Labour and Reform UK by-election candidates reveal Harrogate priorities

Labour and Reform UK’s candidates in a forthcoming Harrogate by-election have spoken of their priorities if elected.

Voters in Stray, Woodlands and Hookstone will go to the polls on April 11 to vote for a successor on North Yorkshire Council to Liberal Democrat Pat Marsh, who resigned after making anti-semitic posts on social media.

Labour and Reform UK were the last two parties to reveal who they had selected after the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and Greens previously announced candidates.

In a press release, Harrogate and Knaresborough Labour Party described its candidate, Geoff Foxall, as “a tireless community campaigner in Harrogate, where he has lived all his life, working as a teacher at Harrogate High School then school governor at Harrogate High, Harrogate College, the grammar school, and Starbeck school in retirement”.

It added he was an advocate for public libraries, a community archaeologist, and keen walker.

Mr Foxall said:

“If elected, I will work passionately to deliver a fresh start for the area that I love and for the town where I was born and have lived in my entire life.

“My eight years as a Labour councillor on Harrogate District Council including four years as group leader, have given me the experience to hold the Conservative council to account for poor quality roads, unreliable public transport, and cuts to our public services. The North Yorkshire Labour Group is influential and growing and if elected I would join their ranks to advocate for a fairer and stronger North Yorkshire.

“As chair of Starbeck Residents Association I was active in opposing a relief road through the Nidd Gorge and creating a community woodland in the green belt between Harrogate and Knaresborough. I have also opposed overdevelopment in the Starbeck and Kingsley Road areas of Harrogate.

“My priorities if elected would be to bring together politicians and community groups from all walks of life to deliver improved roads, better and more reliable public transport, and investment in our care services and local schools.”

Reform candidate focused on station gateway

Harrogate-born Jonathan Swales, whose family were the original owners of Yorkshire Farmers Limited and Swales (Harrogate) Wholesale Fruit and Veg businesses, will attempt to become Reform UK’s second North Yorkshire councillor after Cllr Mike Jordan’s defected to the party.

A press release announcing his candidacy said he was married to fine artist Helen, with whom he has two children, and has “extensive management and business experience, having held a number of senior level management, and director roles in the construction industry”.

Mr Swales said:

“I am very proud of my Harrogate roots, and Yorkshire heritage.

“As a local resident I am well aware of the local issues that people are concerned about and how national issues feed into local issues. I share the frustration when people’s views are just ignored.”

Mr Swales cited the Harrogate Gateway Project as one of his priorities. He said:

“A failing of the process around that project was that local councillors didn’t engage with council cabinet members and council officers. There was an opportunity to influence, and get a better outcome, that opportunity was lost.

“Everyone wants a better town centre, and this project could have been part of that overall improvement, but we now have a scheme that doesn’t really deliver anything for anyone — and that includes the cyclists, people on foot or people arriving by bus or train.

“In the Stray,  Woodlands and Hookstone division, there are also planning matters, such as the racket courts near to Hookstone Woods. Then there are the ongoing concerns of potholes, roads being used for click-throughs, and the area being used for parking by the schools and the hospital.”

Read more:

Reform UK leader Richard Tice said the party was building a base in North Yorkshire and the by-election would give an indication of how people may vote in the general election, when Richard Brown will contest Harrogate and Knaresborough for Reform UK. Mr Tice added:

“No longer will Harrogate be a Conservative vs Lib Dem, it will be ‘vote Reform UK, get Reform UK’.”

The full list of by-election candidates is:

Voting will take place from 7am to 10pm with the election count taking place in the evening after the close of polling.

Residents of the Stray, Woodlands and Hookstone division have until midnight on Friday, March 22, to register to vote and until 5pm on Monday, March 25, to apply for a postal vote.

If someone is unable to vote in person or by post they have until 5pm on Wednesday, April 3, to apply for a proxy vote.

 

Trading Hell: A Stray Ferret investigation reveals how Harrogate shop workers routinely face threats, shoplifting and anti-social behaviour

Shocking levels of anti-social behaviour, drug-dealing, shoplifting and even threats to staff are all routine occurrences faced by many shop workers in Harrogate town centre, a Stray Ferret investigation has revealed. 

Even though Harrogate is widely viewed as one of the finest shopping towns in the North, our investigation pieced together a picture of “scary” back alleys where shop workers fear to go, and high streets that shoppers have started to avoid. 

We surveyed 50 businesses in the town centre and spoke to many retailers at length. We found a deep sense of frustration among traders, most of whom feel not nearly enough is being done to make our shopping streets the safe and pleasant places they should be. 

What’s more, while some traders had shocking stories to tell, only a handful were willing to be quoted by name. Most preferred to remain anonymous for fear of becoming a target. 

In a series of articles running through this week, we’ll be examining the problems that make life difficult for town-centre businesses, finding out what’s being done to tackle them, looking at whether it’s working, and asking if there may be a better approach.

Our Trading Hell survey covered almost all the businesses on Oxford Street, Cambridge Street, Cambridge Road, Market Place and the Victoria Shopping Centre, as well as parts of Beulah Street and James Street. 

The vast majority of businesses polled (96%) said that anti-social behaviour is a problem – only two said it isn’t – and 52% said it’s a major problem. 

Graphic showing responses to the question 'How much of a problem for your business is anti-social behaviour?'. 'It's a major problem' - 52% 'It's a problem, but not major' - 26% 'It's a minor problem' - 18% 'It's not a problem' - 4%

Other behaviours considered to be a problem included shoplifting (78%), street-drinking (74%), threats to staff (70%), rough sleeping (70%), begging (68%) and drug misuse (66%). 

Shockingly, 20% of town-centre businesses face threats to staff at least once a week. 

One trader told the Stray Ferret: 

“I’ve been working here for 18 months and it’s been a shocker. This place has become lawless in the town centre.”

 Graphic showing that 20% of Harrogate town centre businesses see threats to staff as a major problem.

Hotspot 

Our survey showed that nowhere is immune to the problems, but there are hotspots, and the “hottest” spot is centred on the intersection of Oxford Street and Cambridge Road – the area between McDonalds, Wesley Chapel and the Halifax bank. 

One shop owner said: 

“There are often groups drinking around the doorway, which discourages customers, and hanging around under shelter, shouting and swearing in the street. It makes for an unpleasant environment.” 

Nearby, Ian Hall, store manager of Games Crusade on Oxford Street, recounted a disturbing incident when he had to physically keep two men apart. He said: 

“Two gentlemen came chasing through the street and the first one bolted through our door and ran to the back of the shop. He looked really scared. The second one was shouting and swearing at him, calling him all sorts of names, and wanted to knock seven bells out of him.

“I stood in the doorway and told him he couldn’t come in and eventually he calmed down and left. If he had come in, I think they’d probably have started fighting in the shop, knocking things over and destroying stock. Anything could have happened.”

But the problems are by no means confined to adults. One trader told us he had to be particularly vigilant against theft in the late afternoon, when school pupils “flooded” into the town centre.

Two years ago, two Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) were seriously injured in an attack by three schoolgirls in McDonalds. One of the officers suffered a suspected broken nose and the other later left the service, partly as a result of the incident. One of the girls narrowly avoided a custodial sentence.

Graphic showing that 74% of Harrogate town centre businesses see street drinking as a problem.

Alcohol wasn’t a factor in that case, but it does appears to be a common feature of much of the town centre’s anti-social behaviour and is believed to have played a part in an incident on Oxford Street last May, when a man admitted to pulling the wing off a pigeon. 

A common view among traders is that the problems are showing no signs of getting any better. On the contrary, one said: 

“It’s got much worse in the last two to three years. You can smell weed on the street, there’s drug-dealing in front of our door, and I’ve even had to call an ambulance for somebody.” 

Lost business 

While these problems are not pleasant for shoppers and passers-by, for businesses they translate into lost trade and, for some smaller traders, damage to livelihoods.  

One Oxford Street retailer said: 

“My shop windows were smashed more than once, and it cost me a lot of money to replace them.” 

Graphic showing that 74% of Harrogate town centre businesses have lost revenue due to the problems they face trading.

Others complained of casual shoplifting. Games Crusade’s Ian Hall said: 

“We get drunk people coming into the shop and trying to walk out with stock. It’s not underhand – it’s in full view. I just take it off them and that tends to be the end of it. But you have to have your wits about you all the time.” 

Across the town centre, nearly three in every four businesses (74%) said they had lost trade as a result of some or all of these behaviours. Among Oxford Street retailers, the figure was 100%, and many are convinced that footfall is down as a result.

The manager of one shop said: 

“Anti-social behaviour and street-drinking discourage the general public from visiting this part of town.” 

Paul Rawlinson, who has two businesses on Oxford Street, Baltzersen’s and Bakeri Baltzersen, said: 

“Oxford Steet has become a much less desirable place to walk down as a result of these behaviours. It’s more pronounced during the summer, when rough sleeping is a more comfortable option than it is in winter.” 

Back streets 

Although the main streets of the town centre are where activities such as street drinking and anti-social behaviour are most visible, the back alleys are where other things happen for the most part unseen. 

Last year, a woman was seriously sexually assaulted in an alley to the rear of Clarks shoe shop in Market Place. That alley was finally closed off by a new gate after three years of lobbying, but other backstreets are still used for illegal activities. 

One shop worker on Cambridge Street told us: 

“Staff feel unsafe going out the back of the store because of large groups of kids smoking weed and shouting abuse to intimidate us. It’s quite scary. Also, drunks use our property and we find needles and glass bottles lying around.”

During our investigation, we discovered down one back alley abandoned prescription drugs, discarded clothing, clusters of clothes hangers – presumably dumped by shoplifters – and even a notebook containing obscene sexual content.

What’s being done…

One body that has tried to do something about the town centre’s problems is Harrogate BID (business improvement district). It would like to see a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) put in place banning certain behaviours, such as persistent begging and street drinking, from the town centre. But according to the national guidelines, these can only be applied if crime levels are above a certain benchmark, which Harrogate doesn’t reach.

BID manager Matthew Chapman said: 

“The statistics showed that the number of crimes is very low in the town centre. 

“While on the face of it this seems like good news, the stats just didn’t match up with what we were hearing from BID members.

“Shop owners and staff were telling us they were regularly seeing relatively minor crime, but the police figures just didn’t reflect this.” 

So two years ago, the BID launched a campaign to encourage town-centre businesses to report crime. For three months it promoted its Report a Crime initiative, telling traders to report every crime, no matter how minor. But bizarrely, crime figures over that period went down, so the PSPO is still a goal rather than a reality – and the BID is still lobbying for it. We’ll be speaking to Matthew Chapman about the PSPO and the BID’s efforts to tackle these issues in Friday’s feature.

…and what’s not 

Several traders told the Stray Ferret that they had stopped reporting low-value thefts because they did not believe the police would do anything about them. Worse still, we uncovered a widespread belief that the problems plaguing the town centre are simply not being adequately addressed. When asked how well the issues are being tackled by the authorities, 38% said ‘badly’ and 32% – almost one in three – thought the problems weren’t being tackled at all.

Graphic showing that town-centre businesses blame the police more than any other organisation for the problems they face.

Two in every five traders (40%) blamed the police for failing to tackle the issues, many of them complaining that the police response to reports of theft is slow and ineffective. A report released last week by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services following its inspection of North Yorkshire Police only rated the force “adequate” at investigating crime and responding to the public, although this assessment was better than last year, when it received the notice “requires improvement” in both areas.

One town-centre jeweller said his shop had been burgled last summer when thieves stole £60,000 worth of stock, but claimed the police response was inept and late. He said:

“It took the police 12 hours to respond to my initial 999 call, and when they did, they said they’d pass my details on to the appropriate officer ‘a week on Friday’ because he was on a course.

“Very soon after the theft, someone told me they knew who had committed the crime and even where my stock was being held. I believed them because the details they gave were bang on. I told the police, but it took them eight months to arrest anybody, and by that time the evidence had all disappeared.

“They lost emails with my details in them and didn’t even have my telephone number. As far as I know, nobody’s yet been charged.”

The Stray Ferret has spoken to Chief Inspector Simon Williamson of North Yorkshire Police about the force’s response to reports of crime, and you can read the interview here on Thursday.

In the meantime, traders are becoming increasingly frustrated with the lack of progress in improving conditions in the centre of “one of the finest shopping towns in the North”. One shopkeeper said: 

“I see it all here. Every week there’s something going on. I speak to other business owners and there’s a general feeling on the street that there’s no-one in power who’s doing anything about it – and it just gets worse.”

Tomorrow – what exactly do the official stats show? We report on a huge rise in shop-lifting and examine the extent of drug taking and wider anti-social behaviour cases reported to police in Harrogate town centre.  

Have you got a story to tell about any of the issues covered in this article? Let us know by emailing us at letters@thestrayferret.co.uk.

Read more:

 

Harrogate councillor resigns Tory whip to stand for mayor

Harrogate councillor Paul Haslam has resigned as a Conservative to stand as an independent candidate in the York and North Yorkshire mayoral election.

Mr Haslam, who represents Bilton and Nidd Gorge on North Yorkshire Council, has set up the website haslam4mayor.com for his campaign.

The website says he is “free from party shackles” and “committed to fighting for North Yorkshire’s best interests”. It says the national government “has ignored the north of England and in particular our area”, adding:

“A decade as a local councillor has given Paul a deep and nuanced understanding of York and North Yorkshire’s community needs and the intricate workings of council”.

Mr Haslam, who is the council’s climate change champion, said his priorities included securing fair, inclusive and lasting economic growth, creating higher paid jobs, improving public transport and more affordable housing.

His website added:

“His extensive 25-year career as a director, management consultant and CEO — having recently managed the sale to a FTSE250 company for £82.5 million — has honed his strategic vision and financial acumen, crucial for addressing the economic hurdles of the area.”

Keen runner Mr Haslam, who is taking part in next month’s London marathon, said he would run across the region on foot as part of his campaign.

He said this demonstrated his commitment to reducing the carbon footprint. Conservative candidate Keane Duncan is conducting a 100-day tour of the county in a campervan.

Tories grip on North Yorkshire weakens 

Mr Haslam’s decision to leave the Conservatives means the Tories now have 44 of 90 seats on North Yorkshire Council — fewer than half.

The party shored up its control last year by convincing three independents, including Ripon Minster and Moorside Cllr Andrew Williams, to join a Conservatives and Independents group.

But Mr Haslam’s departure again has weakened the Tories’ grip.

The mayoral election will take place on May 2.

Mr Haslam will be up against Liberal Democrat Felicity Cunliffe-Lister, Conservative Keane Duncan, Green candidate Kevin Foster, Labour’s David Skaith and independent Keith Tordoff.

Read more:

New Knaresborough primary school delayed until 2026

An opening of new primary school in Knaresborough is expected to be delayed until September 2026.

The school, which will be run by Elevate Multi Academy Trust, is  to be built at Manse Farm and serve pupils from new housing developments in the area.

It will provide 210 places for pupils, with the capacity to be expanded to 420.

North Yorkshire County Council unveiled plans for the school in 2020 as part of proposals “to serve housing growth”.

It was initially planned to open in September 2022, but was delayed twice until September 2024.

The council previously said that the project had been delayed due to an overhead electric cable that runs across the land where the school is due to be built. 

It added that a sub-station needed to be built on the land and the cable diverted before the site could be transferred to the authority.

Amanda Newbold, assistant director for education and skills at North Yorkshire Council, told a Harrogate and Knaresborough area committee on Thursday that work was still progressing on resolving those matters.

She said:

“What I am aware of is that the earliest that school could be delivered at the moment is September 26.

“Once the primary allocations have been distributed in April, we will again review the data and look at the forecasts and gain an understanding of the timescales around that delivery and what it means to pupil cohorts and whether we need to put other provision in.

“As far as things stand at the moment, I understand that work is progressing around the issues that have been long standing at the site. There is still that commitment to deliver this project at the appropriate time.”

Read more:

The new school is expected to cost £6 million and serve up to 1,000 homes as part of the nearby Manse Farm developments.

Knaresborough Town Council has previously expressed frustration at the lack of progress at the school site.

In December, a motion by Cllr Matt Walker, who sits on the town council and also represents Knaresborough West on North Yorkshire Council, was approved to invite developer Taylor Wimpey “to provide an update on the transfer of land at Manse Farm housing estate to North Yorkshire Council so a primary school can be built”.

‘The lack of communication and transparency over Kex Gill is appalling’

A resident whose house overlooks the A59 at Kex Gill has accused North Yorkshire Council of an “appalling” lack of communication and transparency over the road closure.

The road, which is the main route between Harrogate and Skipton, closed suddenly at Blubberhouses on February 2 when a crack appeared on the verge.

The council blamed a landslip caused by wet weather and in an update a week ago said repair work had yet to begin due to the amount of rain. No indication of timeframe has been given.

Alistair Young, who lives in Blubberhouses, claimed the landslip was due to the nearby £68.8 million road realignment scheme.

He said previous landslips had occurred about half a mile away higher up the gorge rather than in the flatter area where the road is currently blocked.

The scheme has seen the near destruction of Myer’s Wood; Hall Beck is being diverted, and dry stone walls have been moved. Mr Young said he had been informed 20,000 trees, including saplings, had been felled, which would have destabilised the banks of the valley leading down to the road.

Contractors’ lorries continue to use the closed road each day to ferry material from Coldstones Cut quarry near Pateley Bridge to build the new road as well as access roads for construction vehicles. The Stray Ferret saw lorries frequently using the closed road when we visited Mr Young this week.

A contractor driving on the closed road.

Mr Young said contractors from Sisk had taken time to show residents around the site and been helpful.

But he was less complimentary about the council:

“There has never been a landslip down here where we live.

“If you remove a wood on the side of a valley, divert a beck and then condense the land with thousands of tonnes of hardcore it is no surprise when a crack appears.

“For them to say it’s because of heavy rainfall is absolute nonsense.”

Mr Young said he fully supported the £68.8 million realignment, which is mainly being funded by the Department for Transport. But he added it was disingenuous of the council to blame a landslip and rain rather than its own scheme and questioned whether a permanent closure was necessary to all non-works traffic.

He suggested the road could at least open to non-HGVs at weekends, when the contractors don’t use it:

“The lack of communication and transparency is appalling. I can’t get over it. Nobody has spoken to us about it.”

The latest of many landslips

The Stray Ferret put a list of specific questions to the council about Mr Young’s claims, including that 20,000 trees had been lost. It did not give a figure.

But in a general statement, Karl Battersby, the council’s corporate director of environment, reiterated previous comments that this was the latest of many landslips in the area and was the “result of the poor weather”.

Mr Battersby, whose response is published in full at the end of the article, said environmental assessments were carried out which included consultation with public bodies, adding:

“Following this consultation, design changes were incorporated to prevent unnecessary removal of mature trees along with tree protection measures and monitoring during the works.

“An agreed mitigation and nature recovery scheme will also be carried out to replace trees, as well as landscaping works such as bridleways and ponds, to revitalise flora and fauna in the valley.”

He said the council was finalising its repair scheme, which will “involve driving long sheets of interlocking steel into the ground to create a continuous structural wall which provides strength and stability. He added:

“When we have the final programme and timescales, we will endeavour to update road users.

“We have looked at opening the road under two-way lights. Unfortunately, due to the severity of the landslip it requires a full road closure until the works are complete.”

Mr Young said the statement was “flawed throughout”. He added:

“They have decided that Kex Gill starts at Church Hill — the road up to our house, then on to Otley — and said there have been 10 closures. But none of these has been on the flat stretch next to Myer’s Wood which has now been destroyed.”

MP Julian Smith visits

Mr Young sad he had also raised concerns with Skipton and Ripon Conservative MP Julian Smith and Cllr Nathan Hull, a Conservative who represents Washburn and Birstwith on the council, but neither had replied. However, he received a response from Mr Smith shortly after the Stray Ferret contacted the MP’s office.

Mr Smith issued a press release on Thursday, which said he had met council chief executive Richard Flinton the previous day “to seek clarity on the progress that has been made to re-open the road as safely and as quickly as possible”.

He said:

“I know that residents and businesses are frustrated with yet another closure of the A59. That’s why it’s so important that the realignment project is completed as quickly as possible.

“This latest closure continues to have a real impact on my constituents, and I will continue to liaise with the council to ensure that their concerns are factored into the decision-making process.

“The damage to the road is extensive, however, and I understand and support North Yorkshire Council’s decision to prioritise the safety of both those working on the repair and future road users.”

The Stray Ferret also contacted Cllr Hull but has not received a response.

Mr Smith (right) at Kex Gill.

Council’s response in full

Karl Battersby, the council’s corporate director of environment, said:

“There have been more than 10 landslips on the A59 at Kex Gill, between Church Hill and North Moor Road, and this latest closure is a result of the poor weather over the past few months.

“February was one of the wettest on record and the persistent rainfall has continued to make the situation worse, with further movement since the start of the closure. Something that has been substantiated by geologists.

“Following a landslip in 2016 – that was also due to heavy rainfall, coupled with unstable land on the hillside – it was determined that full stabilisation of the area would require extensive engineering work. Therefore, a new section of the A59 should replace the existing road, which is now being carried out.

“Further details about this multi-million-pound investment project, which is being predominantly funded by government, can be found on our website here along with the history of landslips in the area.

“Before the realignment project received planning approval, environmental assessments were carried out which included consultation with public bodies, such as the Nidderdale National Landscape (formerly Nidderdale AONB). Following this consultation, design changes were incorporated to prevent unnecessary removal of mature trees along with tree protection measures and monitoring during the works.

“An agreed mitigation and nature recovery scheme will also be carried out to replace trees, as well as landscaping works such as bridleways and ponds, to revitalise flora and fauna in the valley.

“We are currently finalising the programme for the repair scheme, which will include sheet piling and backfilling, to address the slippage and reduce further movement of the carriageway.

“This will involve driving long sheets of interlocking steel into the ground to create a continuous structural wall which provides strength and stability. Once this has been completed, we will be backfilling the excavated area between the sheet piles and the road.

“When we have the final programme and timescales, we will endeavour to update road users.

“We have looked at opening the road under two-way lights. Unfortunately, due to the severity of the landslip it requires a full road closure until the works are complete. Any vehicles that are using the road are doing so under strict traffic management, to prevent any further landslips and ensure everyone is kept safe.

“Until this time, road users are advised to follow the diversion route in place, which is via the A658, A660 and A65 (or by this route reversed). Signage is in place along the diversion and checked regularly, along with additional signage across the area and posts on our social media channels, advising people of the closure at Kex Gill.

“We would again like to thank people for their patience and reiterate that we are doing all we can to complete the repair as quickly and safely as possible.”

Read more:

Six newt ponds to be created on Ouseburn councillor’s land

Six ponds for the under-threat great crested newt will be created on land owned by Green Party councillor for Ouseburn Arnold Warneken.

The amphibian is protected under law and is recognised in the UK as an ‘at risk’ species, in part due to the loss of habitat through the impact of development such as housebuilding and farming.

It’s believed that 50% of the UK’s ponds were lost during the 20th century, whilst the majority of the remaining ponds are classed as being in a poor state.

Sheffield-based community interest company Wildscapes submitted a planning application to North Yorkshire Council for six ponds on land near Cowthorpe owned by Cllr Warneken.

Five of them will be sited at Goosemoor Nature Reserve.

Wildscapes has created around 200 similar ponds in the last three years across Yorkshire and it has submitted a flurry of similar applications for ponds in Nidderdale over the last few months.

Cllr Warneken spoke at Selby and Ainsty’s planning committee this week which voted to approve the plans.

He said:

“We underestimate how important it is to protect species under threat. The nature reserve provides educational support to schools, scout troops etc and helps adults with learning difficulties and adults with mental health problems.

“There’s a huge benefit in getting them out to nature. Without a doubt, it’s only a small scheme but small is beautiful when it comes to nature. Lots of small schemes end up becoming a big scheme.”

Cllr Bob Packham, the Labour councillor for Sherburn in Elmet, described the plans as a “no-brainer”. He added:

“This is ideal for looking after newts. We all like newts and this has other benefits.”

Read more:

Plan for 20 new homes in Summerbridge

Developers have submitted plans to build 20 homes in Summerbridge.

Nidderdale Estates Ltd, which is based in the village, has tabled the proposal to North Yorkshire Council for land off the B6165.

The plan comes as a proposal for 24 homes on the site, known as Braisty Woods, was refused by the former Harrogate Borough Council in February last year.

The fresh proposal would see a mixture of one, two, three, four and five-bedroom houses.

The dwellings would range from apartments to detached homes, according to the proposal.

In documents submitted to the council, the developer said that the proposal would also include “high quality outdoor space”.

It said:

“The dwellings will be exemplary and provide living accommodation for modern lifestyles. The development as a whole creates a sense of place by introducing a high quality public outdoor space.

“Overall, this development will provide a special place to live in Summerbridge whilst remaining respectful to the local buildings, ancient woodland and AONB setting.”

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

Read more:

Councillors back plea to remove Knox Lane site from local plan

Harrogate and Knaresborough councillors will ask officials drawing up a new map for housebuilding in North Yorkshire to consider removing the 53-home Knox Lane site.

Developer Jomast has seen proposals at the location repeatedly thwarted by council planning committees, most recently in September.

The plans have been controversial in Bilton and Knox with residents claiming the development will destroy wildlife and a green corner of the Harrogate suburb.

More than 2,200 people have signed a petition calling on North Yorkshire Council to remove the site, known as H2, from inclusion in the new countywide local plan it’s working on.

If the Knox Lane site were excluded, it would significantly reduce the chances of houses ever being built there.

However, Jomast could be keen to secure planning permission before the new local plan is finalised in four years as the site is included in the current Harrogate district local plan.

Campaigners Margaret Cockerill, Alison Heyward and Jill Harrison collecting signatures.

Alison Hayward, who organised the petition, addressed councillors at the council’s Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee in Harrogate this morning.

Ms Hayward said:

“This community is made of individuals and families who treasure our peaceful natural surroundings and historic value. This community has residents who care and are worried about what will happen, and what we shall all lose if housing developments are allowed in H2.

“Including the site in the local plan would contradict the principles of sustainable and community-centred development.”

Councils are legally obliged to have a local plan that sets out where houses can be built over a minimum 15-year period.

The new North Yorkshire Council local plan is still in the early stages and officers are expected to issue a call for sites soon.

Knox Lane

Site layout for the proposed Knox Lane scheme.

Councillor Paul Haslam, a Conservative for Bilton and Nidd Gorge, said if houses were built at Knox Lane residents would suffer because it was not near a bus stop or other local facilities.

He said:

“Imagine walking Knox Lane in the dark to get the 36 bus. There are other issues around adding to congestion, access to emergency services, flooding and building techniques required.

“Residents have made a constructive local-based consideration for us.”

Cllr Peter Lacey, a Liberal Democrat for Coppice Valley and Duchy, proposed a motion to ask North Yorkshire Council to give “serious consideration” to removing Knox Lane from the local plan.

Cllr Peter Lacey

The motion was backed by all councillors except Cllr Hannah Gostlow, a Liberal Democrat for Knaresborough East, who abstained because she sits on the council’s development plan committee overseeing the local plan process.

The Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee has an advisory role so any decision on whether Knox Lane is included in the local plan will be made at a later date.

Read more:

Five candidates to contest Stray, Woodlands and Hookstone by-election

Five candidates will contest a North Yorkshire Council by-election in Harrogate next month.

Nominations for the Stray, Woodlands and Hookstone division seat have closed with voters going to the polls on Thursday, April 11.

The by-election is being held following the resignation of Liberal Democrat Pat Marsh, who posted anti-semitic comments on social media.

The candidates are:

Voting will take place from 7am to 10pm with the election count taking place in the evening after the close of polling.

Residents of the Stray, Woodlands and Hookstone division have until midnight on Friday, March 22, to register to vote and until 5pm on Monday, March 25, to apply for a postal vote.

If someone is unable to vote in person or by post they have until 5pm on Wednesday, April 3, to apply for a proxy vote.

Voters attending the polling station will need to bring photo ID to be able to vote.

This could include a UK or Northern Ireland photocard driving licence, full or provisional; a UK passport or a passport issued by the EU, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, the Isle of Man, or any of the Channel Islands; and some concessionary travel passes, such as an older person’s bus pass or blue badge.

Voters will be able to use expired ID if they are still recognisable from the photo.

Anyone without an accepted form of ID should apply for a free voter authority certificate by 5pm on Wednesday, April 3.

You can register to vote here and apply for a postal vote here. You can apply for voter ID here.

More information on the by-election is available here.

Read more:

Police and council launch project to tackle crime in Harrogate

A new drive to target anti-social behaviour, street crime and shoplifting in Harrogate has been launched by North Yorkshire Police and North Yorkshire Council. 

Project Spotlight was announced yesterday, just days before the Stray Ferret publishes Trading Hell, a week-long series of features investigating these very issues. 

Over the course of our investigation we spoke to a chief inspector from North Yorkshire Police, as well as North Yorkshire Council, Harrogate BID, Harrogate Homeless Project and dozens of town centre traders. You can read the first of our special reports on Monday. 

Project Spotlight sees teams working with residents, shoppers, town-centre workers and businesses to: 

Project Spotlight builds on work between North Yorkshire Police, North Yorkshire Council and other organisations to address street crime, retail theft, begging, rough sleeping, substance abuse and anti-social behaviour. 

Photo of a police officer and someone from Harrogate District Community Safety Partnership talking to a store manager from Primark in Harrogate.

Project Spotlight will work with retailers to tackle shoplifting and other town-centre problems.

In a sample of 140 patrols of the town centre since October 2023, North Yorkshire Police made 10 arrests and moved people on or gave words of advice 54 times. The force also issued one dispersal order, which effectively bans someone from an area for a certain amount of time. 

Harrogate neighbourhood policing inspector Nicola Colbourne said:  

“Project Spotlight sees us stepping up that positive work we’ve already done with partner organisations, the public and town-centre businesses. 

“We’re using a good old-fashioned mix of community engagement, information-gathering, targeted policing and robust law enforcement during this project, which we’re delivering alongside policing Harrogate’s wider residential areas. 

“Harrogate is already an incredibly safe town, in what is officially England’s safest county. With the help of the public, businesses and key organisations, we’re working hard to make it even safer.” 


North Yorkshire Council’s assistant chief executive for local engagement, Rachel Joyce, said:

“Alongside North Yorkshire Police and others, we have been working hard to maintain Harrogate town centre’s reputation as a safe and welcoming place in which to visit and work.
“Operation Spotlight presents an opportunity for all concerned to come together and build on this work. To do this we need the co-operation of the public and the business community and I would encourage everyone to support us in this aim.”

Project Spotlight comes in response to problems highlighted by the Stray Ferret’s Trading Hell survey, which revealed very high levels of dissatisfaction among town-centre traders at North Yorkshire Police’s response to anti-social behaviour and retail theft.

The results of the survey, some of which have been shared with North Yorkshire Police, will be revealed in our first Trading Hell report, published on Monday.

Read more: