Pateley Bridge butcher hopes to make former police station new home

The owners of Kendall’s Farm Butchers in Pateley Bridge have bought the town’s former police station and hope to turn it into their new home, according to planning documents.

Former North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Julia Mulligan announced last year that the station on King Street would be sold as part of cost-cutting measures.

Officers based at the site were moved across the road where they share space with Harrogate Borough Council.

In July, the commissioner’s office confirmed that the police station was sold for £297,000. It had initially been estimated to sell for £142,000.

A planning application has been submitted to Harrogate Borough Council by Paul Kendall, a third generation butcher, to convert the former police station and adjoining property he bought at auction into one family home.

Better work life balance

According to planning documents by Harrogate architect James Robinson, the Kendalls currently live around five miles outside of Pateley Bridge, which means in the winter it can be a challenge to get to the town if it has been snowing.

The documents reveal they had been looking to relocate closer to the business for many years but were unable to find anywhere suitable.

Mr Robinson wrote that living within 200 metres of the main shop in Pateley will be “revolutionary” for the family, as it will allow for a much better work-life balance.

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Council faces calls to hold in-person Maltkiln consultation events

Harrogate Borough Council has been criticised because it plans to promote its latest Maltkin consultation through social media and video, rather than at in-person events in Green Hammerton, Kirk Hammerton and Cattal.

A draft development plan document (DPD) has been drawn up by officers at HBC that includes a vision for how the 3,000-home settlement called Maltkiln will eventually look. The developer Oakgate Group would build the homes.

It is the biggest housing scheme in HBC’s Local Plan, which sets out where development can take place until 2034, and it is likely to change the face of the three small villages off the A59.

No exhibitions

The draft DPD is set to go before councillors at a meeting on September 21.

If approved, a six-week public consultation on the document will take place, beginning on October 6.

However, an email from a senior planning manager to councillors and stakeholders, seen by the Stray Ferret, says the consultation will only be promoted through social media, posters and an ‘explanatory video’ that sets out what the DPD is.

The email says:

“Please note that we are not holding a public exhibition as we feel that the explanatory video will have a broader reach and be more appropriate given the nature of the content of the DPD.

“During more detailed master planning, when visual options are being presented and design codes discussed, then public exhibitions may be more appropriate.”

Cllr Alex Smith, of Kirk Hammerton Parish Council, said he felt this was unsatisfactory, particularly for residents who struggle to navigate the council’s website.

He said:

“By deciding not to exhibit in the affected villages, HBC are excluding those residents who are unable to navigate the depths of the consultation site, something which is challenging, even for experienced users.

“Council leader Richard Cooper went out of his way to promise residents that the consultation would be genuine and inclusive, but this feels like neither.”

The layout for Maltkiln, which is centred around Cattal Station

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Cllr Smith compared the proposals to develop Maltkiln with Harrogate’s Station Gateway, which has seen several rounds of in-person public consultations organised by North Yorkshire County Council. He added:

“You only have to compare what’s happening with the Station Gateway, which, even on its third consultation, is getting three days of public exhibitions. 

“For the ‘New Settlement’ – a much more significant development – the council have managed to switch preferred options, chosen the site, and even named it, without so much as setting foot in one of the local village halls.

“Some consultations are more genuine and inclusive than others, it would seem.”

In response, a HBC spokesperson said:

“This is the latest consultation regarding the new settlement in the Hammerton/Cattal area of Harrogate district, known as Maltkiln. And follows a number of earlier stages of consultation and engagement that have helped shape the Development Plan Document (DPD), which we are now consulting on.

“The DPD is a sizeable policy framework that will allow us to manage how the new settlement is developed moving forward, and due to its nature, it is more appropriate to host an online consultation to ensure all information and documents – of which there are many – are easy to view and digest.

“To ensure the public is made aware of this consultation we will be producing a video, FAQ document, issuing press release(s), social media posts, a Residents’ News article, as well as informing the community liaison group and printing leaflets and posters to raise awareness of the consultation.

“During more detailed master planning, when visual options are being presented and designs discussed, public exhibitions may be more appropriate.”

‘Green gap’ will protect villages from 3,000-home Maltkiln scheme, says council

A “green gap” proposed for a 3,000-home scheme in the Harrogate district will protect surrounding villages from the huge housing plans, council officials have claimed.

Ever since being revealed five years ago, a key concern of the proposed site in the Green Hammerton area has been the impact on existing residents who fear the new homes will put pressure on local services with a “devastating effect on the community”.

Harrogate Borough Council is behind the development and said it recognised that separating the site from existing communities was “very important”.

It has proposed a “green gap” to the north east of the site which will act as an area of safeguarded land and aims to “protect the distinctive rural character of existing villages”.

Residents have argued this area of land should be expanded further north and south to also protect the nearby villages of Whixley and Cattal.

However, the council has rejected these calls, saying it does not believe there is “sufficient justification” to do so and that it did not want to restrict a potential expansion of the 3,000-home site to be named Maltkiln.

The council said in a report: 

“Development of Maltkiln is a long term project, with delivery over a period of some 30 years.

“Whilst there is no expansion planned for the current Local Plan period, the council does not wish to prejudice potential for future expansion in the longer term by creating a buffer around the proposed settlement boundary.”

The council also argued that safeguarding more land to the north and south would result in a “green belt by the back door” and not accord with national planning policy. Green belt land is protected areas where developments are only allowed in special circumstances.

The council added: 

“A strategic green gap on the eastern edge of Maltkiln is proposed in order to prevent coalescence and protect the distinctive rural character of existing villages.

“It is also a key part of achieving Maltkiln’s vision to be a vibrant new community in its own right, which provides new services and complements existing villages.”

The proposals for Maltkiln include two primary schools and land for a secondary school, as well as shops, employment space and a GP surgery which will be centred around Cattal train station.

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The council said it chose this location due to its transport links with the York-Harrogate-Leeds railway line and the A59.

A six-week consultation on the development plan document is planned for October when residents will be asked to share their views on areas including roads and public transport.

After this, the document will then be submitted to the government for public examination.

Rise in empty homes adds pressure on Harrogate district housing market

The number of empty homes in the Harrogate district has increased post-covid despite the district’s severe shortage of affordable housing.

Harrogate Borough Council figures show there are currently 801 properties that have stood empty for more than six months – up from 758 in February.

There are also 204 properties that have been empty for over two years, while 30 have been vacant for over a decade.

This comes at a time when housing is in desperate need, with high property prices and a national decline in real wages forcing residents out of Harrogate, which remains as one of the most unaffordable places to live in the UK.

There are also around 1,800 households on the council’s housing register.

The council said it has continued efforts since introducing an empty homes strategy in 2019, although it added much of the responsibility to ensure these properties don’t put pressure on the housing market was on homeowners themselves.

It said in a report: 

“The council has agreed to pursue enforcement action where necessary as part of the empty homes strategy.

“Empty homes represent a wasted housing resource; they also pose other problems for local authorities, owners, neighbours, emergency services and the environment.

“They are often a blemish on an area and can be subject to vandalism and anti-social behaviour.”

The council has carried out enforcement action on several empty properties through compulsory purchase orders which allow it to take ownership without the consent of the owner.

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However, the council’s first step is to always make an offer to buy these buildings.

It has set aside £2.5 million for this and has recently proposed to buy three buildings on Almsford Road, Rawson Street and Hartwith Drive in Harrogate, and one on Kings Road in Knaresborough.

The council said there is “no guarantee” that an empty homeowner will agree to sell and that in order to take enforcement action the authority must demonstrate it has “exhausted all efforts” to return the property to use.

It said:

“This includes enabling the empty homeowner to sell their home voluntarily.

“In cases where an offer is refused this forms the basis of reviewing further enforcement action such as compulsory purchase, enforced sale or an empty dwelling management order.”

Why are homes left empty?

There are numerous reasons properties can lie empty. In some instances, landlords cannot afford to renovate their property to sell or rent out.

Properties may also have been inherited and the new owners don’t know what to do with them. Rentals can also fall below safety standards which means they sit vacant until the problems are fixed.

What else can be done? 

As well as carrying out compulsory purchase orders, the government has also given councils powers to charge an additional 100% council tax on properties that have been empty for two years.

Empty dwelling management orders can also be issued for long term empty properties that are attracting vandalism and causing a nuisance to the community.

Flaxby modular housebuilder acquires site in Hastings

Flaxby-based modular house builder ilke Homes has bought a site in Hastings to develop 140 affordable properties.

The 12.35-acre site already has outline planning permission and was previously owned by Hastings Borough Council.

Work is expected to start in autumn this year ahead of completion in 2024. A total of 84 homes will be ‘zero carbon’ and powered by renewable energy.

The company, which has 500 employees, builds homes at its factory on Flaxby Moor Industrial Estate near Knaresborough that are then delivered across the UK.

Tom Heathcote, executive director of development at ilke Homes, said:

“We have enjoyed working closely with Hastings Borough Council’s Estates Team and the local authorities planning department to bring forward our proposals for the site at Harrow Lane.

“Subject to the clearance of pre-commencement conditions, we are excited to commence on site later this year.”

Cllr Maya Evans, deputy leader and portfolio holder for housing at the council, added:

“We are very impressed with ilke Homes, who have gone above and beyond in ensuring 84 homes are zero carbon.

“This means the energy they use will be 100 per cent renewable, on top of fabric first sustainable building materials.”

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Free business workshop in Harrogate

ActionCOACH Harrogate is hosting its second free business workshop at Starling Independent Bar Cafe Kitchen on September 7.

It’s been designed for business owners who want “a more manageable, more profitable business that can work without them”.

Andrew Joy will talk delegates through the ActionCOACH 6 steps model that’s used by many companies around the world.

The free morning of business coaching will include marketing concepts, sales promotion and profit-building systems.

To register visit here.

Harrogate estate agent records £15m turnover

Business Breakfast is sponsored by Harrogate law firm Truth Legal. 

Company accounts show Linley & Simpson recorded a turnover of £15m in the year ending 31 December 2021, up from £11.7m in 2020.

Pre-tax profit was £2.81m, compared to £2.86m the previous year, while operating profit before depreciation and amortisation was £4.67m, up from £3.95m.

The group completed seven acquisitions during the period, with five share purchases and two trade and asset purchases.

The group’s residential portfolio increased from 11,477 to 12,515 during the year, primarily driven by its acquisitions.

The company is planning to expand its land and new homes department to cover the whole of Yorkshire and the Humber from its 23 offices.

David Waddington, the agency’s director of land and new homes, said:

“Having grown into the largest land and new homes agent in the area, we now have a strong launch pad for taking our services to house builders in new territories.”

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Digital marketing graduate scheme announced

Harrogate digital agency group IDHL has welcomed 14 new starters to its biggest ever graduate training programme, which will be run from its Harrogate, Leeds and Manchester offices.

The 12-month specialist digital development programme for graduates has a goal of attracting new talent and investing in the training and development of entry level candidates.

The graduates will undergo training and get first-hand agency experience in other digital marketing service specialisms such as 6technical SEO, copywriting and digital PR as well as web development and design.

Graduate training manager Giacomo Palmieri said:

“I am proud to see this graduate scheme grow, with our successes and learnings in Paid laying solid foundation for the wider teams.

“When we started this programme, we had just one graduate candidate in place at a time, but this year we’ll have four people in Paid Media alone, and a further ten across other areas of the business. It’s so great to see.

“Our six alumni have become key to the day-to-day running of our team, and one has recently been promoted to senior executive.”

Kingsley residents suffering construction dust call on council to tackle developers

Residents in Harrogate’s Kingsley ward say construction traffic has left them worrying about harmful dust and air pollution — but a “weak” Harrogate Borough Council has done little to clamp down on developers. 

Over 700 homes will eventually be built in the ward by five different developers but Kingsley Road and Kingsley Drive are accessed off the busy Knaresborough Road.

This has led to lorries and trucks driving through residential roads to get to the building sites.

Residents say the construction traffic has resulted in vast amounts of dust and dirt from lorries ending up on roads, cars and houses. They say it’s so bad they worry they’ll have to wear masks to protect themselves.

Gary Tremble, from Kingsley Ward Action Group (KWAG), said:

“We have complained for over three years yet to this day the wagons travel down our residential street spewing out dust in summer and dirt in winter, we now even have fully laden uncovered wagons taking dirt into the developments.”

Mr Tremble believes the dust is made up of PM10, an air pollutant typically seen on building sites. When breathed in, it can penetrate deep into the lungs.

Exposure to high concentrations of PM10 has been linked by scientists to asthma attacks, high blood pressure, heart attacks and strokes.

‘We’ve been ignored’

When a development receives planning permission from HBC, conditions are attached that stipulate how housebuilders will minimise the impact of issues including dirt and dust.

This sometimes involves making sure there are onsite wheel cleaners and covering wagons that are carrying materials or waste.

Mr Tremble added:

“We’ve made hundreds of complaints to Harrogate Borough Council but enforcement but are weak. They don’t do anything and we’ve been ignored.”

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The issue of how effective the council’s planning enforcement team was raised at a council meeting this week.

Conservative councillor for Old Bilton, Paul Haslam, said he and other councillors had received complaints from KWAG accusing the council’s planning enforcement team of not ensuring that conditions were being upheld.

Conservative councillor for the Washburn ward, Victoria Oldham, asked Cllr Haslam if he thought HBC’s planning enforcement team was acting on complaints from residents “in a timeous manner”.

Cllr Haslam said he was concerned that enforcement officers “don’t have enough support”. He said:

“Quite clearly, guidelines are being flaunted [sic] by the developers. We need to make sure we are seen to protect our residents.”

‘Addressing the concerns’

In response to KWAG, a Harrogate Borough Council spokesperson said:

“We are aware of concerns relating to dust from HGVs entering and exiting the development(s) on Kingsley Road and have allocated a case officer to address these concerns.

“We have discussed the matter with the county council and the developer and have reminded them of actions they must maintain as per the conditions of the planning permission.

“These actions have been actioned – as well as some further recommendation, including road sweeping – by the developer and we will continue to closely assess this situation to ensure they continue to do so.”

Plans to convert Harrogate post office into flats withdrawn

A developer has withdrawn plans to convert Harrogate’s former main post office into 11 flats.

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.

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.

Fresh plans to convert the building into 11 flats were tabled by Leeds-based Priestley Group to Harrogate Borough Council in June this year.

However, the proposal has now been withdrawn.

A planning statement attached to the application said:

“The proposed development will secure the active re-use of this longstanding vacant building with an entirely appropriate mix of uses within a town centre location that will enhance the general appearance of the building with resultant benefits for the wider street scene and conservation area as a whole.”

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Calls to tackle construction vehicles who cause ‘misery’ in Harrogate

A councillor says more should be done to tackle construction vehicles that are making people’s lives a ‘misery’ in residential areas.

There has been an unprecedented levels of housebuilding in the Harrogate district in recent years, which has resulted in an increasing number of trucks, lorries and other construction traffic going to-and-from sites.

At a Harrogate Borough Council meeting last night, Conservative councillor for Old Bilton, Paul Haslam, queried what more the council could do to support residents dealing with disruption.

When a development receives planning permission, conditions are attached that stipulate how housebuilders will minimise the impact of issues such as noise and dust.

But Cllr Haslam said he and other councillors had received complaints from residents that the council’s planning enforcement team was not ensuring that conditions were being upheld.

Cllr Haslam said:

“I’m very concerned at the moment about some building work that’s going on in Harrogate, where it’s close to existing properties. [The housebuilders] have been given permission to build, not to make their lives a misery.

“How can we help officers enforce conditions to ensure that development is conducted in a safe and healthy way?”

He added:

“I have potential building on the edge of my area at the moment. The people who live next to it will have 10 years of disruption.”

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In response, Conservative councillor for Killinghall and Hampsthwaite, Michael Harrison, suggested council officers should meet with the directors of housing companies so they can better understand “how much work they need to do” to support people who live next to building sites.

Conservative councillor for the Washburn ward, Victoria Oldham asked Cllr Haslam if he thought HBC’s planning enforcement team was acting on complaints from residents “in a timeous manner”.

Cllr Haslam said he was concerned that enforcement officers “don’t have enough support”. He said:

“Quite clearly, guidelines are being flaunted by the developers. We need to make sure we are seen to protect our residents.”

170-home plan ‘not right’ for Knaresborough, says town councillor

A 170-home development in Knaresborough which was rejected by the government “was not right” for the town, says a local councillor.

Planning inspector Chris Baxter refused the proposal, which was earmarked for Water Lane in the town.

The decision is the latest refusal for landowner Geoffrey Holland, who has twice sought permission from Harrogate Borough Council to build on the site.

Cllr Andy Bell, a Liberal Democrat who sits on Knaresborough Town Council, said the town had already “done its bit” to increase housing stock.

He said:

“I was pleased to speak against this development both at Harrogate Borough Council planning and at the appeal in front of the Planning Inspector.  

“This development is not right for the town, and wider than that Knaresborough has done its bit to increase the area’s housing stock without a comparable improvement in infrastructure.  

“It’s impossible to get a NHS dentist in Knaresborough already.”

Following its latest rejection in August 2021, Cunnane Town Planning took the council’s decision to appeal on behalf of Mr Holland.

It said that there were “no significant or demonstrable adverse impacts that would arise as a consequence of the development”.

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However, the borough council said the scheme had a number of “fundamental” issues.

In his decision notice, Mr Baxter dismissed the developer’s appeal on the grounds that the plan was outside the development boundary and would still have “significant harm” on surrounding areas.

Mr Baxter acknowledged that the scheme had “adequate affordable housing” and would not have an impact on highways safety, but added that it still had issues.

He said in a decision notice published last week:

“The proposal would not have a detrimental effect on highway safety and adequate affordable housing would be provided within the scheme. 

“However, these matters and the benefits described above would not outweigh the significant harm I have identified with regards to the effect on the surrounding area and future users.”