Harrogate house prices soar in just one year

The average price of a house in the Borough of Harrogate has increased by more than £28,000 in the course of the past year, according to the Land Registry.

This is a 5% rise, which is lower than the national average. The Office of National Statistics reported that house prices in the UK had risen by an average of 10.2% over the year to March 2021.

Demand has also shifted more towards spacious properties, with estate agents reporting an unprecedented shortage of detached family homes.

The trend can be attributed towards housebuyers’ changing priorities over lockdown and more people starting families.

However, certain factors affect the statistics and mean that they may not paint an accurate picture of the whole year.

The stamp duty land tax holiday on properties worth up to £500,000 is set to end on June 30, which will most likely reduce housing demand in later in the year.

Estate agents said that, anecdotally, there has been a post-vaccination rush for some people who now feel more comfortable attending house viewings and going through the moving process.

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Charles Myring of Myrings Estate Agents summed up how the pandemic has changed the housing market in the borough:

“Stock levels in Harrogate were so depressed during the lockdowns, especially on certain properties (bigger family houses with good outdoor space/south-facing gardens/garages etc), which meant there wasn’t always enough quality stock available to buy and to encourage more people into the market.

“As a consequence prices started to edge up every month.”

The Harrogate borough encompasses the city of Ripon and a number of small towns including Boroughbridge and Knaresborough.

David Waddington of Linley and Simpson projected the average price rise to be even higher, at somewhere between 1% and 2% each month.

He agreed that the rise in demand for housing in the borough was also mostly related to covid:

“Harrogate became particularly desirable over lockdown as people realised they no longer had to go into the office and live in suburban areas.

“More people are looking to live in semi-rural areas, because of a subliminal need for space as a result of isolation.”

However he urged first-time buyers and those with mortgages not to give up hope, as the latest iteration of the Help to Buy scheme is still helping people with smaller deposits to take the first step on to the housing ladder.

 

 

Final plans for 12 homes in Knaresborough submitted

Developers behind a plan for 12 new homes in Knaresborough have submitted final design proposals for the development.

The proposal was given outline approval for the site off Bar Lane back in 2018.

At the time, the developer said in its planning documents that proposal had been “carefully considered to provide an appropriate level of mix of housing”.

It added:

“Overall the proposed scheme provides a high quality development in a sustainable location with good links to local facilities.

“The proposed scheme has a clear identity and is sympathetic in density, scale and style to the surrounding context.”

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Now, Rouse Homes Ltd, based in Leeds, has submitted a reserved matters application for the design and landscape of the development.

It would see bungalows and two, three and four bedroom homes built on the site.

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

Plan to convert Harrogate B&B into a house

Plans have been lodged to convert a Harrogate bed and breakfast into a house.

The proposal would see Brookfield House, Alexandra Road, changed into a four bedroom house.

The plan has been submitted to Harrogate Borough Council, which will make a decision on the application at a later date.

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It’s the second conversion of its type after the approval of a similar application at Alexa House, Ripon Road.

Sandra Doherty, who sold the hotel for an undisclosed sum in March, had applied to Harrogate Borough Council for permission to convert it in February.

The council gave consent for the development a month later.

Ms Doherty, who owned the site for 15 years, had a previous proposal to convert the hotel into seven apartments refused.

Plans submitted to build 28 homes in Bishop Monkton

Developers have submitted plans to build 28 homes in the village of Bishop Monkton, near Ripon.

Kebbell Development, which is based in Buckinghamshire, has lodged the proposal for land at Knaresborough Road in the village.

The plans submitted to Harrogate Borough Council would see two, three, four and five-bedroom homes built on the site.

In its plans, the developer said 40% of the homes proposed for the site would be allocated to affordable housing.

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It added that the homes would be in keeping with the local area and that the development will “positively contribute” to the community.

The site on Knaresborough Road in Bishop Monkton which has been proposed for housing.

The site on Knaresborough Road in Bishop Monkton which has been proposed for housing.

A decision on the proposal will be made by the council at a later date.

The development comes after Alfa Homes, a sister company of Wetherby-based developer Berkeley DeVeer, lodged plans for 98 homes in the village.

The 98 homes have been proposed for the western edge of the village on Knaresborough Road and Moor Road.

Pannal Ash residents’ faith in planning process ‘severely tested’ by rush to approve 200 homes

A residents group has said its faith in the planning system is being “severely tested” over the rush to approve a controversial 200-home development at the former Police Training Centre in Pannal Ash.

An HBC report recommends councillors approve the application on Yew Tree Lane by Homes England at next week’s planning committee.

It was due to be considered last month but was withdrawn from the agenda at short notice.

The withdrawal came after Harlow & Pannal Ash Residents Association said it had received both written and verbal assurances by Harrogate Borough Council officers the application would not be decided until a document known as the West of Harrogate Parameters Plan is agreed.

The parameters plan will assess transport and infrastructure needs associated with plans to build up to 4,000 homes on the western side of Harrogate. It was expected last year but has been delayed.

A HAPARA spokesman said:

“Although the council accept that the parameters plan is a ‘material consideration’ in this application, no definitive plan exists at this time so it is illogical, let alone bad faith, to bring this matter to a decision at this time.

“We cannot understand the rush to judgement on this application, considering the time normally taken for decisions on major developments. Our confidence in the council’s consultation process and indeed the Local Plan process itself, is being severely tested.

“We are writing to all members of the planning committee to urge them to defer the item to a later committee.”

Several residents who objected to the plans were not told about last month’s planning meeting and nobody from the group was invited to speak against the plans.

The council admitted it had made an error and withdrew the item on the agenda.

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The Police Training Centre site is earmarked for 161 homes in the council’s Local Plan, which outlines planning in the Harrogate district until 2035. It is called H36. The current application is for 200 homes.

A council spokesman said:

“Although there is no policy requirement for site H36 to prepare the WHPP or wait for its completion, the site is located within the geographical area of the WHPP. As such, work undertaken to date – including discussions with infrastructure providers – is a material consideration in the assessment of this new application on H36.

“Accordingly, the applicants have included provision of a segregated cycleway to link up with other west Harrogate sites and will be making transport improvements/contributions that take into consideration the impact of all of the sites within the west Harrogate area.

“Site H36 is a brownfield site with an extant permission (14/02970/FULMAJ) for 161 new homes and forms part of the council’s housing land supply position. Homes England acquired the site because it had stalled and they are seeking to unlock it as part of their housing delivery role.

“The current application has been with the council since June 2020 and full public consultation has been undertaken, with responses considered as part of the planning application process.

“Our position on the determination of the current application for site H36, in the context of the WHPP, has been explained directly to HAPARA and is set out within the report to members of the planning committee”.

 

Housing plans set for ‘eyesore’ Dunlopillo office block in Pannal

Fresh plans look set to be submitted to convert the former Dunlopillo office block in Pannal into housing.

Hornbeam Park Developments Ltd bought the derelict building at the end of March and said it hopes to submit new planning permission proposals later this year. These will include residential apartments as well as industrial units to the rear of the building.

The block was built in 1961 but has been deteriorating for several years. Dunlopillo closed in 2008 but residents had long complained about the unpleasant smell emanating from the factory.

Much of the site has already been demolished and replaced with housing as well as the Vida Grange care home.

A spokesperson for Hornbeam Park said in a statement:

“Our intention is to continue with the proposed conversion of the former office building to residential (apartments) with industrial units proposed to the remainder.

“We expect to be in a position to submit a planning application in respect of the land adjacent Vida Grange this summer.”

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From 1938 to 1949 the site was occupied by the Bintex factory, which manufactured radar equipment for use during the Second World War.

It was bought by rubber manufacturer Dunlop, which changed its name to Dunlopillo and made the site its headquarters.

It is estimated around 440 people worked there in its 1970s and 80s heyday producing pillows, mattresses, beds and latex cushioning for cars.

The Dunlopillo building does not have a good legacy in Pannal. Photo: Anne Smith

Pannal historian Anne Smith, who has written several books on the village, said she welcomed plans to redevelop the office block.

She said:

“It’s an eyesore, but we’d rather it was demolished.

“Dunlopillo’s legacy in Pannal is not a good one. People will be glad to see the back of it. The smells from the factory were terrible.”

Criticism over 560 homes plan for Otley Road in Harrogate

560 homes have been proposed for fields near Harlow Hill in Harrogate- 25% more than the number of homes agreed in the council’s Local Plan.

The government’s housing agency, Homes England, which owns the 26-hectare site called Bluecoat Wood, has submitted an Environmental Impact Assessment Scoping Report to Harrogate Borough Council for a development off Otley Road.

The homes, as well as a community hub and sports facilities, would be built directly opposite Cardale Business Park and Harrogate Police Station.

HBC’s Local Plan, which was finally adopted in March 2020 following a tortuous process, says 450 homes can be built on the fields.

A spokesperson for Harlow & Pannal Ash Residents’ Group (HAPARA) said it was “extremely disappointing” that Homes England wants to increase the number of homes for the site and called on HBC to “prevent large-scale overdevelopment”.

Homes England is also the developer hoping to build 200 homes at the former Police Training Centre on Yew Tree Lane. That site is in the Local Plan for 161 homes and faced similar criticism for “unjustifiable planning creep”.

A HAPARA spokesperson said:

“The news that Homes England is seeking to increase the numbers of houses on the Bluecoat Wood site from 450, as the Local Plan indicates, to 560 is extremely disappointing but not unexpected.

“This 24.4% increase follows a similar increase applied for on the Police Training Centre site and would result in a 19% increase overall in new housing in the area, compared to the Local Plan provision.

“HAPARA along with others welcomed the Local Plan as giving certainty to the location and scale of housing in this area. However, it is becoming clear that developers are treating the Local Plan as a licence to build as many houses as possible, substantially above the identified need, and the Borough Council seem unable to prevent large-scale overdevelopment.

“So we ask the question: what is the point of the Local Plan?”

Homes England and HBC respond

A spokesperson for Homes England said:

“The submission of an Environmental Impact Assessment Scoping Opinion Request represents an early stage of the planning process and future development proposals will be subject to further consultation with the local community and Harrogate Borough Council before a planning application is submitted.  The Bluecoat site is identified as a commitment in the Local Plan and will make an important contribution towards Harrogate Borough Council’s housing and infrastructure delivery.”

A council spokesperson said:

“The Local Plan sets out a minimum target for new homes, along with allocations and planning policies to guide a sustainable pattern of growth and quality place-shaping. This minimum figure is based on a number of important housing-need factors and has been agreed at the public examination of the Local Plan. 

“The appropriate dwelling numbers for each site are determined upon more detailed site masterplanning, taking into consideration important policy matters set out in the Local Plan such as appropriate density and mix of development as well as the provision of infrastructure, open space and facilities. All of these factors need to be considered when assessing the suitability of any proposal at the planning applications stage. Additionally, site H45 falls within the West Harrogate area for which an additional layer of masterplanning is taking place (the West Harrogate Parameters Plan). Homes England have committed to working with the council and the promoters of adjacent sites H51 and H49, to ensure coordinated delivery of infrastructure and quality place making across the area.

“The submission of an environmental impact assessment scoping opinion request represents an early stage in the planning application process and it is too early for us to comment on the appropriateness of the yield for the site until the planning application has been fully worked up, evidenced, consulted upon and can be assessed against the Local Plan as a whole.”

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What happens next?

HBC’s Local Plan identifies more than 4,000 homes that could be built on the Western side of Harrogate. Several developments have already been built or are currently underway, including 600 homes by Persimmon Homes at Pennypot Lane.

Homes England said it is in discussions with Harrogate Borough Council, North Yorkshire County Council, and other developers in the West of Harrogate about the upcoming Parameters Plan.

This document will assess transport and infrastructure needs associated with the huge increase in housebuilding. It was expected last year but has been delayed.

The developer has also asked Harrogate Borough Council to now provide a formal opinion on the scope of an Environmental Impact Assessment which it plans to submit at a future date. This will explore how the development will impact on the environment.

The site’s history

In February 2016, HBC granted planning permission to a partnership of developers called HTH Harrogate LLP to build 450 homes at Bluecoat Wood.

It followed an earlier refusal of permission on the grounds of road safety and traffic flow problems.

However, Homes England bought the site in February after the developer pulled out.

Green Shoots: Harrogate’s most environmentally-friendly house?

Green Shoots is a new monthly feature that explores the people and places that are doing their bit to improve the environment in the Harrogate district. Would you like to be involved? Get in touch: thomas@thestrayferret.co.uk

Tucked away on Bogs Lane in Harrogate is a home so good for the environment that it’s not just fit for the 21st century, but for the next one too.

Tim and Marilyn Larner bought a drafty 250-year old farmhouse on the site in 2016. After demolishing some barns that stood behind it, they built two homes in 2017 and moved into one of them at the end of the following year.

The couple proudly displays a Passivhaus plaque by their front door, which is a hallmark of its environmental credentials. The five-bedroom property is one of only two houses in Harrogate built to the strict standards.

Developed in Germany in the 1990s, Passivhaus is seen as a game-changer for low-carbon housing. It’s an innovative design code that prioritises insulation so that a home doesn’t need any heating or cooling at all, resulting in minimal energy bills. 

The Larners’ home has other eco benefits including solar panels on the roof to generate electricity and air source heat pump that brings in heat from outside and pumps it indoors.

Mr Larner said:

“It’s a delight and a great joy to live here.”

Subtle benefits

The front of the house has smaller windows as it is north facing.

Mr Larner estimates the house cost around 10% more to build than traditional methods — but the upside is electricity and heating bills are just £20 a year due to super air-tight insulation and renewable energy.

The whole house is wrapped in 300mm of rock wool all as well as air-tight membrane and there is 200mm of solid insulation on the roof.

Walking around the home, which is largely open-plan, the environmental benefits are subtle. Ventilation comes in through ducts in the ceiling and the large south-facing windows greedily maximise the amount of warmth offered by the sun.

The timber frame of the building was assembled like flat-pack furniture in just three days, bypassing the polluting and carbon-intensive building process entirely. Mr Larner said this ensures the quality and precision needed to make their home super air-tight.

The open-plan living space.

He added:

“We wanted to do the right thing environmentally. That was our main motivation for doing it.”

“It’s incredibly comfortable, really quiet and probably a lot healthier place to live. It’s a very controlled environment. You are never sitting in a draft. It’s lovely.”

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Housing targets

The upper level of the home lets lots of light in.

The property contrasts sharply with the glut of new build developments that surround it on the Kingsley Road and Bogs Lane area of Harrogate.

Mrs Larner said the building industry “has a massive vested interest” in building homes quickly and they don’t always consider the impact of housing on the environment.

She added:

“The government says they need more houses but they often choose volume over quality. They are throwing up houses around here.”

Mr Larner said the government needs to bring in legislation to ensure that more homes are built with the environment in mind:

“Builders should be out there doing this, but I fear regulation needs to make that happen. You can’t leave it to the market to deliver a house like this.”

“But It can be done. If you’re saving £1000 a year in energy costs and you hgave a better quality of life, what’s not to like about that? It’s a pity we have the financial availabilty to do this whereas others do not”.

Lifelong ambition

Mr Larner said rather than worrying about climate change, he and Marilyn wanted to take action. They see building their home as doing their bit.

“I don’t worry about climate change, it’s more important to act and be positive and hopeful. I don’t take any pleasure in what I’ve handed onto my grandchildren. They will hopefully be alive in 2100, what’s the world going to be like when they’re at that age?”

Building a home has been a lifelong ambition too. Many years ago, Mrs Larner had an uncle who built his own property. It left a lasting impression on the couple.

She said:

“It was amazing. 40 years ago I took Tim as my brand new husband, and he was just like — wow!”.

Mr Larner said they could never go back to how they used to live.

“We designed this house with the rest of our lives in mind.

“It’s fit for the future. I’m hoping someone will be happy to live in it in 100 years time.”

Sell your Harrogate home quickly before Stamp Duty rises

The article is sponsored by Hopkinsons Estate Agents.

If you are thinking of selling your house by the end of June to make the most of reduced Stamp Duty, you need to move fast and find an agent who’s geared up for a rapid sale.

Harrogate-based Hopkinsons will cut through the process and get your house on the market within three days, with:

Hopkinsons founder, Jeremy Hopkinson, says properties in Harrogate are selling extremely quickly at the moment:

“I’m the busiest I’ve ever been since I started selling property in 1989; because of the pandemic, more people are wanting to move for a variety of personal reasons – and we’re ready to help you rapidly sell your home. From valuation to instruction, we will have your property on the market within three days.”

3 Gilsforth Lane went live with Hopkinsons on 26 March. Five days and nine viewings later, a sale had been agreed.

To help your home sell as quickly as possible in preparation for the end of the Stamp Duty reduction, Jeremy has this advice:

If you are buying a home, Jeremy has some additional tips:

“If you act fast, you still have time to complete before the end of the tax freeze, subject to local searches. Hopkinsons is 100% focused on residential sales in the Harrogate district and have a track record of speedy sales, so get in touch.”

You can contact Jeremy and the Hopkinsons team at www.hopkinsons.net or on 01423 501 201.

 

Harrogate residents disappointed at 95-home Granby Farm approval

Residents’ groups that fought against the 95-home Granby Farm development have expressed disappointment at Harrogate Borough Council’s decision to grant planning permission.

Redrow Homes was given the green light yesterday to build the homes by the council’s planning committee despite complaints the development will result in the loss of the last remaining link between the Stray and the town’s surrounding countryside.

Gary Walker, from Granby Residents’ Group, wondered whether the fear of contesting a costly legal appeal had played on the minds of some councillors.

Last month, the government’s planning inspectorate overturned a planning committee decision to refuse 149 homes on nearby Kingsley Road. The council was ordered to pay the developer’s legal costs.

He said:

“It’s been a long fight and we are obviously very disappointed. Four councillors voted against the development and we were impressed with what Cllr Pat Marsh had to say.

“We already have a good supply of housing in Harrogate.”

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The plans include an access road that cuts through Pickering Gardens, which was created when the former Harrogate rugby union ground was redeveloped for housing.

Members of the Devonshire Gardens Residents’ Association argued that the road will destroy a green space that has been a lifeline to people during lockdown.

An access road to the new development will be created through Pickering Gardens.

The group’s chairman, Mark Tordoff, said:

“We feel as residents we all pulled together and put up a good fight.

“However, many of the planning committee members appeared totally disinterested at the impact the development will have on our park.”

The Local Plan

People who have contested the plans over the past year pointed to a council assessment report published in 2016, which said about half of the site should be maintained as a green corridor under any housebuilding plans.

This, however, was only a recommendation and didn’t become official policy when the Local Plan was adopted last year and included the Granby Farm site.

A Harrogate Borough Council spokesperson said:

“Every planning application received is carefully considered on its own planning merits.

“Recommendations presented to the planning committee are based on whether they align with our adopted Local Plan, local and national planning policy, legislation, consultation and anything else that might be material to the case.

“They are not based on fear of incurring legal costs.”

John Handley, managing director of Redrow Yorkshire said:

“We’re pleased that the benefits of our proposed development have been recognised and are looking forward to fulfilling our promise to deliver a scheme that demonstrates strong placemaking and contributes to the surrounding community. “