The question of how healthcare provision will be expanded and funded to accommodate the proposed 1,300-home Ripon Barracks development has been raised by the city’s MP, Julian Smith.

Mr Smith approached the NHS North Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group after a constituent contacted him with concerns about the potential impact of the proposed development on healthcare services.

Besides 1,300 homes, the development also includes plans for shops and businesses, parkland, a new primary school and sports facilities.

A letter of response from Amanda Bloor, accountable officer for NHS NYCCG, has been published on Mr Smith’s website.

It says NYCCG has a process in place for monitoring new developments and accessing funds under the community infrastructure levy introduced by Harrogate Borough Council in July.

The levy is a charge paid by developers to local authorities to support the infrastructure costs of their projects.

Ms Bloor pointed out in her letter that the NYCCG is:

“Aware of the issues raised about access and demand for local medical services in Ripon and is in active discussion with GP practices and Harrogate & District Foundation Trust, which runs Ripon Hospital.”

She added: “We are developing a long-term plan to address improvements to health services in Ripon.”

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Many questions have been raised about the proposed barracks development, which is a partnership project between the public bodies Homes England and the Defence Infrastructure Organisation.

Known as Clotherholme, the scheme includes Claro and Deverell Barracks and Laver Banks.

During consultation, residents have asked about the impact it will have on the city’s infrastructure – from roads to schools.

Ripon City Council has claimed that the transport assessment was “flawed” because it was undertaken during a period when there was less traffic – something Homes England disputes.

The deadline for comments on the scheme is today. You can submit a comment on the Harrogate Borough Council planning website, using reference 20/02973/EIAM.

North Yorkshire Police is urging for vigilance following an increase in burglaries on new home development sites across the district.

During the past 24 hours, two incidents have been reported. One at a new site one in Langthorpe, near Boroughbridge, and the second in Penny Pot Gardens in Harrogate.

Boilers are the main item to be stolen. The perpetrators are cutting the gas and water pipes before removing the boilers, meaning some of the homes are left flooded.

Other targeted locations in the district include Knaresborough and Ripon. Furnishings valued at £70,000 were stolen from two show houses at a site in Knaresborough. In Ripon, a dumper truck was stolen from a site in the nearby village of Markington.

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The police are asking local residents to keep an eye out and report any suspicious activity.

It has also asked if any CCTV overlooking any of the targeted sites is checked for activity such as large vans driving around the sites.

Information can be reported using the 101 number, dial 1 and pass the information onto the Force Control Room.

A decision on 120 homes on the outskirts of Knaresborough has been deferred to the chief planner by Harrogate councillors.

Harrogate Borough Council’s Planning Committee met yesterday on Zoom and cited concerns from residents over footpaths and a lack of trees facing Boroughbridge Road.

Castleford-based developers Galliford Try Partnerships Yorkshire has proposed a mix of 2,3 and 4-bedroom homes on the site in Scriven, which forms housing allocation K37 under HBC’s Local Plan.

48 of the homes will be classed as “affordable” and will contribute to the district’s need for building 208 additional affordable homes per year, HBC said.

Harrogate Borough Council’s Planning Committee meets on Zoom.

After concerns over pressure on local infrastructure were raised following the submission of Outline Planning Permission, the developers reduced the number of homes from 146 to 120.

The development faced an objection from Scriven Parish Council who said it will result in “saturation” for Knaresborough town and its facilities.

The objection said:

“Knaresborough is under tremendous pressure and the historic market town, which all the residents recognise and enjoy, is being destroyed by over development.

“Currently, there appears to be no provision for additional educational facilities or doctors surgeries to cater for this major influx of population.”

Parish councillor Miranda Armitage spoke to the Committee and said the proposals should be revised to add a mini-roundabout which would make access to the site safer.

She said:

“The entrance/exit is totally inadequate and downright dangerous.”

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A report from HBC said overall the benefits of the development “significantly and demonstrably” outweigh any harm for the area.

Speaking to the Committee on behalf of the developer, Stephen Hughes, said they are happy to look at the changes suggested by the Committee.

He added:

“It’s a key scheme for us, representing an investment of £25million. Despite an unprecedented economic backdrop we see this as a significant scheme.”

Final plans for almost 400 new homes to the west of Harrogate are set to be approved despite concerns about access to the site.

Harrogate Borough Council’s planning committee gave the go-ahead this week for the second half of the new Penny Pot Lane housing development to be signed off by the chief planner.

It will see 367 homes built, along with a link road for buses, cyclists and pedestrians to the Jennyfield estate. The site layout also includes allotments, public open areas and space for a primary school.

The full site was given outline planning permission for 600 homes in 2016. This week’s meeting looked at the detailed layout of the northern half of the site, including layout and amenities, after the southern half had its details approved in 2018 and construction began.

New homes are already under construction and some occupied on the southern half of the site off Penny Pot Lane

Cllr Pat Marsh raised concerns about access to the homes, saying:

“I’ve opposed this application every time it has come to committee. I still think one access road for that amount of houses is ridiculous. In a way my hands are tied.

I’ve got no reason to refuse it but I still want to put my point across that I really don’t support the principle. To have 600 houses off that road I think is wrong.”

Planning committee members also raised concerns about the bus route which, they said, if open to cyclists, could also be accessed by motorbike riders. Planning officer Mark Williams confirmed the details would be supplied at a later date and would be approved by the chief planning officer.

Cllr Marsh abstained from the vote, but the rest of the committee agreed to defer the decision to the chief planner to approve, subject to receipt of additional details relating to issues including the bus route.

Separate plans are expected to be submitted for a primary school once more homes have been completed and occupied.

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Meanwhile, plans for 52 new extra-care apartments on Wetherby Road were approved by the planning committee. The site – formerly Greenfield Court care home – will include a mix of one- and two-bedroom apartments for over-70s requiring support with personal care.

It will include a communal lounge and dining facilities, as well as laundry space on each of its three floors of apartments.

Cllr Marsh raised concerns about the proposal having just 30 parking spaces for both residents and staff, alongside cycle sheds. She said the area already had significant problems with parking relating to the nearby hospital, football club and schools.

However, planning officer Mike Parkes said the applicant, McCarthy and Stone, had similar developments elsewhere in the country and had found that level of parking to be adequate, especially among residents requiring extra care who were unlikely to drive.

Planning committee members voted in favour of the application, with just one abstention.

Dacre, Son & Hartley, which has offices across the Harrogate district, has reported a surge in online traffic and enquiries as interest among people looking for a new home or to sell their property, has returned to pre-coronavirus levels.

Yorkshire’s largest  independent estate agent, had agreed its first sale since lockdown by 9.15am on Wednesday 13th May, the same day that the government announced that travel restrictions were being relaxed and estate agents, surveyors and valuers  in England could resume their work and both buyers and renters could start making their moves.

In the six weeks preceding the lifting of the lockdown on the sector, 47,000 people visited the firm’s website and Patrick McCutcheon, head of residential at Dacre, Son & Hartley, said:

“We have plenty of evidence of good levels of demand and over the last few weeks, we have had lots of calls from buyers wanting to arrange viewings and potential sellers requiring sales and marketing advice.”

He added:

“In terms of market conditions, unlike the last market jolt in 2007/08, funding remains readily available and that can only help the liquidity  of the marketplace, which in turn will support buyer confidence.”