Council cancels another Harrogate and Knaresborough planning committee

North Yorkshire Council has cancelled another Harrogate and Knaresborough planning committee due to a lack of planning applications to consider.

The meeting was set to take place next Tuesday at the Civic Centre in Harrogate.

It means since the new council was formed in April, just four out of nine planned meetings have taken place with none happening since the last meeting on September 26.

The ability to approve or reject planning applications is a key responsibility of elected councillors, with cross-party planning committees based around parliamentary constituencies scheduled to meet each month.

But there have been concerns across the county that power has been concentrated centrally with unelected officers making the decisions instead.

Last month, the Harrogate & Knaresborough committee chair Pat Marsh told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that the council was making a “nonsense” out of the current planning system.

In a statement published this week, the council’s assistant director of planning services, Trevor Watson, said one reason for the paucity of meetings was that planning applications in the former Harrogate district area are now been heard by councillors in the Skipton & Ripon and Selby & Ainsty constituency areas instead.

This includes plans for an eco home development in Flaxby tomorrow, which is a resubmitted version of a scheme previously refused by Harrogate Borough Council.

Mr Watson said: 

“We are committed to open and transparent governance and always endeavour to hold planning meetings where possible.

“Unfortunately, due to a lack of agenda items, the Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency planning committee meeting scheduled for December 19 had to be cancelled.

“However, as the former administrative boundary of Harrogate Borough Council is split over three area constituency planning committees, a number of applications were considered at the Skipton and Ripon planning committee last week.

“A further two items are scheduled to be considered by the Selby and Ainsty committee on Wednesday.”

The next Harrogate & Knaresborough planning committee is set to take place on January 30.

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Council scraps ‘waste of money’ £100,000 Harrogate cycle plan

A £100,000 project to make a minor Harrogate road better for cycling has been scrapped after being criticised as a “waste of money”.

North Yorkshire Council revealed in September it planned to upgrade Nursery Lane, which is a minor road off Otley Road, into an off-road leisure route.

The scheme came as part of 10 proposals put forward to reduce congestion in west Harrogate.

However, a council report due before Cllr Keane Duncan, executive councillor for highways, next week shows the plan has now been dropped.

The project was criticised by cyclists at a meeting of Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee in September.

David Mitchell, of Harrogate District Cycle Action, told councillors that spending £100,000 on Nursery Lane was “not sensible because it would not make a meaningful difference to the cycle network”.

Meanwhile, Cllr Paul Haslam, a Conservative who represents Bilton and Nidd Gorge, told the meeting the cycling community had told him the proposal was “a complete waste of money because that lane is already safe”.

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The report, which will go before Cllr Duncan on December 18, says the scheme has been scrapped as feedback showed it “was not supported and the funding could be better utilised on other projects”.

It has been replaced with a £60,000 plan to resurface the footpath and cycleway between Green Lane and Blenheim Way, which is known as Rossett Cycle Path.

The report said the move would “enhance the off-road route and encourage its use as an alternative route to the Otley Road corridor for walkers and cyclists”.

The Stray Ferret reported the proposed congestion-reducing initiatives when they were published in September. You can read them here.

Funding for the overall project has increased to £854,000 after the authority received further section 106 contributions.

The cost for the improvements is now estimated at £715,000 – an increase from £585,000.

The council said any remaining money would be kept as a contingency to cover design work, which is expected to start in January 2024.

A further report on the proposals will be brought before Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee in the spring.

Knaresborough Leisure Centre opens today

The long-awaited opening of Knaresborough Leisure and Wellness takes place today.

The centre, which cost £17.5 million to develop, has a six-lane 25-metre pool, a leisure pool and slide and a 60-station fitness suite.

There is also a studio for group fitness classes, a group cycling studio, a sauna and steam room and a café.

The outdoor children’s play area is still in the works but is expected to be open in January 2024.

North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for arts, culture and housing, Cllr Simon Myers, said:

“By moving the service offer from being a conventional swimming pool to a community health and wellbeing service we aim to help people move more, live well, feel great and reduce the proportion of the population that is physically inactive.

“We look forward to welcoming the public into the facility next week.”

The site is managed by Brimhams Active, the council’s health and wellbeing company, which oversees the Harrogate and Ripon sites too.

According to the Brimhams Active website, all-inclusive membership at the sites costs £44.95 for adults per month and the concession price is £35.95 per month.

A gym or swim-only membership will set people back £33.95 a month, and a pay-as-you-go swim session costs £5.45 for adults and £2.85 for children.

There will be immersive spin classes on offer.

North Yorkshire Council also said the new building will be “more efficient” than the former.

It said the carbon output of the previous leisure centre has been reduced by 60%.

The gas boiler was replaced with sustainably efficient air source heat pumps and solar panels have been installed to provide a source of renewable energy.

Alongside LED lighting, upgraded building management systems and improved electrical supplies will increase energy efficiency, the council said.

The Knaresborough Leisure and Wellness Centre is part of a £47.9 million investment into leisure provisions, which also include the newly developed Harrogate Leisure and Wellness Centre and the Jack Laugher Leisure and Wellness Centre in Ripon.

Mark Tweedie, chief executive of Brimhams Active, said:

“The creation of this new leisure and wellness centre provides a modern, safe space where all walks of life, at every stage of life’s journey, can come together and enjoy a range of activities from swimming, gym and group exercise, to eating and relaxing.

“The investment really does deliver something for everyone. I’m now looking forward to working with my team to bring these facilities to life.”

The new centre has been built next to the former Knaresborough Pool, which was built in 1990 and last refurbished 20 years ago.

The swimming pool will open at 6.30am and the gym will open at 6.15am every morning.

The sauna.

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Council increases some pest control fees in Harrogate district

North Yorkshire Council has increased the cost of some of its pest control services.

The cost of paying the council to treat ants has gone up from £56.40 to £87 and the cost of treating wasps has risen from £66 to £73.

However, council fees for tackling rats, mice and grey squirrels have been pegged at £108, £98.40 and £175.20 respectively locally.

It is part of a move by the new council to harmonise pest control fees in the county.

North Yorkshire Council replaced seven district and borough councils, including Harrogate, in April.

Four of the previous councils — Harrogate, Hambleton, Richmondshire and Ryedale. — treated pests, which is a discretionary service local authorities are not obliged to provide.

According to a council report, Harrogate Borough Council was the only one to make a profit from pest control. The other three councils subsidised the service.

Harrogate Borough Council spent £102,100 on the service in 2022/23 and generated £153,600 — a profit of £51,500.

Now the council has set a new set of fees, which it estimates will generate a £13,000 profit this year.

The report says:

“The benefit is not significant in terms of income, but it would achieve greater consistency in charges across localities.”

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The ancient cathedral and veteran beech tree: a row that has brought Ripon national attention

Will a single beech tree topple a £6 million development for Ripon Cathedral?

The cathedral argues a new annex is urgently needed to provide 21st century facilities for churchgoers, visitors and choristers.

The Ripon Cathedral Renewed project, involves creating a 1,000 square metre, two storey, standalone building on Minster Gardens, which would provide an 80-seat refectory, a song school, gift shop, toilets and additional storage space.

But there is a major potential stumbling block. To build the new annex a veteran tree will have to be felled.

The mature beech tree is on the ancient tree inventory of The Woodland Trust, the UK’s largest woodland conservation charity. It is thought  to be between 150 and 200 years old.

It has become emblematic, providing a rallying point for campaigners opposed to construction of the building on public open space.

The Dean of Ripon Cathedral, the Very Revd John Dobson, has tried for years to improve facilities at the cathedral and has described the loss of the beech and ten other trees as a ‘moral dilemma’ which requires balancing ‘with urgent needs and undeniable benefits’.

It’s also a dilemma that puts the councillors who will ultimately decide whether or not the development goes ahead, in an unenviable position.

An aerial cgi featuring the proposed annex on Minster Gardens to the north of the cathedral. Picture Ripon Cathedral Renewed

 

The common beech, whose scientific name is Fagus Sylvatica, is regularly described as the ‘Queen of British trees’.

With unintended irony, the Woodland Trust, which has formally objected to the loss of the Ripon veteran and ten other mature trees on Minster Gardens, describes common beech trees as having ‘cathedral-like branches.’

But does saving an ancient tree, which in UK planning law is considered ‘irreplaceable’, trump the stated needs of the people involved in the day to day running of an ancient building, which has been central to the history and heritage of Ripon since St Wilfrid laid its foundation stone 1,351 years ago?

The Rules

The government’s National Planning Policy Framework says that planning authorities:

Should refuse planning permission if development will result in the loss or deterioration of ancient woodland, ancient trees and veteran trees unless both of the following applies:

The Dean of Ripon

The Very Revd John Dobson said that the loss of trees presents a ‘moral dilemma’ 

The cathedral’s case

With 100,000 visitors through its doors during 2022,  the cathedral lacks both an ability to offer its own hospitality facilities and provide accessible toilets for people with limited mobility.

The Dean and cathedral chapter have emphasised an urgent need for action.

The cathedral has stated that there are exceptional reasons for felling the trees and in the Ripon Cathedral Renewed leaflet, produced in support of its planning application, said:

“All other potential locations and solutions have been considered over many years and have proven to be undeliverable.”

In compensation for the loss of the 11 trees, a new woodland area with 21 trees will be created within the vicinity of the cathedral and the annex. Dean John has also stated that 300 native trees will be planted on land near Studley.

Last December the planning application was submitted to Harrogate Borough Council, three months before the district authority was abolished and subsumed into the new unitary North Yorkshire Council.

Those in favour and those against

Among its early supporters was Historic England, the government’s expert advisor on England’s heritage.

The watchdog, which had scuppered a previous proposal for an extension physically attached to the south side of the cathedral’s west frontage, said:

“This application is highly sensitive due to the wonderful historic townscape of Ripon, its proximity and relationship to Ripon Cathedral, and from the heritage value of the site itself.

“The proposal would make a positive contribution to the historic environment of Ripon, sitting appropriately in location and design terms with the townscape and cathedral, and beginning to rearticulate the original cathedral precinct. However, the loss of open space and trees would have a minor impact on heritage significance.

“We consider that many elements of the proposal are in line with those parts of the NPPF (National Planning Policy Framework) within our statutory remit.”

The local heritage watchdog Ripon Civic Society took a very different view. It said:

“While we do not disagree with the cathedral’s view that a new annex on the north side of the cathedral will contribute to the sustainable future of the cathedral and enhance the city of Ripon, we consider that siting an annex on Minster Gardens is unacceptable.”

At its full meeting last December, where a pre-application presentation of the proposed scheme was made, Ripon City Council supported ‘the general principle’ of the development.

The council said:

“We will be looking at the finer detail when the planning application is submitted, but the city council supports the general principle of this development, with the exception of the proposed closure of Minster Road, which we cannot agree with because diverting traffic elsewhere would cause many problems.”

Impact on city business

At the February 2023 council meeting, business owners expressed concerns that the proposed development would  ‘funnel’ visitors away from Kirkgate where a number of cafes and restaurants are located.

The city council called for a retail impact assessment to be carried out to see if the refectory would result in a reduction in business for local traders.

North Yorkshire planners thought this was unnecessary, even though the design and access document prepared in support of the annex application, said:

“Cathedral Refectory: for this to be a financially viable part of the cathedral business plan it needs to be a certain size, to accommodate a coach party, and be very close to the cathedral.

“This is required to prevent visitors from drifting away from the cathedral and using the various cafés in the city.”

This opened up a new wave of posts on social media focusing on the perceived contradiction between the planning document and the cathedral’s claim that the development would bring an increase in footfall of up to 50% that would be ‘good news for the local economy and local businesses’.

The tree campaigners

While the city debated the impact on businesses, the fight to save the veteran beech gathered momentum.

The tree has been the focus of a ‘save our trees’ petition launched in April by Ripon resident Jenni Holman.

The petition has gathered more than 2,000 signatures and has been provided in 19 tranches for inclusion on the North Yorkshire Council planning portal.

In addition, at the time of publication, planners have received comments from 169 supporters of the annex application, and 79 from objectors.

The tree campaigners pictured at their peaceful protest on November 25

The campaigners, whose protest generated TV, Radio, online and printed media coverage across Yorkshire and Tyneside, was given added impetus in September, when the world-famous sycamore gap tree on Hadrian’s Wall, was cut down in an act of vandalism that brought national and international outrage and media coverage.

Ms Holman, said:

“Over the past eight months we have been raising awareness of the cathedral’s plans.  We do not object to the cathedral having the additional facilities that it needs to prosper, but there are more suitable and less sensitive locations, including land and buildings owned by the church which could be developed to meet its needs.”

The annex planning application will be considered by the Skipton and Ripon Constituency Planning Committee of North Yorkshire Council  in the New Year, at a meeting due to be held in Ripon.

The Stray Ferret will cover the crucial meeting and any significant developments that take place beforehand.

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Taxpayers bear multi-million pound losses on Harrogate’s vacant Royal Baths

The long-term vacancy of two prime retail units in Harrogate’s Royal Baths has cost the taxpayer almost £1 million in lost rent and service charges, the Stray Ferret can reveal.

North Yorkshire County Council paid £9.5 million for the Grade II listed building in 2018. A current council report has valued it at £7 million and forecasts it to generate an investment return of just 1.64%.

But in addition to the £2.5 million decline in property value, the long-term vacancy of both buildings is haemorrhaging lost rental income each month.

A year ago today (December 9, 2022) the council evicted the owners of the Viper Rooms nightclub — one of four commercial units it lets in the Royal Baths.

The venue has stood empty since, despite repeated claims by the council of “significant interest”.

The former Potting Shed bar, which along with the JD Wetherspoon pub and Royal Baths Chinese Restaurant make up the other commercial units, has been empty since the council acquired the historic complex five years ago.

The Stray Ferret asked North Yorkshire Council, which succeeded North Yorkshire County Council in April this year, about the cost of the ongoing vacancies.

A council statement said rent for the Viper Rooms premises “would have been in the region of £90,000 since December last year”.

It added maintenance for the building is covered by a service charge which is approximately £75,000.

The council added no business rates are payable due to an exemption for the premises as a listed asset.

As for the Potting Shed space, the council said the original rent was £125,000 a year when the county council acquired the vacant unit in 2018. That figure represents a loss of £625,000 over five years.

The vacant former Potting Shed unit.

It did not give a figure for the loss of service charge income at the Potting Shed but said no business rates were payable on either premises due to an exemption for them being a listed asset.

The council said “no agent’s fees have been paid at this time” to Savils, which has been marketing the Viper Rooms, adding any fee “will be made when the unit has been let”.

Asked why it was taking so long to find a Viper Rooms tenant, despite the apparent interest, the council said:

“The leisure market continues to be highly variable. Savills has conducted a significant number of viewings, and we do now have offers for both vacant units.

“An offer for the Viper Rooms unit has been accepted while the offer for the Potting Shed is due to be considered shortly.

“The situation of having vacant units is by no means unique and is a widespread issue nationally following the impact of the covid pandemic and the cost of living situation.

“Harrogate’s Royal Baths do, however, cover their costs and the council has not had to use funds from alternative budgets to support the asset.”

Council urged to “get their act together”

Former Conservative councillor Richard Musgrave branded the Royal Baths an “under-performing trophy asset” in 2021 because of the sum paid and returns generated.

The continued loss of rental income since, the depreciation of the value of the asset and its low investment returns has again raised questions about the council’s business acumen.

The Royal Baths forecasted return of 1.64% is by far the lowest in the council’s portfolio.

Cllr Stuart Parsons, leader of the Independent group on Conservative-controlled North Yorkshire Council, said the situation was “extremely concerning”. He said:

“The council really ought to get their act together and get it sorted immediately.

“A 1.64% return on investment is very low. They could have put the money in the bank and got just under 5%.”

Cllr Parsons said the newly formed council was still going through its investment portfolio to decide which assets to keep.

The Royal Baths complex

Tom Gordon, the Liberal Democrat candidate for Harrogate and Knaresborough at the next general election, said:

“North Yorkshire Council’s approach to business and investment in Harrogate is disappointing, and we deserve better.

“The continued cuts to local government from the Conservative government have left local authorities scrambling to buy up investment properties as new revenue streams. Often they do not have the skills of expertise to make a success of such investments, and we can see how that plays out first hand with the Royal Baths as one example.

“Their approach has been shortsighted, resulted in the loss of local businesses, and decreased the value of the assets they purchased. Someone should be accountable for this decision.”

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Asked to respond to claims that it lacks the commercial acumen to run businesses, the council said:

“North Yorkshire Council has a wide range of skills among its own staff, but also recognises that external support is necessary for assets that are more complex. A number of external professionals assist the council in managing this asset is the best interests of local residents and taxpayers.”

Paul Kinsey, who owned the Viper Rooms, has been locked in protracted negotiations with the council over the fixtures and fittings, declined to comment.

 

Councillors approve Simon Graeme garage expansion near Hampsthwaite

Councillors have granted planning permission for a new MOT and servicing building at a garage near Hampsthwaite.

North Yorkshire Council’s Skipton and Ripon planning committee met on Tuesday in Ripon to consider an application from Simon Graeme Auto Services Centre, which has operated at Graystone Plain Lane off the A59 for 30 years.

The current garage is located within the Nidderdale National Landscape (formerly called the AONB), which has strict planning laws.

The proposed new building, which would house two MOT bays and five servicing bays, sits on land just outside the National Landscape.

Plans were brought before councillors at the previous meeting in November but a decision was deferred following a request for more information about around planting, drainage and renewable energy.

At the previous meeting, Mr Graeme told councillors that the new building would future-proof his family business and allow it to service and repair electric vehicles.

Since November, an updated landscape plan and strategy has been submitted to the council, as has a drainage report and proposals to add solar panels to the site.

It was enough to satisfy councillors who unanimously approved the plans with Ripon Minster and Moorside Cllr Andrew Williams describing the changes as a “victory for common sense”.

He said:

“What we’ve now arrived at is a sensible position which everyone can hopefully subscribe to.

“It’s important the countryside isn’t a museum, it’s a place where people can live and work.”

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VIDEO: First look at new £17.5m Knaresborough leisure centre

Knaresborough Leisure Centre opens to the public next Monday, December 11.

However, the Stray Ferret had a sneak peek this morning.

The Knaresborough site includes a six-lane 25-metre pool, a leisure pool and slide and a 60-station fitness suite.

There is also a studio for group fitness classes, a group cycling studio, a sauna and steam room, and a café.

The sauna.

A children’s outdoor play area is still in the works but is expected to open in January 2024.

The leisure centre has been built next to the former Knaresborough swimming pool, which was built in 1990.

It was last refurbished 20 years ago. Its opening marks a third addition to the local Brimhams Active centres.

The steam room.

Knaresborough Leisure Centre is a North Yorkshire Council-led project.

It is part of a £47.9 million investment into leisure provisions, which also include the newly developed Harrogate Leisure and Wellness Centre and the Jack Laugher Leisure and Wellness Centre in Ripon.

The site offers immersive spin classes.

Cllr Simon Myers, executive councillor for culture, arts and housing at North Yorkshire Council, told the Stray Ferret today:

“You come over the brow of the hill in Knaresborough and see the leisure centre building – it is such an attractive building.

“It sits so well in its space, it’s full of light and the facilities are fantastic.

“This is what local authorities can achieve. It’s a real asset to Knaresborough.”

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£1m Hookstone pollution penalty should have been spent in Harrogate, says councillor

A £1 million penalty paid by Yorkshire Water for polluting Hookstone Beck should have been awarded to a Harrogate group, according to the local councillor.

Yorkshire Water said last week it had agreed to pay £500,000 to York-based Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and £500,000 to Pateley Bridge-based Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust.

The payments were to atone for an unauthorised sewage discharge that polluted Harrogate’s Hookstone Beck in 2016 and killed fish.

Cllr Pat Marsh, a Liberal Democrat who represents Stray, Woodlands and Hookstone on North Yorkshire Council, said the money could have paid for “desperately needed” repairs in Hookstone Woods.

A photo of cloudy water in Hookstone Beck caused by pollution from an unauthorised sewage release by Yorkshire Water.

Cloudy water in Hookstone Beck caused by Yorkshire Water’s pollution.

Cllr Marsh, who is also chairman of Hookstone and Stonefall Action Group, said she was “outraged” by the pollution and the decision to spend the penalty elsewhere, without consulting local councillors, “rubbed salt in the wounds”.

She said volunteers at HASAG, who look after the Pan Handle, Stonefall Park and Hookstone Wood, were trying to raise money to rebuild the willow bridge that connects two ponds in Hookstone Wood.

Cllr Marsh said:

“This is so close to where the spill occurred. Why shouldn’t they be supported rather than some area not even in the Harrogate area?

“Consultation with Harrogate councillors should have happened. Again this is another reason why we need a Harrogate Town Council. So we suffer the mess and receive nothing to compensate.”

Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust will use the funding on developing the iNidd campaign to improve the River Nidd.

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Plans to convert ‘unviable’ pub near Pateley Bridge refused

Plans to convert an “unviable” 110-year-old former pub near Pateley Bridge into a holiday home have been refused.

The Birch Tree, at Lupton Bank in Glasshouses, closed in March 2020.

Planning permission was granted to convert the majority of the pub into three holiday flats while retaining a small public bar.

A subsequent application to convert the remaining pub into a two-bedroom cottage has now been refused.

Planning documents by Dacre Banks-based firm Yarntex Two said the building had attracted “no local interest or expressions of interest from further afield”.

They added:

“Sadly, there appears to be no viable future for the pub and provision of a further holiday cottage to supplement and enhance the others is surely the best option for the building.”

But North Yorkshire Council rejected the proposal this week.

The council said it was “not satisfied that the pub has been marketed at a suitable value”. Pateley Bridge Town Council had raised the same concern during the consultation period.

North Yorkshire Council’s decision report added:

“No details have been provided of the sales particulars, value it has been marketed at and original sale price. Additionally trading accounts, license details and opening hours have not been provided. Marketing of the pub has not continued for 12 consecutive months.”

It also said the interior of the pub had been stripped, which would “put off potential buyers” and no attempt had been made to market the pub for alternative community uses.

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