Revised plans have been submitted to North Yorkshire Council to build 126 houses in Knaresborough.
The homes, along with car parking, open spaces and a children’s play area, would be built on two fields used for grazing off Water Lane.
The fields are close to Hay-a-Park site of special scientific interest, which is regarded as an important breeding site for goosander ducks and protected Canada geese.
The site has been subject of multiple proposals for new homes, which the Stray Ferret has covered extensively.
Knaresborough Town Council and Andrew Jones, the Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, were among those to object last year when plans were submitted to North Yorkshire Council for 138 homes. More than 600 people also signed a petition opposing the scheme.
Previous plans for 218 homes and 148 homes on the fields were rejected.
View of a section of the proposed site, south and west to school boundary and rear of Carmires Avenue and Halfpenny Lane
New plans for fewer houses have been drawn by Haines Phillips Architects on behalf of applicant Geoffrey Holland.
But Andy Bell, a Liberal Democrat councillor on Knaresborough Town Council who organised last year’s petition, said:
“I’ve spoken with a number of nearby residents who are steadfast in their opposition to this proposal.
“It’s still accessed by narrow estate roads, still very close to the site of special scientific interest and still is on the site of an unlicensed tip that has suspicions of asbestos buried. This site isn’t appropriate.”
To view or comment on the application, visit North Yorkshire Council’s planning website and type reference ZC23/02886/FULMAJ.
Hay-a-Park, site of special scientific interest
Michelle Bray
Photo of the Week celebrates the Harrogate district. It could be anything from family life to capturing the district’s beauty. We are interested in amateur and professional photographs, in a landscape format.
Send your photographs to letters@thestrayferret.co.uk for a chance to be featured next week, we reserve the right to adjust and crop images to fit into our format.
This week’s photograph was taken by Beverley Hawman, capturing a sunset over the river Nidd in Knaresborough.
Beverley Hawman
Photo of the Week celebrates the Harrogate district. It could be anything from family life to capturing the district’s beauty. We are interested in amateur and professional photographs, in a landscape format.
Send your photographs to letters@thestrayferret.co.uk for a chance to be featured next week, we reserve the right to adjust and crop images to fit into our format.
Last remaining Sam Smith’s pub in Knaresborough closesThe last remaining pub owned by Sam Smith’s in Knaresborough has called time and closed its doors.
The Wellington Inn, a traditional pub on Briggate, was until recently one of three pubs in the town owned by the Tadcaster-based brewery.
There was also the Marquis of Granby, on York Place, and the Commercial Hotel, formerly the Borough Bailiff, on High Street.
Allan Gauld, branch chairman, Harrogate & Ripon CAMRA said:
“Obviously we are disappointed and saddened by the closure of any pub or licensed premises. Sam Smith’s are known for offering good value prices in a traditional setting so the closure of their last house in Knaresborough is a particular blow to customer choice.
“We understand the pressures the licensed trade had been under during and since the pandemic and we hope Sam Smith’s will be able to find new tenants and the closures will not be permanent. Knaresborough has gained a good reputation for the quality and variety of its pubs and we’re sure this will continue.”
People in Knaresborough reacted with sadness to the closure on Facebook, with many expressing concerns over “yet another” empty building in the town.
One person wrote:
“Such a shame and Knaresborough just ends up with empty buildings.”
Another added:
“What a shame, another nice pub stands empty.”
The Stray Ferret attempted to contact Sam Smith’s but has not yet received a reply.