In this article, which is part of a series on the 12 stories in the Harrogate district that shaped 2023, we’re looking at road safety.

The issue of road safety came under the Stray Ferret’s spotlight a lot this year.

With several fatal and serious crashes, campaigns for 20mph speed limit zones and “landmark” road safety packages, it has been a year of ups and downs on our highways.

20mph speed limits

Pannal Ash and Oatlands

A collision that left two school students with serious injuries prompted a group of Harrogate parents to bolster plans to implement 20mph speed zones around parts of the town.

The incident, which happened in February, left two 15-year-old Rossett School pupils requiring several operations and hospital treatment for months after.

Following the collision, the group, who were already campaigning for such change, amped up their efforts.

They set up a petition, which called for a ‘safe streets zone’, consisting of a blanket 20mph speed limit across the Rossett, Pannal Ash, Oatlands, Woodlands and Hookstone areas.

It attracted more than 900 signatures and caught the attention of 13 education leader and local councillors, who joined forces with the group and urged North Yorkshire Council to take action.

The petition was delivered to the council in May.

Hazel Peacock, who spearheaded the campaign and delivered the petition on behalf of the group, told the Stray Ferret on the day:

“We’re just delighted we’ve got this number of signatures. It shows the support for the proposal of this change, which could bring such positive benefits from a road safety perspective.

“Once you have that, it will change people’s attitudes in regard to comfort around walking, cycling and mobility users.”

The road safety group.

Woodfield Road

The council also recommended a separate 20mph speed limit plan for Woodfield Road in the Bilton area of Harrogate.

The project, funded through the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner’s AJ1 project road safety fund, will see the introduction of traffic calming measures, including speed cushions and a 20mph speed limit.

Cllr Paul Haslam, a Conservative who represents Bilton and Nidd Gorge, told the Stray Ferret in November the measures were being taken “for the safety of children” ahead of the former Woodfield Road Community Primary School re-opening.

The school, which closed at the end of last year, is due to reopen as a secondary school for 80 autistic children in September 2024.

No further updates have been revealed since publication.

‘Landmark’ package unveiled

Following calls for change, North Yorkshire Council unveiled plans for the county’s largest ever “landmark” 20mph zone in September.

It proposed extensive reduced speed limit zones across the Pannal Ash and Oatlands areas of the town, which included Arthurs Avenue, Oatlands Drive, Yew Tree Lane and Cromwell Road.

It covered seven Harrogate schools in line with the parents’ wishes.

These were Harrogate Grammar School, Rossett Acre Primary School, Rossett School, Ashville College, St Aidan’s Church of England High School, Oatlands Junior School and Oatlands Infants School.

Cllr Keane Duncan, the Conservative executive member for highways and transport, said at the time:

“This is the most significant 20mph zone the council has ever introduced.

“Our plan will see 20mph limits introduced outside seven more schools and on nearby residential streets, meaning thousands of children can enjoy safer journeys every day.

“This landmark proposal is testament to the collective determination of schools, families and councillors to respond to public concerns and deliver ambitious action. It sets a positive example and leads the way for communities across North Yorkshire.”

Cllr Keane Duncan.

Headteacher called for Otley Road to be included

After the package was announced, Neil Renton, headteacher at Harrogate Grammar School (HGS), called for a section of Otley Road to also be included in the 20mph zone.

Arthurs Avenue and surrounding side roads were set to be included in the reduced speed limit zone to protect HGS pupils, however Mr Renton said the zone should be extended to include the busy B6162 Otley Road where pupils enter the school.

He said this is a key route in-and-out of town and currently has a limit of 30mph.

The call came after council officers published a report ahead of a Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency meeting, during which Mr Renton’s concerns were expressed, which stated the “volume of traffic” on the road would mean it would not be possible to implement the 20mph speed limit.

Plans rejected

Despite hopes of change from teachers, councillors and campaigners, North Yorkshire Council rejected plans to include some of the main roads in the 20mph zone.

Following a December meeting, it appeared Leeds Road, Wetherby Road, Otley Road, Hookstone Road, Hookstone Drive, York Place and Leadhall Lane would not be included in the plan.

A report due before Cllr Duncan said the main roads were either identified as “strategic distributor” or “main distributor” roads, adding:

“Practically given the recognised role in the strategic network and their function to carry high volumes of traffic between primary destinations it is not considered appropriate to implement physical traffic calming features and an associated speed reduction to 20mph.”

Meanwhile, the council said Leadhall Lane  “does not have identified destination points such as schools, shops or sports centre” and a 20mph limit would be “difficult to achieve”.

A map of the 20mph areas in Pannal and Oatlands. Picture: North Yorkshire Council.

‘Incredibly disappointed’

Christopher Harrison, headteacher at Oatlands Infant School, said he was “incredibly disappointed” with the news.

He hoped the council would reconsider and reduce the speed limit on Hookstone Road to 20mph from 30mph, adding:

“As headteacher of Oatlands Infant School, I am incredibly disappointed by the decision to keep Hookstone Road at 30mph.

“We have a healthy, active school community who love to walk, cycle and scooter to school alongside Hookstone Road on a daily basis.

“We worry that the current speed limit of 30mph is not safe enough for our children, and that a reduction to 20mph would enable more families to travel to school in safety. We hope that North Yorkshire Council reconsider this decision with our youngest, most vulnerable members of our community in mind.”

But Mr Harrison was not alone in his concern, as campaigner Hazel Peacock also urged the council to reconsider. She said:

“For the safety and well-being of the 9,000 school children and the wider community in Oatlands and Pannal Ash we urge North Yorkshire Council to reconsider the inclusion of Hookstone Road, Hookstone Drive, Leadhall Lane, part of Leeds Rd (A61), Otley Rd (B6162), Wetherby Road (A661) and York Place (A6040) as 20mph in the Harrogate (south and west) 20mph Speed Limit review to be considered by Cllr Keane Duncan, North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for highways and transportation and mayoral candidate, on Monday 18th December.

“Without the inclusion of Hookstone Road, Hookstone Drive, Otley Road and part of Wetherby Road specifically only five of the nine schools in the zone will be fully covered with 20mph roads immediately surrounding them; leaving St John Fishers Catholic High School and Willow Tree Primary School on 30mph roads and a combination of 30mph and 20mph in the case of Harrogate Grammar School and Oatlands Infant School.”

Next steps

The authority recommended the scheme, which is estimated to cost £200,000, proceed to consultation on traffic regulation orders for the areas proposed to be reduced to 20mph.

The recommendation was approved following an environmental meeting on Monday, December 18.

The council said in its decision:

“Approval given to allow officers to proceed; with the necessary consultations and Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) process to seek to implement a 20mph speed limit, together with associated traffic calming measures as identified in the residential roads as outlined in Appendix A of the report and with signing and lining reviews of Hookstone Road, Hookstone Drive and Wetherby Road.”

It said officers are to provide the Harrogate and Knaresborough Area Constituency Committee progress updates in Spring 2024.

The authority added:

“The recommendation aligns with several of the Council’s priorities linked with Highway Safety, Place and Environment and Health and Well Being.

“By introducing a reduced speed limit from 30mph to 20mph in these areas it is hoped that a safer and healthier environment will encourage enhanced active travel opportunities for all ages of the community, this may be walking, wheeling, accessibility to the bus or cycling.

“The introduction of such measures is subject to satisfactory consultation and the completion of the formal Traffic Regulation Order advertising process.”

A bad year for fatal collisions

The Harrogate district has seen several fatal crashes throughout this year, with one road becoming a common denominator in the incidents.

Four out of six fatal collisions happened on the A61, which runs between Ripon and Harrogate, two of which occurred within just eight days of each other.

A 59-year-old motorcyclist was killed on the road on August 29. Officers believe that the motorcyclist was travelling with a group of unknown motorcycles immediately before the collision and he was at the rear of the group.

Just a few days later, three members of a Ukrainian family were killed in a three-vehicle crash that involved a double decker bus on Sunday, September 3. A teenage girl was left orphaned.

Following the collisions, residents of South Stainley called for a speed limit reduction from 60mph to 50mph in October.

Rebecca Brewins, who lives alongside the road and lost her parents in a crash at South Stainley 11 years ago, led the campaign.

She and other residents met Skipton and Ripon MP Julian Smith, who subsequently urged North Yorkshire Council to act.

Richard Flinton, the council’s chief executive, indicated at the time the authority considered taking action.

In a letter to Mr Smith, seen by the Stray Ferret, Mr Flinton wrote:

“The reports for the recent fatal collisions are currently being drafted, but I am able to advise that the road environment was not considered to have been a factor in the cause of either fatal collision

“Therefore, the recommendations are limited to small scale localised improvements, such as the cleaning of road signs and refreshing of white lines.

“Nevertheless, in recognition of community concerns, North Yorkshire Council is currently carrying out a series of speed surveys along the A61, with a view to reducing the speed limit from 60mph to 50mph.

“Whilst mean speeds are unlikely to be excessive, the intention here is to set the expectations of the motorist, of the lack of overtaking opportunities, bends and other hazards associated with a high speed rural road.”

Police at the scene of the triple fatality on Sep 3 2023

Mr Flinton added the council was expected to consult on introducing a traffic regulation order to reduce the speed limit from the national default speed limit of 60mph.

He also said engineers will undertake “a full route analysis of the A61” to identify what else can be done to make the road safer.

Despite hopes of action being taken, another person was killed on the fated road just weeks later.

90-year-old Lucjan Wilk was hit by a car on the road, near Killinghall, after getting off the 36 bus.

His daughter, Paulina, whom he lived with, contacted the Stray Ferret to voice her concerns following her father’s death.

She urged North Yorkshire Council to reduce the speed limit on the “horrendous road”.

As well as suggesting a 30mph speed limit – instead of the current 40mph – Paulina also insisted the council should install proper lighting and introduce other traffic-calming measures, such as speed-indicator display signs.

It appears the requested measures are yet to come to fruition.

Lucjan Wilk was killed on the A61 near Killinghall.

Fatal collisions also happened on Brimham Rocks Road, near Pateley Bridge, North Park Road in Harrogate and the B6265 near Boroughbridge.

Read more:

• Police name victims of fatal A61 crash near Ripon
• Stray Views: Why no 20mph limit outside my children’s primary school?

The retaining wall on Briggate in Knaresborough has been added to the long list of road and bridge repairs recommended for approval by members of North Yorkshire Council environment executive.

The work has been budgeted at £150,000 and is one of nearly 1,000 schemes across the county included in the £45.8 million highways capital programme 2024/25. 

The programme includes 225 schemes in the Harrogate district, ranging from the resurfacing of York Place in the heart of Harrogate to patching work right on the district boundary near Angram reservoir at the top end of Nidderdale. 

The cost of the schemes ranges from various road surface patching works in the Jennyfields area of Harrogate at £362 each, to the resurfacing of Ripon’s Market Place at £330,000. 

The schemes also include work on the bridge over Scot Beck at Thornthwaite, and further work on the landslip on the A59 to Skipton, both costed at £100,000. 

The other scheme in our district that has been added to the list is the resurfacing work on Lancaster Park Road in Harrogate, budgeted at £170,000. 

Schemes worth £3.27 million have been deferred to future years from the 2023/24 annual programme. Those in the Harrogate district include drainage projects at Darley and Beckwithshaw (budgeted at £10,000 and £48,000 respectively) and construction work on Oak Beck Bridge in Harrogate, which has a budget of £1.5 million – by far the most expensive of all the schemes across the whole county. 

The Highways Capital Programme covers the whole of North Yorkshire – which consists of Richmondshire, Hambleton, Scarborough, Ryedale, Craven, Harrogate and Selby areas – and is based on a funding settlement of £40.07 million from the Department of Transport. 

The council’s environment executive recommended that the corporate director for environment approve the programme, in consultation with environment executive member for highways and transportation.

The list of schemes is available here.

Read more:

• No 12: The Great Wall of Briggate saga in Knaresborough
• Decision day approaches for £630,000 Ripon city centre resurfacing scheme
• ‘Unforeseen circumstances’ delay Oak Beck Bridge replacement — again

North Yorkshire Council is set to spend £500,000 on an extension to a blue recycling bin roll out in Harrogate.

The move comes the former Harrogate Borough Council launched a trial of the bins to 12,000 residents in May 2022.

The bin, which are the same size as refuse wheelie bins (240 litre deep), replaced multiple recycling boxes.

A trial was launched shortly after the Stray Ferret highlighted concerns by residents about the amount of recycling left out for collection being blown across streets. It prompted many people to call for the introduction of the more stable bins.

Now, North Yorkshire Council is expected to procure a further 18,000 of the blue bins to be distributed to residents up until April 2024.

A spokesperson for the authority said:

“This is part of our ongoing project to roll out wheeled bins to residents, where required.

“When the seven waste collection authorities came together as part of the new North Yorkshire Council from April 1, 2023, multiple live procurement processes with varying end dates were in place for the supply of waste and recycling containers.

“In 2022/23, the former Harrogate Borough Council conducted a trial of replacing the multiple 55ltr boxes that 12,000 residents had to a 240ltr blue lidded wheeled bin. This was a success with positive feedback from residents, reduced manual handling for collection crews, and a reduction of litter in the trailed areas following windy conditions.”

Read more:

• Video contradicts Harrogate council’s claim about wheelie bins and recycling
• Harrogate council to trial recycling wheelie bins

The move comes after the borough council launched a trial in Knaresborough in May 2022.

Blue-lidded wheelie bin replaced the black box and will be used for glass bottles and jars, tin cans and foil, food and drink cartons, plastic bottles and tubs.

However, blue bags for recycling all paper, card and cardboard continued to be used. These were be replaced with heavy-duty bags for properties that don’t have them.

The authority is also set to procure 1,500 black general waste bins and 732 brown garden waste bins, which will both be used for replacement and new properties.

In this article, which is part of a series on the 12 stories in the Harrogate district that shaped 2023, we look at the Briggate wall in Knaresborough which has caused disruption this year.

When a section of wall came crashing down on the road at Briggate in Knaresborough on September 14, it didn’t seem like that big a deal.

Although the wall runs alongside one of the busiest roads in the town, nobody was hurt. Surely the rubble could be removed and the wall repaired quickly?

What unfolded over the next few months appeared to confirm many people’s fears about the slow and unresponsive nature of local bureaucracy.

In the aftermath of the collapse, it emerged North Yorkshire Council had been warned about the state of the wall on multiple occasions.

Briggate resident Catherine Rogerson told the Stray Ferret she and others had flagged up concerns the wall was buckling. Ms Rogerson said:

“I said it was an emergency and could collapse, causing a nasty accident.”

Cllr Hannah Gostlow, a Liberal Democrat who represents Knaresborough East, wrote to the council as long ago as June last year warning several old stone walls in Knaresborough needed “investigating and possibly monitoring for safety”, and “could potentially be a risk to life and also their repair could cause significant congestion in the town”. Briggate, she said was top of the list.

Cllr Gostlow, who is the current Knaresborough mayor, told the Stray Ferret:

“This issue was widely known about by residents and councillors.”

Yet the council failed to respond to questions and a freedom of information request by the Stray Ferret about whether it had been warned or release a safety report that was apparently compiled on the wall.

Cllr Gostlow’s email proved prescient: the rubble remained on the road for almost three months, causing two-way traffic lights that led to lengthy delays on a key route in and out of town.

The sight of a pile of stones causing tailbacks not only provided a daily source of irritation, particularly for motorists, and fuelled a sense of council officers in Northallerton distant from the daily problems. Hairdresser Kelly Teggin summed up the mood when she said:

“I don’t believe in this day and age nothing can be done to get both lanes back open as soon as possible.”

It wasn’t as simple as it seemed: Karl Battersby, the council’s corporate director for environment, said on November 22 that some cellars belonging to residents had been impacted by the collapsed wall and consequently the “works are now more complex than first anticipated”.

But frustration continued to grow. There were even rumours of residents literally taking the matter into their own hands by turning up to remove the rubble, but this never materialised. The traffic lights were still there during Knaresborough Christmas Market Weekend when there is usually a moratorium of roadworks in the town.

Pic: Knaresborough and District Chamber

Finally, on November 27 work began and by mid-December the section of collapsed wall had been repaired to widespread acclaim at the quality of finish. The traffic lights were removed but the saga is far from over.

Further maintenance work along the rest of the wall is due to take place at an unspecified date in the new year — meaning the traffic lights will be back.

Cllr Matt Walker who represents Knaresborough West described the council’s handling of the saga as “wholly inadequate”. He said:

“The council have avoided answering questions including providing a safety report that was done days before the wall fell. I wonder why?

“A full investigation needs to be done to understand why it happened in the first place and lessons learned. Residents have lost faith in the highways team to do anything and so have I.”

Knaresborough may have been spared the peril of buildings made of crumbling concrete but the town’s crumbling walls could prove to be equally difficult to fix.

Read more:

• Knaresborough named as up-and-coming British destination
• Briggate wall repair brings Christmas respite to Knaresborough
• Council silent on claims it ignored safety warnings on collapsed Knaresborough wall

Tesco has revealed its latest plans for the firm’s forthcoming Harrogate supermarket.

The company received outline planning permission in February to build a store, petrol station and a 209-space car park on the site of the former gas works at the junction of Skipton Road and King’s Road.

It has now submitted details of the measures it proposes to take to mitigate against the ecological impact, as well as a flood risk assessment and a risk assessment relating to a high pressure gas pipeline on site.

The ecological mitigation plan, compiled by Oxfordshire firm Aspect Ecology on behalf of Tesco, says “initial vegetation clearance works are proposed to be undertaken during January to March 2024”, prior to the bird nesting season. It adds:

“The majority of the habitats present within the site are of limited ecological value, and a large proportion of these habitats are to be replaced by development or landscaping under the permitted development.

“The mature trees, woodland and watercourse are of greater ecological value and will be largely retained within the permitted scheme.”

The report says measures will be implemented to safeguard species such as hedgehogs.

An artist’s impression of how the Tesco will look.

Oak Beck runs along the eastern boundary of the three-hectare site, which will be accessed off Skipton Road.

The flood risk assessment prepared by London firm Pinnacle Consulting Engineers on behalf of Tesco assesses the flood risk to be low on the majority of the land but high on a ‘proportionately small area in the north of the site’.

It says the area is currently a mixture of asphalt, concrete, and grassed surfaces.

The report concludes:

“The site is at a low risk of flooding from all sources except for fluvial flooding in the north and south of the site.

“The fluvial flooding in the north of the site will not pose a significant risk to the development. The fluvial flooding in the south is associated with an old gas tank and will be regraded as part of the development and therefore will no longer pose a flooding issue.

“Overall, the proposed development is appropriate from a flood risk perspective and the sequential test.”

Read more:

• Tesco agrees to pay £50,000 for Harrogate bus stop improvements
• Still no start date for work on new Harrogate Tesco
• Harrogate woman jailed for chasing supermarket staff with drug needle

The gas pipe assessment, conducted by Essex firm MJC Environmental Services on behalf of Tesco, concludes “risk levels are considered to be as low as reasonably practicable and further risk mitigation is not required”.

The latest details have been submitted to North Yorkshire Council as reserved matters planning applications.

The outline permission granted in February established the principle of development for the site; the reserved matters applications determine the layout and design.

The council must now decide whether to accept the reserved matters applications.

The cost of repairing the wall on Briggate in Knaresborough is set to reach £200,000 — and require another 10 weeks of roadworks.

A section of the wall collapsed in September and was finally fixed this month after weeks of two-way traffic lights.

North Yorkshire Council had been warned by multiple residents about the state of the wall and Cllr Hannah Gostlow said last year it “could potentially be a risk to life”.

The collapsed wall

A structural report undertaken just two days before the wall collapsed said there was a seven-metre section that should be treated as “high priority”.

The section of wall between number 77 and The Wellington Inn is now due to be repaired in the new year.

It means roadworks, and two-way traffic lights, will recommence on January 8 and last for 10 weeks. This will enable work to take down and rebuild some sections of the wall, de-weed the wall and repoint it.

North Yorkshire Council has so far spent £35,000 repairing the collapsed section of wall and £15,000 on temporary traffic lights.

The latest details were revealed by Liberal Democrat councillors Hannah Gostlow and Matt Walker, who represent Knaresborough East and Knaresborough West respectively on the council. They were given the update by a council officer this week.

Councillors Gostlow and Walker

Cllrs Gostlow and Walker issued a joint press release saying there was a similar situation with a wall on Vicarage Lane that collapsed a few years ago down the side of Knaresborough House.

They blamed “years of under investment in basic infrastructure by the Conservative-led administration” at North Yorkshire Council.

Read more:

• Council said Knaresborough wall was safe three times before it collapsed
• Briggate wall repair brings Christmas respite to Knaresborough
• Knaresborough man issues puddle warning after dog dies

Cllr Walker said:

“I was absolutely disgusted that this appalling lack of neglect by the council will cost the local taxpayers just short of £200,000.

“It’s disappointing that the council didn’t use a local construction company. Having spoken to a local construction engineer and builder who told me they could do it for a third of the money, this would have represented much value for money.”

The councillors said they would ask for a meeting with the council’s head of highways to review this case and ensure a similar situation doesn’t happen again.

North Yorkshire Council assessed a wall in Knaresborough to be safe three times in the weeks before it collapsed, the Stray Ferret has discovered.

The wall on Briggate crashed on to the highway during the afternoon of September 14. Although it is one of the main routes in Knaresborough, nobody was hurt.

It has now emerged the council had received three complaints about the state of the wall in the weeks leading up to the incident.

The complaints said the wall was crumbling, damaged by weeds and plants and was leaning with mortar fallen out.

Highways officers inspected it on June 5, July 25 and August 10 — just five weeks before it fell. On each occasion they deemed it to be safe.

Here are some photos of the wall taken by the council shortly before it gave way.

The Stray Ferret submitted a freedom of information request to the council on October 18 asking how many members of the public had complained about the wall after Briggate resident Catherine Rogerson told us concerns raised by her and others had been ignored. The response was received yesterday (December 20) — well outside the 20 working days target.

In addition to the complaints by the public, Cllr Hannah Gostlow, a Liberal Democrat who represents Knaresborough East, told the council in June last year the wall “could potentially be a risk to life”.  Yet no remedial work was conducted.

The council even undertook a safety report into the state of the wall on September 11, just three days before it caved in.

Based on the findings of a senior engineer and bridge manager, the report — released with redactions following our freedom of information request — assessed all areas of work required to be low or medium priority, except for a leaning seven-metre section.

The wall as it looks now. Pic: Knaresborough and District Chamber

The report said this section should be taken down and rebuilt as “high priority and should be completed as soon as is reasonably practicable”. It added the “wall should be monitored weekly at a minimum to identify any further degradation or change in condition”.

Three days water the wall collapsed and the rubble remained on the road for about three months, which caused traffic lights.

Repair work finally began at the end of November and the collapsed section has now been restored and the traffic lights removed. but they are expected to return in January when the rest of the wall undergoes repair.

Read more:

• Briggate wall repair brings Christmas respite to Knaresborough
• Council silent on claims it ignored safety warnings on collapsed Knaresborough wall
• Knaresborough man issues puddle warning after dog dies

Campaigners have called on North Yorkshire Council to “step up” its divestment from fossil fuel companies.

Fossil Free North Yorkshire, which was set up in 2020, has called on the authority to reinvest its pension fund into sustainable projects.

The fund receives contributions from staff at 160 firms, plus past and present public sector workers.

Campaigners said they had met the council’s pension fund committee on a number of occasions and welcomed a reduction in investments to about 1.8% of the total fund, but argued it still represented nearly £76m.

Read more:

• Harrogate’s Royal Baths: the council’s under-performing ‘trophy investment’
• Harrogate nightclub Viper Rooms closes suddenly
• Viper Rooms owner says Harrogate landlords need to ‘get real’ with rent

Dr Margaret Jackson, from Fossil Free North Yorkshire, said the recent COP 28 meeting in Dubai had signalled a transition away from oil, gas and coal.

Local campaigners wrote to all North Yorkshire councillors calling on them to support the case for divestment by the council pension fund committee from fossil fuels and their reinvestment into sustainable projects.

Dr Jackson said:

“Although the outcome of the recent COP in UAE was felt to be disappointing by many, it did signal, with the ‘transition away from fossil fuels’, the beginning of the end of coal, oil and gas. 

“Pension funds and other investors should take note and move away from these investments before they become stranded.”

In response, Gary Fielding, treasurer of the North Yorkshire pension fund, said the fund had already committed investment in renewable projects.

He said:

“The North Yorkshire Pension Fund has its own responsible investment policy which sets out an approach to managing assets that take environmental, social and governance factors into account in investment decision-making and the role an investor plays as an active asset owner. 

“We are also working with our principal investment manager, Border to Coast Pensions Partnership, on developing targets and policies. As a shareholder of Border to Coast, we are aligned with their net zero target of 2050 or sooner. 

“Our pension fund has also committed further investment to the Borders to Coast Infrastructure Fund, which holds an ever-increasing range of renewable energy investments in the UK and abroad, which includes wind farm and solar power farms, geothermal energy plants and energy from waste facilities.”

The Royal Horticultural Society has tabled plans for a major redevelopment of its service yard at Harlow Carr in Harrogate.

The organisation plans to build a workshop and machinery store, composting store, staff welfare building, events store, poly tunnel and glasshouse on the site.

In proposals lodged to North Yorkshire Council, the RHS said the redevelopment would help to support the “operation of the garden in a highly sustainable way”.

It added that the current facilities at the service yard were “nearing the end of their economic life” and in poor condition.

The site would continue to be used for horticultural support staff at the gardens, the documents added.

In plans submitted to the council, it said:

“As an existing operational site, the redevelopment of the horticultural service yard will improve the functionality and sustainability of the RHS garden. 

“The design of the proposal will support the objectives of the Harrogate Local Plan to support business and tourism expansion in existing locations, whilst respecting and improving the character of the wider landscape and positively enhancing the natural and built environment.”

The Stray Ferret contacted the RHS to ask how much the redevelopment would cost.

In response, a spokesperson for the RHS said:

“The RHS has numerous projects to develop all of our sites. At RHS Garden Harlow Carr, we are improving our existing nursery and staff facilities to make them more efficient, and therefore more sustainable and greener.

“We are unable to give an estimate on costs due to ongoing discussions with proposed contractors.”

North Yorkshire Council will make a decision on the plan at a later date.

Read more:

• RHS Harlow Carr to fell 33 trees as part of plans to reopen Harrogate Arms
• RHS Harlow Carr to pay Harrogate council to divert footpath

North Yorkshire Council has approved plans to convert a former guest house in Harrogate into seven flats.

Leeds-based Abbeycrown Ltd tabled proposals to the council to change the property at 6 Dragon Parade, which is known as Dragon House, into co-living accommodation.

In documents submitted the council, the developer said the guest house had seen a downturn in trade during the covid pandemic.

It added that, as a result, the property was “unviable as a guest house”.

The proposal would see the building converted into a seven-bedroom house of multiple occupation.

The developer said in its planning statement:

“The applicant is looking to address the need of high quality co-living facilities in the area to create rooms for professionals and public sector workers.”

It added that tenants would be “fully vetted and verified people” and would not have a detrimental impact on the surrounding area and neighbours.

A house in multiple occupation is a property rented out by at least three people who are not from the same household, but share facilities such as a kitchen and bathroom.

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