid low lying roads or carparks near rivers, which may be flooded.”

A reader has alerted the Stray Ferret to another error on the Otley Road cycle path in Harrogate.

A bicycle has been painted on the ground on the wrong side of the path as it heads up Harlow Hill.

It contradicts the blue sign alongside it, which suggests bikes should be in the lane closest to the road and could lead to confusion for pedestrians and cyclists.

On Monday, the Stray Ferret reported that a town centre sign for the cycle path was built pointing in the wrong direction.

North Yorkshire County Council appointed Hull-based PBS Construction to build phase 1 of the project, in a contract worth £827,000.

Melisa Burnham, highways area manager, said it was a “genuine mistake” by the contractor.

She added that the error will be amended as soon as possible at no cost to the council.

The county council previously called the firm “the standout applicants” following a tendering process.

Read more:

• Council ridiculed for cycle path sign that points to Harrogate in wrong direction
• Housing developer can ‘no longer afford’ to pay for Leeds Road cycle path

The long-awaited cycle path has been called a step forward for cycling in the town by Harrogate District Cycle Action but even its supporters would admit it’s had a bumpy ride so far.

Work to build phase 2 of the route, which will extend to Beech Grove, is set to begin in April. Funding for the third phase has yet to be finalised.

The Harrogate district is braced for stormy weather this week after a weather warning has been issued.

The Met Office has put a yellow warning in place for strong winds in the district, as well as the north east of England and Scotland.

It warns that “a period of very strong winds could cause some disruption”.

The warning has been issued from 6pm on Wednesday until the same time the following day.

The Met Office says that the district could see power cuts, fallen trees and some damage to buildings.

The yellow weather warning issued for the Harrogate district from Wednesday.

It adds that strong winds could affect public transport.

The weather warning comes just weeks after the district was hit by Storm Malik.

The storm saw strong winds force one business to close and brought down multiple trees in Harrogate causing traffic disruption.

Meanwhile, villagers in Hampsthwaite were left without power. A total of 590 properties in HG1 and HG3 postcodes went without electricity during the storm.

Read more:

• 140 homes in Harrogate district without power after storm hits
• Storm Malik: Strong winds cause disruption across Harrogate district
• Harrogate landscaping boss tells of lucky escape from falling tree

Landscape photographer Bernard Smith has shot a magnificent series of photographs capturing the beauty of Nidderdale.

Mr Smith lives in Sherburn In Elmet but spends a lot of time in the Yorkshire Dales, Nidderdale and the Lake District with his camera.

He kindly sent us images of the war memorial at Middlesmoor, Scar House Reservoir dam and a landscape shot taken between Middlesmoor and Scar House.

He said:

“I’m a keen amateur landscape photographer, this helps me combine my love of the great outdoors, walking and exploring.”

Scar House Reservoir dam. Pic by Bernard Smith

Between Middlesmoor and Scar House. Pic by Bernard Smith

If you have any photographs of the Harrogate district you’re proud of, send them to us at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.

Malcolm Neesam

This history is written for The Stray Ferret by celebrated Harrogate historian, Malcolm Neesam.  

The first hospital for the people of Harrogate, as distinct from the Bath Hospital in Cornwall Road, was opened in 1870 in three cottages in Tower Street after an appeal by the Vicar of old St. Mary’s Church.

Placed under the supervision of Dr. Loy, patients paid from three shillings to seven and six a week, depending on their means.

Within a space of only two years, the new “Cottage Hospital” was found to be too small, so its governors investigated some property on the opposite side of Tower Street that belonged to a Mr. Hudson, which they purchased for £550, and after refitting, the hospital moved into these new premises in 1873.

The numbers of patients dealt with at the Cottage Hospital increased throughout the decade. During the half year between 13th September 1870 to 14th March 1871, 25 patients were admitted as bed cases and 63 as out patients. During the year 1877-8, the annual total numbered 66 bed cases and 213 out patients.

The former Home Guard club and potential mosque.

In June 1878 the highly esteemed Dr. Loy died. His successor was a Mr. Hartley, who did not remain in position for very long. He was succeeded in 1879 by Dr. Neville Williams as the institution’s medical officer. By the end of the decade, patient numbers had increased to 75 bed cases and 292 out patients.

Charge of the Light Brigade

Perhaps the Cottage Hospital’s most famous patient was Sergeant-Major Robert Johnston, who had participated in the infamous Charge of the Light Brigade, consequently receiving the Crimean medal, which later included clasps for his service at the battles of Alma, Balaclava and Inkerman.

In all, Sergeant-Major Johnston served his country for 22 years, 336 days, during which time his health deteriorated, which was probably why he came to the celebrated health resort of Harrogate.

When Sergeant-Major Johnston died at the Cottage Hospital on 28th November 1882, his funeral was attended by an estimated 20,000 people at a time when Harrogate’s population was around 12,000. He is buried in Grove Road cemetery.

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The following year, the hospital moved into new, purpose-built premises that now contain St. Peter’s School.

The Masons move in

In December 1883, the press reported that the old hospital premises had been purchased by John Richardson and Moses Perkin on behalf of the Harrogate and Claro Lodge of Freemasons, who paid £560 for the building.

They subsequently doubled the size of the building, adding to the older Tower Street section, which dates from the 1840s, the wing that now stands next to St. Peter’s School.

The Masons remained there until moving into their new Station Avenue building in 1931. A little later, the building at the corner of Tower Street and Belford Road was occupied by the Home Guard Club.

Home Guard members would play snooker at the club.

Today, the building presents a somewhat forlorn appearance to the passer-by, as its windows have been covered, the walls are badly stained, much of the external decoration has vanished, and pigeons have left unmistakable signs of their presence.

I was therefore not surprised to see an application to convert the building. I may be alone in this, but I would be sorry to lose this piece of Harrogate’s medical history, particularly in view of its connection with our Charge of the Light Brigade resident, if demolition occurs.

The building, even in its present condition, is an original feature of an especially delightful Victorian townscape, which if restored — assuming restoration is possible — would enhance, rather than diminish, the whole locality.

Access to NHS dentists across North Yorkshire has got worse and is “unacceptable”, according to one of the county’s Conservative MPs.

Kevin Hollinrake, who represents Thirsk and Malton, told a debate in Parliament this week that there has been “simply no availability” for dentists during his seven years as a MP.

Mr Hollinrake said one of his first acts as an MP was to raise the issue with the then Minister for Dentistry, Alistair Burt, in 2015.

However, now he says the issue has got worse and that across North Yorkshire there is no availability on waiting lists.

He told a Westminster Hall debate on access to NHS dentistry on Thursday that since 2015 the issue has “actually got a lot worse”. He said:

“This morning I checked across North Yorkshire—which is larger than my constituency—and there is simply no availability on NHS waiting lists.

“It has been like that for most of the seven years I have been in Parliament. The pity is that I have dentists who will accept NHS patients, but they just cannot get the units of dental activity.

“There is a real impasse between the issues and our honesty in saying whether NHS dentistry treatment is available in our constituencies.”

Read more:

• Investigation: ‘Shocking’ waits for NHS dentists in Harrogate district
• Watchdog report: Just one NHS dentist per 10,000 people in Harrogate district

Mr Hollinrake added that he often receives emails from constituents complaining of toothache and having to pay for private treatment despite the fact that they cannot afford it.

He said:

“This is simply unacceptable”.

Acute problem of NHS dentists

Last year, the Stray Ferret revealed that just two Harrogate district NHS dentists were accepting patients but both had a waiting list of at least two-and-a-half years.

The investigation revealed how acute the problem of dental care is for people on low incomes in the district, with one councillor describing the situation as “shocking”.

Meanwhile, a review of NHS dentistry published in August 2021 found that found there was just one NHS dentist practice per 10,000 people in the district.

The Harrogate district’s covid rate has fallen below 1,000 for the first time in two months.

Currently, the district’s seven-day average stands at 890 per 100,000 people.

It’s the first time the rate has dropped below 1,000 since December 22.

However, the number remains above the county-wide average, which is 684 and the England rate of 709.

Latest figures from Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust show 26 patients are currently being treated at the hospital – down on 30 last week.

UK Health Security Agency data shows the daily number of positive covid cases is 191.

Meanwhile, the number of positive patients with covid who have died at Harrogate District Hospital since March 2020 stands at 221.

The latest death was reported on February 5, according to NHS England figures.

Read more:

• NHS writes off £13m in Nightingale hospital beds cost
• Harrogate care boss: Vaccine mandate led to ‘significant’ staff losses

The Northern Lights were visible in the Harrogate district last night.

The lights, also known as the aurora borealis, are rarely seen this far south in the UK.

Although they weren’t as bright in the Harrogate district as some places, they made a rare appearance to bring some colour to the sky.

Sally Margerison sent us this photo she took of Beckwith Close on Harlow Hill.

“I took it yesterday evening from my loft window when I saw on Twitter that the aurora was active in northern England.”

Ms Margerison also took this image later last night.

Sadly tonight’s forecast doesn’t bode well for anyone wishing to witness the phenomenon.

Northern Lights by Sally

If you have any great photos of the Harrogate district, send them to us by email at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.