Metal fences have been put up to prevent people entering the pavilion in Harrogate’s Crescent Gardens.

The fences, which appeared this morning, were erected following a two-week occupation of the pavilion by a group of rough sleepers this month.

The group set up camp in the pavilion and have returned at least twice since they were dispersed last Friday in an operation carried out by North Yorkshire Council and North Yorkshire Police

The encampment led nearby residents to express concerns about anti-social behaviour and a lack of action from the council and police.

The pavilion encampment

How it looks this morning.

Read more:

• Rough sleepers return to Harrogate’s Crescent Gardens
• Crescent Gardens rough sleepers offered accommodation ‘daily’, council says

The group returned to the pavilion on Sunday evening and again on Tuesday morning — but were removed again both times.

The Stray Ferret asked North Yorkshire Council earlier this week what legal powers it used to disperse the people in the pavilion and what action it planned to take to prevent repeat occupations but has not yet received a response.

The Conservatives have strengthened their grip on North Yorkshire Council with a by-election win.

Egg farmer David Hugill took the Hutton Rudby and Osmotherley division yesterday with 48 per cent of the vote.

Liberal Democrat Duncan Russell, a former army major, was second with 38 per cent and Green Party candidate Allan Mortimer received 12 per cent of the votes.

Yorkshire Party candidate Lee Derrick got about one per cent in the by-election, in which 39 per cent of the 5,077 electorate turned out.

Last night’s official results.

The result, which appeared to come as a huge relief to party members attending the count at Northallerton Civic Centre, means the decades-long Conservative control of County Hall, with half of the 90 elected members, is re-established.

The Tories have shored up support this year by entering into an agreement with three independent councillors, including Ripon Minster and Moorside Cllr Andrew Williams.

Mr Hugill had been a Tory councillor for part of the division for many years, but lost out in a party selection to fellow Conservative Hambleton District councillor Bridget Fortune ahead of the May 2022 election, which saw him lose by 249 votes to Mrs Fortune.

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The by-election was triggered by the resignation of Cllr Fortune, amid allegations over her treatment by some members of the party.

Senior council officers are still considering a complaint over an incident in the council chamber in May, in which Lower Wensleydale councillor and Conservative whip Tom Jones was said to have tried to prevent Cllr Fortune from voting.

Leading North Yorkshire Conservatives, including North Yorkshire Council leader Carl Les and the party’s mayoral candidate Cllr Keane Duncan warmly congratulated Mr Hugill on his victory after the late-night count.

In his acceptance speech, Cllr Hugill said the campaign had “been dominated by so-called Tory in-fighting” and called for it to be ended.

More Afghan refugees are to be housed in Harrogate and Ripon following an urgent request from the Home Office.

North Yorkshire Council has approved the use of eight Ministry of Defence properties in the county — but also flagged up concerns about the pressure on its housing stock.

Six of the new homes are in Catterick and one each is in Harrogate and Ripon.

A council report cited humanitarian concerns as the reason for agreeing to the request and said eight properties “would be manageable in relation to school places, integration support and English language classes”.

But it added:

“Caution is necessary in relation to accommodating more than eight additional households.

“Existing housing pressures in the county need to be considered alongside the fact that North Yorkshire Council is responsible for finding move-on housing for the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy households in the service family accommodation properties should they wish to stay in North Yorkshire.”

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The Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy, which was implemented in April 2021, entitles Afghan citizens who worked for or with the UK in Afghanistan and their partners and children to relocate to the UK.

The report said North Yorkshire had resettled 175 people from 45 Afghanistan households under the scheme since February 2021 and had also received over 1,300 Homes for Ukraine arrivals since spring 2022 , “some of whom are requiring move-on housing in the county following the end of their sponsorship period”.

Rachel Joyce, the council’s assistant chief executive local engagement, said:

“There are specific timelines for this process, however, the Ministry of Defence have identified eight properties in total in Harrogate, Ripon and Catterick Garrison which would provide safe and suitable accommodation for eligible Afghan refugee families.

“Families will be matched to the properties giving them the independence, space and privacy they require. It’s also a chance for them to integrate with the local community and play a part in community life.

“We are unable to reveal the exact addresses of the properties at this stage.”

A section of the A59 at Kex Gill is set to be closed for five weeks in October as a £500,000 resurfacing scheme is carried out.

North Yorkshire Council will carry out the work on the road to the west of Harrogate between Church Hill and Pace Gate.

The road will be closed from Monday, October 9, for the resurfacing to be carried out. Advance warning signs and a signed diversion will be in place.

Work will take place on a section of the A59 which is next to the council’s £68.8 million Kex Gill re-route project.

Council officers will also be carrying out essential stabilising works to the slope of the existing road as well as drainage repairs, gully-clearing, refreshing lining, replacing cat’s eyes and maintenance of the ground monitoring equipment.

Cllr Keane Duncan, executive councillor for highways and transport at the council, said:

“Keeping our roads in the best condition for the money that we have available is one of the biggest challenges that we face, so the additional government investment is making a huge difference to this year’s highways budget.

“It is allowing us to complete even more works than expected, including this key section of the A59.

“Kex Gill has a history of landslips, and the route has had to be closed a total of 12 times in the past 22 years. We must stabilise the slope near the existing road to avoid any lengthy closures over the next two years whilst the new road is constructed.

“Although there is never a good time to carry out such works, they need to be completed before the inclement winter weather hits.

“We have also timed the other essential works during the five-week period to avoid further closures and have been liaising with neighbouring authorities to ensure an appropriate diversion route has been set up and agreed.”

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The move comes as the council is constructing a new road off the A59 at Kex Gill after a series of landslips.

The Department for Transport is providing grant funding of £56.1 million for the £68.8 million Kex Gill re-alignment project, with the remaining £12.7 million allocated from North Yorkshire Council’s capital reserves.

A new four-kilometre stretch of road will be created, replacing an existing part of the A59 which has been affected by the landslips. 

The re-aligned route will leave the A59 at North Moor Road and re-join the existing road at Blubberhouses. It is due to be completed by autumn 2025.

Developers held a drop-in session yesterday to discuss their latest plans for a 25-home scheme in the Kingsley area of Harrogate.

Quarters Kingsley received planning permission to build up to 30 homes on the site of the former chicken farm at Kingsley Farm in January.

The company, based in Felliscliffe, is now preparing to submit a reserved matters planning application to North Yorkshire Council, which seeks to finalise details such as the layout, design and appearance.

Development director David Williams and architect Nigel Jacques displayed a proposed site design and answered questions at Starbeck Community Library between 4pm and 8pm at yesterday’s event.

Starbeck Community Library

It revealed Quarters Kingsley plans to build a new road off Kingsley Road, which would provide access to 20 of the properties. The other five would be served by a road off Hawthorn Place.

The main access road would be supplemented by short private roads leading to clusters of houses, which unlike many developments will not be built in straight lines. Each cluster will include a range of two- to five-bed properties.

The proposed design would retain an ancient woodland and also include an orchard and five-metre “ecological edge” at the site boundary to encourage wildlife such as badgers. However, three trees would be felled.

Mr Jacques said the amenities and “blended” nature of the design would make it a desirable place to live and open up private land for local access. He added:

“We want to provide a true community site that cuts across age and financial stature.”

Mr Williams said the fact Quarters Kingsley planned to build 25 homes rather than the permitted 30 highlighted it was willing to listen to concerns.

He added:

“We are a local developer with a genuine and sincere desire to deliver something unique.”

Some 600 new houses have been approved in the Kingsley area in recent years and residents have expressed frustration about the long-term impact of so much development.

Mr Jacques and Mr Williams declined to discuss concerns about the level of development in Kingsley but said they were keen to engage with local people before submitting the reserved matters application.

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“The restoration will enable us to reveal classical features, such as stunning stained glass windows and ornate tiles dating back to the elegant Edwardian era, that have been covered up since 1936 when the site was remodelled to include a public swimming pool.

“These features are part of Ripon’s heritage and will be freely accessible for people to see in the pump room area, which will be open for the community to visit.”

The proposed north (top) and west elevations.

“We have carried out a great deal of research into the history of the spa to produce a scheme that re-establishes the seamless link that it previously had with Spa Gardens.

“The new buildings have been designed to be sympathetic to, and respectful of, their historic surroundings.”

Rhe distinctive terracota cladding.

England footballer Rachel Daly will return to her former school in Harrogate next week to open sports pitches re-named in her honour.

Tim Milburn, headteacher at Rossett School, said it was a “no brainer” to rename the 3G pitches at the school’s sports centre following her success in the Lionesses team.

The school announced it would be renaming the pitches in August and has now confirmed Daly will lead the official opening on Thursday, October 5.

School pupils will be able to watch the event but it will not be open to the public.

The girls’ football teams will also play an internal match to mark the occasion.

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Mr Milburn told the Stray Ferret staff hoped to give the homegrown superstar a tour of the school, but added this depended on her schedule.

He said:

“We are delighted to be able to welcome Rachel back to her school.

“She, along with the Lionesses, has been such an inspiration to us all. We are so proud that her journey started here.

“We hope that by naming the pitches after her is not only a great honour to bestow upon her, but it will provide future inspiration for the students of Rossett School and the Harrogate community.”

Daly was a member of the team that won the Women’s Euro 2022 last year and reached the final of this year’s World Cup.

She was named PFA women’s Players’ Player of the Year last month and was awarded the Golden Boot for being the Women’s Super League top scorer last season.

The Stray Ferret is backing a campaign by Killinghall Nomads Junior Football Club, her former club, for Daly to receive a civic honour.

It suggested North Yorkshire Council should rename Harrogate Leisure and Wellness Centre, previously known as The Hydro, but the council has yet to indicate if it will do anything.

You can sign the petition to back the campaign here.

Residents on Knox Lane in Bilton have said community spirit has been “strengthened” after a plan to build 53-homes in the area was rejected.

The proposal, which was tabled by north east developer Jomast, was refused by councillors on North Yorkshire Council’s Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency planning committee yesterday.

It followed concerns about land contamination and the lack of a travel plan for the site, which is alongside a narrow road at the edge of Bilton and not close to a bus route.

The current road serving the site.

The refusal of the plan has been welcomed by residents in the area.

Sue Wrightson, of Keep Knox Natural campaign group, said local people had worked hard to make the council listen to their concerns.

She said:

“Local residents have worked very hard over the last three years to ensure that council officers were aware of the many valid reasons why this development is entirely inappropriate. 

“We have struggled to make them listen and we are very grateful to those planning committee members who have supported our case. 

“Its been a learning curve as far as planning regulations are concerned but we have enjoyed the collaboration of several local experts.

“This whole episode has really strengthened local community spirit and resolve.”

Councillors questioned the plans at a lengthy meeting at Harrogate’s Civic Centre yesterday.

Cllr Paul Haslam, a Conservative who represents Bilton and Nidd Gorge, spoke on behalf of residents at the meeting. He said:

“There have been over 500 objections to this application from residents. Not because they are ‘nimbys’, but because they believe the council is making a mistake.”

Read more:

• Councillors reject plans for 53 homes on Knox Lane
• Contamination concerns delay decision on 53-home Knox Lane site

Liberal Democrats Cllr Chris Aldred and Cllr Hannah Gostlow raised concern that no travel plan had been submitted as part of the application.

Cllr Aldred said “insufficient information” was submitted in regards to a travel plan for councillors to make a decision.

Prior to the meeting, a report by council case officer Andy Hough said the plan was “considered to now be in compliance with development plan policy” and should be approved.

It added that the reasons for deferral at the last meeting would “not form reasonable reasons for refusal”, which indicated Jormast might successfully appeal the decision.

The Stray Ferret has approached Jomast to ask whether it is considering an appeal but had not received a response by the time of publication.

The succession of rural primary school closures across England’s largest county are “only likely to get worse”, a meeting has heard.

Andrew Smith, the Diocese of York’s director of education, issued the bleak warning facing many communities in North Yorkshire as councillors were told some 16 primary schools had closed in the last six years.

The list includes five in the Harrogate district: Woodfield Community Primary School in Harrogate, Burnt Yates Church of England Primary School, Kell Bank Church of England Primary School near Masham, Baldersby St James Church of England Primary School and Skelton Newby Hall Church of England Primary School.

Woodfield Community Primary School closed last year.

The other 11 were at Drax, Horton in Ribblesdale, Rathmell, Ingleby Arncliffe, Swainb, Ings, Arkengarthdale, Clapham, Whitby,  Weaverthorpe and Hovingham.

Mr Smith told a meeting of North Yorkshire Council’s children and families scrutiny committee the diocese was keenly aware of the vulnerability of many rural schools. Dozens of Church of England schools co-run by North Yorkshire Council have fewer than 100 pupils and many have declining pupil numbers.

Councillors heard financial pressures on the county’s smaller schools were rising, with the average school deficit soaring from £16,400 in 2015 to £57,900 this year. Also, the number of primary school age pupils was set to fall in every area of the county except the Selby and Craven areas.

The meeting heard, governors and headteachers were  often forced to make cutbacks to balance the books. This led to decisions that could result in an ‘inadequate’ rating from Ofsted, which automatically triggers moves to convert schools into academies.

Mr Smith said:

“We have known for some time we are going to be facing an oversupply of places and therefore there needs to be a planned way of working to think what happens to schools going forward where we have got over-capacity.

“Over-capacity brings its own financial challenges and that begins a downward spiral with regards to finances.”

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He said as academies legally could not underpin their budgets with deficits as the council could, they were reluctant to take on smaller schools.

Mr Smith said:

“We are in a position where we have to have a closure process for schools because there is no other alternative.

“We are highly reactive in the system and don’t necessarily have a plan for it.

“I think it is only likely to get worse because where the financial projections are going it is likely we are going to face more school closures.

“It is a strategic, systemic problem in a fragmented system.”

Council officers then told the meeting Mr Smith had summed up the situation excellently.

They said the council was examining how it could encourage schools to work together to create “strength in numbers” to prevent the most vulnerable ones finding themselves without an academy sponsor.

Councillors urged the authority to give struggling schools more back office support.

After councillors also called on the authority to intervene earlier, such as when a school was seen to be making cutbacks on spending such as music lessons, officers said they were holding “a series of quite challenging discussions with governing boards over this autumn term where there are financial challenges”.

An officer told members:

“We are having those early discussions so governors are aware of what the risks are.”

Councillors have rejected controversial plans to build 53 homes on Knox Lane in Harrogate.

The proposal, by north-east property developer Jomast, was deferred by councillors at the end of May for a third time.

Today’s decision follows concerns about land contamination and the lack of a travel plan for the site, which is alongside a narrow road at the edge of Bilton and not close to a bus route.

A 45-page report published before the meeting by case officer Andy Hough said the plan was “considered to now be in compliance with development plan policy” and should be approved.

It added that the reasons for deferral at the last meeting would “not form reasonable reasons for refusal”, which indicated Jormast might successfully appeal the decision.

The report also said approval would be subject to conditions and the developer paying a section 106 agreement to compensate for the impact of the scheme on local infrastructure.

But elected councillors on North Yorkshire Council’s Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency planning committee today voted against Mr Hough’s recommendation.

Council officers said they were “satisfied” with land contamination sampling which was carried out by the developer.

However, residents still raised concern over the plan regarding land contamination and the absence of a travel plan.

Cllr Paul Haslam, a Conservative who represents Bilton and Nidd Gorge, spoke on behalf of residents at the meeting. He said:

“There have been over 500 objections to this application from residents. Not because they are ‘nimbys’, but because they believe the council is making a mistake.”

Cllr Haslam added if there was no Local Plan and suitable land supply, this application “would have been turned down”.

Meanwhile, Cllr Hannah Goslow, a Liberal Democrat who represents East, said:

“I would not be able to support this without seeing a travel plan.”

Read more:

• Controversial 53-home Harrogate scheme recommended for approval
• Contamination concerns delay decision on 53-home Knox Lane site
• Stray Views: Knox Lane housing scheme ‘lacks detail’

Nick Turpin, the council’s planning case officer, said a condition could be added to the approval of the application that a travel plan is submitted.

Cllr Robert Windass, a member of the planning committee, said he felt councillors had delayed a decision on the proposal and “kicked it down the road three times already”.

He added:

“With this site, we stand to gain quite a number of affordable homes and social housing.”

However, councillors voted against the proposal by five votes and one abstention.

Cllr Chris Aldred, who was among those who rejected the plan, said “insufficient information” was submitted in regards to a travel plan for councillors to make a decision.

He also raised concern over the impact on an area of special landscape and the loss of biodiversity.