Plan for 68 retirement flats in Knaresborough recommended for approval

Plans for 68 retirement flats in Knaresborough have been recommended for approval, despite objections from residents and the town council.

Adlington Retirement Living, part of the Gladman group, wants to build the flats with additional care facilities on land adjacent to the single-track Grimbald Bridge on Wetherby Road, alongside the River Nidd.

The scheme was initially refused by Harrogate Borough Council’s planning committee in February 2021 over concerns that the development was “overpowering” and intrusive.

However, a fresh application by Adlington has now been recommended by council officers to be given the go-ahead.

The developer has made changes to the original plans, including removing four apartments from the top of the building to reduce its height and adding 10 electric vehicle car parking spaces. The housing mix will be changed to regain the lost apartments.

It said the need to provide this type of accommodation for older people in the area was “critical” due to an ageing population.

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Despite the revised proposal, the plan has still been met by objections.

In a letter to the council, Knaresborough Town Council said:

“Knaresborough Town Council strongly objects to this latest application. This new development is still over intensive with poor access.

“The 68 proposed dwellings constitute an over-intensive development of the site due to design, height and massing.”

Councillors on Harrogate Borough Council’s planning committee will make a decision on the plan on Tuesday next week.

Pedestrianisation of Knaresborough’s Market Place up for debate

Residents and business owners in Knaresborough are being asked to give their opinions on whether the town’s Market Place should be pedestrianised.

Knaresborough Town Council has begun canvassing opinion on whether to pedestrianise a large section of Market Place.

The current suggestion is for the area from the phone boxes to the market cross to be pedestrianised, which would mean the removal of 14 car parking spaces and cars being prohibited from the loop around the market.

The roads surrounding that section, including the bottom of Market Place, Castlegate and the top area near Caffe Nero would still be available for car use.

Cllr Christine Willoughby said the plans were at “a very early stage” but she hopes people will back the idea. She said:

“In an ideal world, it would be a nice thing to do in the town. I visit large, open markets in foreign cities and just think how nice they are. I’d like to see it happen here, but we have to have support from residents and businesses before taking it to the next stage.”

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Residents are being asked to share their opinions on pedestrianisation in a survey that aims ‘to help share the future of the town’. The survey closes on January 27.

Cllr Willoughby said the town council was conscious of how pedestrianisation might affect businesses on Market Place and it had asked Knaresborough Chamber of Trade to speak to members.

She added the idea had circulated for years but had never come to fruition, but she hoped that with the support of local businesses and residents it could finally happen.

If the town supports the proposal, the next stage would be to contact North Yorkshire County Council, which is the highways authority. It also earns income from the car park.

Paper copies of the survey are also available to collect from Knaresborough Library or by contacting the town council on 01423 864080 or clerk@knaresboroughtowncouncil.gov.uk.

Knaresborough residents urged to have say on future of council services

There are just two weeks left for Knaresborough residents to have their say on how the town should be run under major changes coming to council services.

Knaresborough Town Council has received hundreds of responses to a survey launched in December but is now urging more people to share their views on local government reorganisation which could see the town given greater control over services such as parking and markets.

The survey will run until January 27 and comes as the reorganisation plans are fast-approaching with Harrogate Borough Council and North Yorkshire County Council set to be replaced by a new county-wide authority from April 2023.

A Knaresborough Town Council spokesperson said:

“By taking part in the survey, Knaresborough residents will be able to provide their opinions on living in the town, council services, the future of the town council, devolution and tackling climate change amongst other topics.”

The running of parks and gardens, play areas and public buildings including Knaresborough House and Conyngham Hall could also be handed over to the town council under the reorganisation plans.

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Knaresborough Cllr David Goode previously said it was “vital” that people take part in the survey which he believes will build a strong case for the town’s future.

He said: 

“The more responses we get, the better view we will have of what Knaresborough residents think about our town.

“It’s important to remember though that this process of devolved powers isn’t going to happen overnight.

“This is a 10 to 15 year journey which will need small steps in the beginning and then will develop much further.”

To have your say go to www.knaresboroughtowncouncil.gov.uk/resident-survey

Paper copies of the survey are also available to collect from Knaresborough Library or by contacting the town council on 01423 864080 or clerk@knaresboroughtowncouncil.gov.uk.

Call for greater transparency in Harrogate hospital elections

Candidates standing for election as governors of the organisation that runs Harrogate District Hospital should be required to declare past political affiliations, according to a voter.

Governors represent the interests of the membership of Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, which includes staff and members of the public. Members have the opportunity to contribute to how the hospital is run.

There are 24 governors in total and voting closes tomorrow for three vacant positions. Two are for Harrogate and surrounding villages and one is for Knaresborough and east district. Candidates must live in the area they represent.

Colin Harrison, who is a member of the trust and a Knaresborough resident, said he was surprised that John Batt — who is standing for the Knaresborough vacancy — had not declared his past involvement with the Conservative Party.

Mr Batt’s candidate’s statement describes him as a retired IT consultant who has been elected to Knaresborough Town Council, North Yorkshire County Council and Harrogate Borough Council. But it does not mention he was a member of the Conservative Party.

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Trust rules oblige candidates only to declare current political affiliations so there is no suggestion of wrongdoing.

Rule change

Mr Harrison said he accepted there was no wrongdoing but called for the rules to be changed to require candidates to declare past as well as current political affiliations. He added:

“I live in the Knaresborough and east district, and I am therefore entitled to vote in the election, and I am in receipt of the election documents.

“I have never, to my certain knowledge, met Mr Batt, or either of the two other candidates, but it clearly states on the Candidates’ Election Statements three caveats as follows: ‘Declaration of Interests’, ‘Political Party’ and ‘Financial or other interest in the Trust:’. All three candidates have answered ‘None’ to all three of the caveats.

“I find this to be somewhat difficult to reconcile with Mr Batt’s high-profile political background and involvement with the Conservative Party, although by the same token, I have no knowledge of the background of the other candidates other than what appears on the statement.

“It raises the much wider issue of transparency in situations like this. Maybe, in the spirit of openness, there should be a rule change.”

A trust spokesman said it had been informed by Mr Batt that he left the Conservative Party in 2019 and has had no contact with the party, nor paid any subscriptions or donations to it, since.  The spokesman added:

“Our election procedure for trust governors follows the model election rules set out in our constitution and candidates must state on the nominee form if they are a member of a political party, and if so, which party.

“We are unaware of any NHS trust which asks candidates who wish to become a trust governor to declare their past political affiliations.”

The Stray Ferret asked the trust to contact Mr Batt to see if he wished to comment but we did not receive a response from him.

Harrogate councillor resigns for “family reasons”

A Conservative councillor for Harrogate Borough Council and Knaresborough Town Council has resigned from both posts.

Samantha Mearns, who was also chair of the general purposes committee, sent out a leaflet to residents over the weekend.

She said she was resigning after her younger brother died and her mother was diagnosed with cancer.

Her mother’s current prognosis is good but she has recently moved with her husband to Wales to be closer to her family.

She said:

“Sometimes things happen in your life which make you rethink your life plan. Just before the pandemic struck, my younger brother, my only sibling, died from abdominal sepsis.

“With my sister in law and mother I watched him pass away. This had a huge impact upon me.

“Shortly after my mother became seriously unwell and was diagnosed with cancer. Thankfully due to our fantastic NHS her current prognosis is good.

“However this and losing my brother in such a short time has made me look at what I needed to do with my life for my family.

“Our moves have now finalised, and with lockdown restrictions lifting, now is the appropriate time for me to stand aside.”

The Stray Ferret understands that Knaresborough resident Jacqui Renton will stand in her place for the next election.

It is unclear at this time when the by-election will be held. It is also unclear whether Samantha Mearns will stay on as a case worker for Andrew Jones MP.

Police investigation into Gmund Cars Ltd

Samantha Mearns remains at the centre of a police investigation into missing Porsche cars worth more than one million pounds because she had “significant control” in the company which her husband owned.

Gmund Cars Ltd, which traded classic Porsche cars, was dissolved in September 2020.

The Stray Ferret spoke to six victims who took their cars to Gmund Cars Ltd on a sale or return basis. They said they never saw their cars again.

Samantha Mearns told the Stray Ferret last year :

“I was a shareholder in my husband’s business until December 2018.  When the business was put into administration in June 2019, allegations were made which resulted in a police investigation.  As far as I am aware the investigation has concluded with no further action being taken.  I was never interviewed in relation to any of the allegations.”

The Stray Ferret contacted North Yorkshire Police this morning, the investigation has not concluded and is still ongoing.

Blow to bid to reinstate Victorian fountain in Knaresborough

A bid to reinstate the Victoria jubilee fountain in Knaresborough has suffered a major blow, despite a successful fundraising campaign.

Knaresborough Civic Society hoped to restore the fountain, which was built in 1887 to celebrate Queen Victoria’s 50th anniversary.

The society raised £6,000 and held talks with the owner of the private land where the fountain currently lays about moving it.

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But the land changed hands shortly before the fundraising campaign and the new owner has refused to release it.

James Monaghan, chair of Knaresborough Civic Society, confirmed the news in a letter to the town council. He wrote:

“It is with tremendous regret that we write to you to confirm we see no option but to return donations.

“Despite our best efforts, a strong desire and the generosity of Knaresborough residents it appears no progress can be made with the owner of the land.

“As such, we have decided to return the money raised to the donors. We also relinquish any request for funds reserved by Knaresborough Town Council.

“It is with an extremely heavy heart that we have reached this decision.

“Should the situation change we would be delighted to play our part restoring this key part of Knaresborough’s history.”

Mr Monaghan has delayed the return of the funds until February 28 in the hope that Knaresborough Town Council will be able to remedy the situation.

History of the fountain

Residents of Knaresborough bought the fountain in 1887 to commemorate Queen Victoria’s golden jubilee.

It was originally built on the High Bridge near the entrance to Mother Shipton’s cave and provided spa water from Bilton.

The fountain was later decommissioned and planted with flowers then in the latter half of the 20th century it was removed and deposited on private land.

In 2016 the previous owner of the land reached out to a local history group to try to put the fountain back in public hands.

The civic society planned to reinstate the fountain on Gracious Street, next to the Methodist church.

It aimed to raise the fountain with a plinth, replace the missing brass plaque and to replumb it as well.

But the fountain now faces an uncertain future.