New plans submitted for 35 homes in Harrogate’s Crimple Valley

A new planning application has been submitted for 35 homes in the Crimple Valley to the south of Harrogate.

The outline application is for 14 affordable homes, seven first homes and 14 self or custom build plots at Almsford Bank Stables.

The site, which lies to the east of the A61 at the foot of Almsford Bank, is currently used for equestrian purposes, with stabling and barns.

Supporting information in the application said:

“It is proposed that the site will be developed for residential use through a combination of terraced cottages, semi-detached and detached dwellings.

“The density of the site has been determined to reflect the pattern of development throughout the surrounding area but also taking into account a variety of dwelling sizes in order to serve local demand.

“It is intended that the new dwellings will vary in height, making use of the existing contours and reflecting the density of the residential context to the north whilst allowing the edges of the development to take on a more rural scale.

“The use of traditional building materials – local sandstone and slate will help to reflect the local vernacular buildings and help soften the visual impact of the new development.”

The application includes information about the provision for self and custom build (SCB) homes, which it argues are in short supply in the Harrogate district.

It is the third application to build housing on the site, and is the first time the suggestion of SCB homes has been put forward.

The first proposal, in 2018, was for 65 homes and was withdrawn after 132 objections were submitted by members of the public.

The location of Almsford BankThe Almsford Bank site, outlined in red, is less than half of the area owned by the applicants.

In 2019, plans for 35 homes were submitted, including 21 open market houses and 14 affordable homes.

That application attracted more than 100 comments from members of the public, none of whom supported the plans. Many cited concerns about access to the site from a fast and busy road, as well as objecting to the development on land designated a special landscape area in the local plan.

The proposal was again withdrawn.

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All three applications have been put forward by Square Feet Ltd, whose registered address is on nearby Fulwith Mill Lane, and Antela Developments Ltd, two of whose three directors also live on Fulwith Mill Lane.

The new application said:

“The applicant’s ownership extends to an area of approximately 10 hectares. However, the development area extends to 4.4 hectares as a result of the parts of the site which are not considered to be suitable for development including woodland areas, land with steep gradients, flood zone areas and areas which are sensitive to change due to impact on openness and landscape value.

“The site has historically been in equestrian use with associated farmland, barns and stables. Development is only proposed on the northern part of the site, with the southern part of the site providing a significant landscaped area which will remain open.”

To view or comment on the plans, visit the Harrogate Borough Council planning website and use reference 22/02233/OUTMAJ.

A date for the application to be decided by the council has yet to be set.

No trains in Harrogate and Knaresborough as strike begins

No trains will run through Harrogate and Knaresborough today as a national strike gets underway.

Harrogate station was deserted this morning with no picketers outside. However, the ticket office was still manned.

The RMT union has called the strike, which is also scheduled for Thursday and Saturday, over pay and conditions.

Thousands of drivers, signal operators and guards will walk out, crippling services.

Timetables published by Northern don’t show any trains on the Harrogate line on Tuesday or Thursday this week and there will be no replacement buses.

The train operator is currently expecting to run limited services on Saturday, although the company has warned of disruption and urged people to seek alternative travel.

LNER will also be running no services to London King’s Cross from Harrogate on all three strike days.

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Some trains are expected to run on non-strike days, however Northern has warned that services could still be affected.

The company is advising passengers not to travel on trains on any day between Tuesday and Sunday.

Business Breakfast: Move to residential for Harrogate interiors firm

Business Breakfast is sponsored by Harrogate law firm Truth Legal. 

Move to residential work for Harrogate interiors firm

A Harrogate business specialising in commercial interior design has expanded its work into the residential property sector.

The House Collective, based in Windsor House on Cornwall Road, has already completed a hat-trick of residential projects and is about to begin work on a 17-room home in Roundhay, Leeds.

It was set up by Rob Umpleby, who founded commercial interior design agency RU Creative. When a client struggled to find an interior designer, the RU Creative team stepped up to the challenge.

As well as providing detailed drawings instead of simple mood boards, the team offers a 3D visualisation service, creating photorealistic images and using virtual reality to give an exact picture of how the project will look when complete.

Mr Umpleby said:

“We are really excited to have launched The House Collective, and whilst it is a brand-new business, we bring with us a long and successful history within the world of commercial interior design.

“Over the years we have worked on some amazing refurbishment schemes, and our skills in creating workspaces with a residential feel has given us the confidence to break into the residential property world.”

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Arrow Electronics adds £10k to children’s hospice fundraising

The fundraising team at Arrow Electronics

A children’s charity will benefit from £10,000 of fundraising thanks to a team of colleagues in Harrogate.

Employees at Arrow Electronics, along with their vendors and suppliers, cycled more than 150 miles from Harrogate to Whitby and back in support of Martin House Children’s Hospice.

The 28 cyclists completed the route including a 4,000ft climb at the start of a second year of fundraising for the hospice. Since May 2021, they have raised more than £23,100.

Nick Bannister, vice president sales for Arrow’s enterprise computing solutions business in the UK and Ireland, said:

“I’m really proud of our team who have gone out of their way to support this great charity over the last 12 months.

“It was great to see so many of our vendors and suppliers get involved in the Arrow Great Yorkshire Cycle, and I’m looking forward to seeing how much we can raise this year.”

Martin House cares for babies, children and young people with life-limiting conditions across West, North and East Yorkshire, as well as supporting their families. Its care includes planned respite stays, emergency and symptom control stays, end-of-life care and bereavement support.

Abigail Proctor, partnerships manager at Martin House, said:

“We’re so grateful for the support of Arrow over the last 12 months. The support they are giving us will make such a big difference to the hundreds of families we care for every year.”

The Arrow team will take on another challenge in September, tackling the Yorkshire Three Peaks.

Harrogate property developer gets 16-month drink-driving ban

Harrogate property developer Adam Thorpe has been banned from driving for 16 months after being caught almost twice over the legal limit.

Thorpe, 41, of Ingerthorpe Hall, Markington, was stopped by police in November last year on the B6265 near Risplith Hill.

He was found to have 66 micrograms of alcohol per 100 ml of breath. The legal limit is 35 micrograms.

Thorpe pleaded not guilty in April but changed his plea at Harrogate Magistrates Court on Friday.

Magistrates said his 16-month disqualification from driving would be reduced by 16 weeks if he completed a course.

Thorpe was fined £984. He was also ordered to pay £98 to victim services and costs of £85 to the Crown Prosecution Service.

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Thorpe announced plans for a £75 million redevelopment of the former Harrogate Borough Council building at Crescent Gardens in 2017.

The plans included luxury apartments, an art gallery, underground car park, swimming pool and restaurant.

But his company ATP Ltd went into administration with debts of almost £11 million.

Police appeal after motorcyclist seriously injured near Harrogate

Police today issued an appeal for witnesses following a crash near Harrogate in which a man suffered serious injuries.

The collision, on the A59 near Kettlesing, involved a white Transit van and a motorcycle.

Both were travelling in the direction of Harrogate.

The incident happened at about 2.30pm on Friday and led to the road being closed for several hours.

The motorcyclist sustained life-threatening injuries.

North Yorkshire Police are appealing for any witnesses to the collision, or anyone with relevant dashcam footage.

If you wish to do so you can call 101 and speak to the force control room, quoting reference number NYP-17062022-253.

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Harrogate commuters braced for ‘inconvenient’ train strikes

As train services prepare to wind down today ahead of the looming rail strike, the Stray Ferret went to Harrogate station this morning to speak to commuters.

No trains will run between York and Leeds on Tuesday and Thursday this week, which will affect rail passengers in Harrogate and Knaresborough.

Further strike action is planned on Saturday and rail operator Northern is urging people not to travel on trains between tomorrow and Sunday.

No replacement buses are being put on.

The RMT union has called the strike over pay and conditions. It will see thousands of drivers, signal operators and guards walk out.

Commuters in Harrogate said they had been forced to change their working days this week or work from home. Some have had to rearrange or cancel meetings.

Kevin Dalton told us:

“I’m not a regular train user as I work from home most of the time.

“But I had a meeting this week and I’ve had to rearrange to today just so I can make it. The idea of driving into Leeds or York for 9am just isn’t worth thinking about.”

For others still having to travel into the office, the additional petrol and taxi fees were a concern.

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Kayleigh, who works at Hornbeam Park and asked not to publish her surname, said:

“I’ve had to arrange for someone to come and pick me up and bring me home each day.

“It is an inconvenience, I work with people from York and Leeds so they’ve either got to work from home or spend two and a half hours on the bus.”

Another commuter, Diane Hitchen, sympathised with the strikers and said the difficulties it is causing highlighted how much rail workers do. She added:

“I have a lot of teacher friends who have taken strike action before so I understand why.

“Clearly rail workers feel they have to make an impact for their requests to be met.”

Northern has said it will publish its Sunday timetable shortly.

Further details on how the strike will affects services are available here.

Boy, 11, and man seriously injured after blade incident in Beckwithshaw

A boy and a man have been taken to hospital with serious injuries after a major incident in Beckwithshaw this morning.

Armed officers and a police helicopter were deployed at about 8.20am to a house on Church Row in the village.

North Yorkshire Police released a statement minutes ago saying an 11-year-old boy and 40-year-old man had suffered “serious injuries believed to be sustained by a bladed article”.

Both males have been taken to hospital and police remain on the scene.

The statement said:

“Officers were called to a property in Church Row, Otley Road, at 8.20am today and on arrival found an 11-year-old boy and 40-year-old man with serious injuries believed to be sustained by a bladed article.

“Both males have been taken to hospital.

“The incident is not connected to the nearby school.”

This morning, the Stray Ferret received reports of numerous emergency services vehicles and an air ambulance attending the scene.

A police cordon is in place and the road from the roundabout near the cricket club to the junction with Shaw Lane was closed.

One villager told the Stray Ferret the road had reopened.

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Road closure in Beckwithshaw as emergency services respond to incident

A road closure is in place between the cricket club and the junction of Shaw Lane in Beckwithshaw as emergency services and the air ambulance respond to an incident.

The details of the incident are unknown but reports suggest there are multiple police cars, ambulances and an air ambulance near the village hall, opposite the Smiths Arms pub in the village.

Reports suggest the main scene of the incident is near the mini roundabout close to the cricket club, at the northern end of the village. Police at the scene confirmed there was not believed to be any risk to the wider public or the nearby primary school.

Drivers should avoid the area if possible. Officers said they expected the closure to be in place for some time.

We will update you when we get more information. Anyone with further details can email contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.

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Stray Views: Dogs without leads ruining Valley Gardens

Stray Views is a weekly column giving you the chance to have your say on issues affecting the Harrogate district. It is an opinion column and does not reflect the views of the Stray Ferret. Send your views to letters@thestrayferret.co.uk.

Dogs without leads ruining Valley Gardens

Yesterday I walked through the valley gardens at 9am and I counted 20 dogs off their leads. One did a huge poo and the owner was oblivious on their mobile. 

Another was digging up the amazing flower beds. This has got to stop. I’ve lived in Harrogate all my life and this is preventing me from using the amazing Valley Gardens.

Gale Filburn, Harrogate

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Ripon Cathedral plans ‘adequately discussed’

Councillor Williams is leader of Ripon City Council and as such has no statuary right of consultation about the Cathedral plans. The Cathedral has more than adequately discussed its plans with the relevant local authorities in Harrogate and Northallerton. 

The City Council of Ripon is represented on Ripon Together where local organisations have a voice on all local issues.

I suggest that Cllr Williams’ time be better spent in finding out why the Spa Hotel remains closed in spite of purchase by The Inn Collection, a disaster for Ripon tourism and its economy.

Dr Christopher Bennett, Ripon

Thank you, Stray Ferret

Thank you so much for your coverage of the Great Knaresborough Bed Race. 

As I have been laid up with some mysterious illness I was unable to do my usual duties at Bed Race, so therefore I would have missed it all except for being able to watch your videos. So thank you all once again for yesterday.

Pamela Godsell, Knaresborough

Do you have an opinion on the Harrogate district? Email us at letters@thestrayferret.co.uk. Please include your name and approximate location details. Limit your letters to 350 words. We reserve the right to edit letters.

Carers recognised for covid efforts in Harrogate and Ripon at team celebration

A special event has been held to thank a team of carers covering the Harrogate district during the pandemic.

Continued Care, which has headquarters in Harrogate and a base in Ripon, held the Celebration and Thank You Evening to recognise its staff’s achievements in the face of unprecedented challenges over the last two years.

The event was also an opportunity to present long service awards and announce the carer of the year awards for each branch at the home care company. The winners were Sophie Philp in Harrogate and Janet Bettridge in Ripon.

Director Samantha Harrison said:

“Working through Covid has been one of the hardest things we have experienced but through it all our staff have shown great determination and resilience, working together as a team and putting others before themselves.

“Before the pandemic, their jobs were hard enough but our staff have been selfless and focused on doing their best for our clients who are among the most vulnerable in our community.

“Their kindness, compassion and generosity has been inspirational. We wanted to say thank you and tell each of them how amazing they are and how proud we are of them.”

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Long service certificates and badges were presented to nearly half of Continued Care’s staff – 65 people out of 140 – who have been with the company for five years or more.

Making the presentations, area manager Mike Herrington said it was amazing to have such a high proportion of long-serving staff in the company, given the well-known challenges of employee retention in the care sector.

He added:

“This is testament to the quality of our staff and what they do for us, as well as what we do for them,  and how we all work together to make sure people get the best service we can give them.”