Harrogate district volunteers wanted to fill sandbags for floods

A team of volunteers hopes to fill more than a thousand sandbags in Harrogate tomorrow.

Harrogate Borough Council keeps a stockpile of around 3,000 sandbags to support communities across the Harrogate district when they’re threatened with flooding.

The recent floods have depleted its stock so the council wants to prepare for future floods by filling up sandbags from 7am at its depot on Claro Road in Harrogate.

During floods in Pateley Bridge in February, some residents reported difficulties in getting hold of sandbags to help protect their properties.

Volunteers will come from Ready for Anything, which is a database of North Yorkshire County Council volunteers that are called upon in times of emergency.

If you are interested in coming along contact Harrogate Borough Council’s emergency planning officer Ash Demaline at ash.demaline@harrogate.gov.uk

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Community banking service to open in Knaresborough library

Knaresborough Library has teamed up with Newcastle Building Society to open a community branch which will offer much-needed banking facilities to the town.

Knaresborough has been without a bank since Halifax closed last year and just two cash machines, which often run out of money.

This scheme is set to open in the summer and will offer the building society’s full range of services.

A similar project was launched within Hawes Library which includes cash withdrawals and it is believed the branch in Knaresborough will offer the same.

County Councillor Greg White, executive member for libraries, said:

“We are delighted to be welcoming Newcastle Building Society into Knaresborough library later this year. The offer of financial services promises to increase footfall into Knaresborough library and encourage new visitors through the doors.”

The Knaresborough site will be Newcastle Building Society’s 31st site across North East, North Yorkshire and Cumbria.

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It looks like Knaresborough could have two sites opening this year offering banking services. There is another upcoming project, run by the Access to Cash Action Group, to open a shared banking hub in the town by the end of the year.

The hub will provide help with general banking queries and more specific issues. Representatives from various banks will also work in the hub on a rotational basis. The hub itself will be fitted out by the Post Office.

Charlotte Gale, a member of the hub’s focus group, told The Stray Ferret the library’s new community branch will not interfere with the banking hub but instead work as a “parallel project”.

A survey to have a say on the services the banking hub offers is still open, to complete it click here.

Mother Shipton’s delays reopening again due to landslide

Mother Shipton’s Cave in Knaresborough has been forced to delay its reopening again after heavy flooding caused a landslide onto a path.

The famous tourist attraction was due to reopen this weekend after clearing up the debris from recent floods but has now had to delay its reopening for a second time until March 19.

The “slight landslide” has fallen onto Beech Avenue, which is the site of some of the oldest and tallest beech trees in the country, from a bank above.

The landslide has left the well-trodden footpath, which runs from the steps used to access the petrifying well to the entrance of the museum, impassable. Therefore the decision has been taken to delay reopening for another week until the footpath can be made safe.

Jay Stelling, marketing coordinator, said supporting structures were installed last year to prevent damage like this but the strength of the recent storms meant the landslide couldn’t be avoided, adding:

“Our maintenance team had been attempting to clear the pathway and put plans in place to prevent further problems with landslides while we were closed during the winter.

“To rectify this issue permanently we are waiting on permission from the council to gain access above Beech Avenue to assess and establish the remedial work required in order to prevent this problem in the future.”

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Ms Stelling said the slope had experienced a “noticeable shift” in recent years due to climate change. She added:

“We are devastated that this is the case and we are doing everything we can to get the site safe and on top form to welcome back visitors.”

The attraction will open on weekends from March 19 and on weekends and weekdays from April.

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.

Knaresborough Bed Race extend entry period due to low numbers

Organisers of Knaresborough Bed Race have extended the entry period after failing to get its usual number of entrants.

The historic event which sees teams take part in a 2.4 mile course through the town in fancy dress, pushing a bed, before finishig with an icy swim through the River Nidd.

Each year more than 90 teams enter the race however this year just 83 teams have signed up to take part.

Bed Race chairman Kevin Lloyd said after two years away, due to covid, the organisers want to make sure this event is better than the last so will keep the entry period open until they get 90 teams:

“We are keeping the doors open on a first-come, first-served basis. But teams should be sharpish as we need only a few to reach the 90 figure.

“We normally have more than 90 teams enter, sometimes as many as 140 or 150, and we hold a lottery to decide on the 90 who can run. This year will be different. We have just over 80 and this gives us the opportunity to keep receiving entries for a few more weeks.”

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As many as 30,000 people line the streets for the event which is due to return on June 11. Since the first in 1966 the tradition has been picked up across the world with similar events being held in USA, Germany and New Zealand.

This year’s competitors will have to base their costume and bed design on the theme ‘The Environment: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle’. 

Long Lands Common ponds ready for habitation

Three ponds have been built and filled at Long Lands Common with the hopes of encouraging newt habitation.

The ponds began construction in late January after planning permission was granted for the project.

It is unclear how long it will take before the ponds become inhabited by Great Crested Newts as migration will occur naturally over time.

The project was completed in collaboration with the Wildlife Trust and Natural England which helped to fund it.

It is part of a larger scheme which began in 2020 when a group of stakeholders bought the land to create Harrogate’s first common wildlife area between Bogs Lane and Bilton Lane and prevent development.

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The common was opened to the public in summer 2021.

Long Lands Common secretary Chris Kitson said:

“The pond building was the first step to transform the area from a farm to a nature reserve, we’ve got a lot lined up to make the area more biodiverse.”

The group has also just finalised their woodland creation plan which involves the planting of trees and a variety of plants. They hope to begin a large scale scheme of planting in Autumn of this year.

In 2020, around 3,000 people bought shares in the land. The appeal raised £375,000 to purchase 30 acres of land near the Nidderdale Greenway and protect it from development.

An official open day was held on the land for people who pledged money in July.

Bid to open scuba diving pool in Knaresborough

A businessman has resubmitted plans for a bespoke scuba diving training pool in Knaresborough.

Tim Yarrow, owner of Harrogate-based DiveShack UK, has lodged the plans in a bid to give the district a “truly unique” facility.

The plan would see the training pool built at land at Thistle Hill in Knaresborough and see the site changed from agricultural land to a deep water diving centre.

Mr Yarrow, who has been a a scuba instructor around the world for 30 years, said the move would help to draw people in from the area and improve access to the sport.

He added that his club, which has been open since 2018, currently trains young and upcoming divers. He said the facility would help to expand this.

He said:

“Our youngest diver is now 11, having completed her course at 10 and is currently spearheading an environmental charity campaign.

“This involves eight of her school peers coming and doing try dives with us and all money is going toward the British Divers Marine Life Rescue Association. These guys are the future and the potential saviours of our planet.”

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Mr Yarrow added that he hoped the proposed facility would be sympathetic to the local area. He has resubmitted the plan after withdrawing a previous proposal following concern from Knaresborough Town Council.

He said:

“The facility proposed will allow access for Diveshack to promote courses tailored to individual needs and timings, taking very little of the land for change of use and no negative impact on the close neighbours of whom all have been consulted and are in support.

“It has been drawn up in a sympathetic way to the environment with materials and energy usage and aims to be the best, most eco designated scuba training facility in the North.

“It will allow access to an amazing sport to numerous people who would maybe never have thought they could ever give it a try.”

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

Drainage concerns at Goldsborough housing site following Storm Franklin

Residents in Goldsborough have raised concerns over drainage on land earmarked for 36 homes following Storm Franklin.

Heavy rainfall last week caused puddles to appear on a site off Station Road in the village (pictured above), which is a mile from Knaresborough. This has renewed concerns from residents of water run off into nearby properties.

The development was approved by Harrogate Borough Council in October 2021.

However, residents say they are concerned that the surface water may affect nearby homes and that they have repeatedly warned Stonebridge Homes, the developer, and the council over flood risk.

Noel Evans, who lives next to the site, said:

“Residents have frequently over the past four years stated that the change of this field from agricultural land, where there has been recorded flooding problems, will be immensely worse once the site is filled with hard surfaces such as roofs, pathways and roadways.”

In a letter to the council, local resident Beverley Jackson added:

“These heavy rainfall events now occur every year so we cannot treat them as occasional hazards.”

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Since the heavy rainfall last week, multiple residents have submitted comments via the council’s planning portal about their concerns.

The developer lodged a drainage plan as part of its proposal, but is still awaiting approval as part of its conditions with the council.

Mr Evans said the plan would need to be “superlative” in order to reduce the risk of flooding.

New sewer system

The Stray Ferret asked both Stonebridge Homes and its parent company, Henry Boot Ltd, for comment on the concerns raised by residents at the Goldsborough site, but did not receive a response by the time of publication.

However, in a letter to the council in January this year addressing public comments on drainage, Katie Purdam, senior planner at Stonebridge Homes, said drainage at the site would “not contribute to the flood risk noted by residents”.

She said:

“We have carried out the detailed technical analysis and soakaway tests to the required standards by an independent consultant, which has shown that we can provide sufficient permeability rates and therefore the development can be accommodated.

“The cause of the historic flooding noted by residents is likely the old-style sewage system which runs through the gardens on the west and east sides of Station Road, which may be poorly maintained.

“We will be providing a new sewer system, which will bypass the existing unadopted sewer system in the gardens of properties either side of Station Road. Our new foul sewer will be laid down the site access, north along Station Road and then east to connect directly into the adopted sewer at Princess Mead. 

“The drainage from our site will therefore not contribute to the flood risk noted by residents.”

£13 million Knaresborough Leisure Centre plans to go to vote on Monday

Plans for a £13 million leisure centre in Knaresborough will go to the vote on Monday after a decision was previously delayed due to a “technical error”.

Harrogate Borough Council’s planning committee was recommended to approve the controversial plans last week, but an error meant residents were not invited to speak at a meeting.

The council apologised and has now rescheduled a decision for 2pm on Monday.

Residents and campaign groups are expected to speak against the plans which include the demolition of the existing Knaresborough Swimming Pool at Fysche Field and building the new leisure centre over a play area to the rear.

Several concerns have been raised over the environmental impacts of demolishing a large building to replace it with another, as well as whether the new facility is needed.

Knaresborough Civic Society has repeatedly called on councillors to reject the plans in favour of rival proposals from the ‘Not on Fysche Field’ campaign group which has produced designs to upgrade the existing 30-year-old swimming pool.

A civic society spokesperson said:

“Knaresborough Civic Society is extremely concerned that the planning committee is in danger of making a decision on the say so of council officers that will result in unnecessary and unequivocal damage to the environment and the gateway to the town.

“On behalf of future generations, members of the planning committee must show the necessary governance and be prepared to take full responsibility for the outcome of such a huge decision.”

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A public consultation on five potential locations for the proposed leisure centre was held in 2020 and referred to locating the facility “on the site of the existing pool”.

However, it was only several months after this that the council revealed it wants to build the leisure centre over a play area to the rear.

The other locations previously considered included Knaresborough House, Hay-a-Park, Conyngham Hall and a plot of land at Halfpenny Lane.

The council has hailed its proposals for Fysche Field as an opportunity to provide a “modern” and “fit-for-purpose” facility for Knaresborough’s growing population.

And if approved, the council said the new leisure centre could be built by the end of 2023.

Monday’s decision will be followed by a cabinet meeting on Wednesday when councillors will be asked to approve a £28million contract for Bristol-based firm Alliance Leisure to build the new leisure centre in Knaresborough and refurbish Harrogate Hydro.

This comes after plans for a two-storey extension of the Hydro were approved in October 2021.

These proposals include demolishing the existing entrance and replacing it with a larger reception area on the ground floor, as well as a new fitness suite on the first floor.

Safety urged after Knaresborough wall collapses

Residents in Knaresborough have been urged to be careful after a section of a wall near to the town’s High Street collapsed.

The wall on Vicarage Lane next to Knaresborough House collapsed yesterday and has since been reported to the council.

The road is just off the town’s High Street and serves as a route to St John the Baptist Church.

In a post on its social media, Knaresborough Business Collective urged people to take another route.

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