Plan for River Wharfe footbridge withdrawn

A plan to build a footbridge over the River Wharfe to connect West Yorkshire with North Yorkshire has been withdrawn.

The proposal was submitted by volunteer group Burley Bridge Association. The group said there have been hopes of building a bridge over this section of the Wharfe for 120 years.

Currently, there is a public right of way connecting the two banks of the river between Burley-in-Wharfedale and Askwith on the edge of the Harrogate district and walkers have to navigate a series of stepping stones.

The association lodged proposals for a footbridge to both North Yorkshire Council and Bradford Metropolitan Council in November 2023.

At the time, the group said the bridge would provide a safe route for walkers over the river which would then connect to its 42-mile Yorkshire Heritage Way trail that links Bradford with Ripon.

It said:

“A reliable, safe, and weather-proof crossing will be of benefit to the entire local community who regularly use the stepping-stones to access walking and running routes, and to those who travel into the area to enjoy all that the Yorkshire Dales National Park and the adjacent Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty have to offer.”

However, the plans have now been withdrawn.

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In comments submitted to North Yorkshire Council, Dan McAndrew, principal ecologist at the authority, raised concern that the river is a designated UK priority habitat, which includes “in channel gravel bank features”.

While Mr McAndrew acknowledged that the bridge would offer a “sustainable and accessible” route for walkers, he added that the Environment Agency recommends that “in-channel impacts should be avoided through the provision of a single span bridge”.

He said:

“The recently submitted ‘design rationale’ does not address this matter, although I acknowledge that the application proposes some mitigation measures such as planting of riparian alders, bat boxes and provision for nesting birds and control of Himalayan balsam. 

“Whilst these are welcome measures, they do not address the fundamental issue of damage to a priority habitat, which, as the Environment Agency suggests, ought to be avoided through the design of a single span bridge.”

Harrogate bar hosts sober night out for Dry January

North Bar in Harrogate is hosting a sober night out to promote Dry January.

The event will be hosted by North Yorkshire Connected Spaces, which was launched in September last year to provide support for the recovery community in North Yorkshire.

The 80s and 90s themed night is also supported by North Yorkshire Council and the Drink Drug Hub, which provides safety information about drink and drugs.

A spokesperson for NYCS said they “join together people and groups from all walks of life, meeting the needs for a stronger community, well-being, recovery from addiction and other harmful issues”. They added:

“Our aim is to get out in the community and run events so we can offer support for individuals involved with social issues connected with addiction. This includes homelessness, domestic violence, trauma, mental health, social care and probation.”

The group is working with the NYC public health team to tackle the harms associated with alcohol use.

NYCS said:

‘’North Yorkshire, connected spaces have been working with North Yorkshire Council on supporting their dry January campaign. As part of the campaign NYCS have organised the sober night out social event for people who are completing the month off booze.

“Dry January is a great opportunity for people to reflect on their relationship with alcohol.”

The event will be a “good chance to socialise with friends, have a boogie and meet new people – just without alcohol”.

North Bar will have  DJ for the night playing 80s and 90s hits in the function room and said the event will have the capacity to hold 45 people. Dress up is optional and anyone can buy food from Pizza Social next door and bring it into the venue.

The event takes place on January 19 from 7pm

Dry January facts:

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Knaresborough roadworks to resume for 10 weeks on Monday

Traffic lights will return to a main road in Knaresborough for 10 weeks from tomorrow (January 8).

The lights will enable the next phase of a £200,000 scheme to repair and maintain the wall on Briggate to take place.

A section of the wall collapsed on to the road on September 14. Nobody was hurt but the rubble remained on the carriageway for almost three months.

Traffic lights were put up and North Yorkshire Council, which had been warned about the state of the wall multiple times in the run-up to the incident, finally began repairs on November 27.

Karl Battersby, the council’s corporate director for environment, said in November some cellars belonging to residents had been impacted by the collapsed wall and consequently the “works are now more complex than first anticipated”.

Work paused before Christmas when the first phase of repairs finished.

Now the next phase is set to begin. The council posted on social media yesterday:

“We will be carrying out further repairs and maintenance work to the wall on Briggate in Knaresborough from Monday, with work due to be completed by Friday, 14 March.

“This follows the collapse of a section of the wall.

“For the safety of our team and road users, two-way lights will be in place while the work is carried out.”

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Thomas the Baker set to open new store in Boroughbridge

Thomas the Baker plans to open a store on Boroughbridge High Street, where the Cooplands bakery used to be.

Cooplands closed its Boroughbridge store last April following “an in-depth review of the business”, having opened it nearly three years ago in February 2021. The Scarborough-based chain’s closest store is now on Beulah Street, Harrogate.

Beulah Street Cooplands in Harrogate.

Thomas the Baker has submitted a planning application to North Yorkshire Council for a replacement shopfront including new non-illuminated fascia and projecting sign.

People can comment on the application concerning the new store at 33 High Street until this Sunday, January 7. The store would add to the current number of bakeries in the market tow, which include Gilchrist’s and Havenhands.

The family-owned bakery chain headquartered in Helmsley was established in 1981. The company has 30 shops across Yorkshire and the North-East, including: Ripon, Knaresborough, Thirsk, Acomb, Easingwold, Haxby, Kirbymoorside, Malton, Pickering, Scarborough, Selby and four in York.

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Call for council to improve ‘poor’ Boroughbridge road conditions

A Boroughbridge resident has called on North Yorkshire Council to make “urgent” improvements to a local road.

The man, who wished to remain anonymous, lives on Roecliffe Lane and told the Stray Ferret he has spent the last year campaigning to have the road resurfaced.

He said he and other local residents have issued “over a decade of complaints” to the council to resurface the road, as well as requested traffic-calming measures to make it safer, but are yet to see anything come to fruition.

Following a recent petition organised by the man and signed by Roecliffe Lane residents, he said the same recurring issues became “abundantly clear”:

“Several residents’ houses along the road shake whenever HGVs, buses, and often even cars, drive over the potholes next to them.

“This is our personal number-one issue and has at times caused deep regret moving to the street.

“We have had to endure over a year of it so far since moving in, our bed shaking most mornings when HGVs start driving the road in the early hours, doors juddering in frames, our baby’s rooms’ wardrobe rattling, the timber frame of the house creaking and more.

“Even people that visit notice, because the kitchen floor vibrates and the glasses in the cupboard clink. The council have been made aware of this multiple times.

“Several residents also commented about needing to repair their vehicles and bicycles from broken suspension and burst tyres. An elderly lady I spoke to had also fallen off her bike from a pothole.”

The noise from traffic can also be alarmingly loud and frequent, and speeding is a big issue along the road, he added.

The road was in ‘poor’ condition back in 2013. Pic: fixmystreet.

Now, he is proposing a “resident-first rethink”. He said:

“What worked for it when it was originally built is clearly not working for its residents now with increased housing, traffic and HGVs.

“It needs resurfacing urgently. It needs traffic-calming measures putting in place to reduce the thousands of noisy vehicles per day, and mitigations for the frequent HGVs.”

He also suggested the council implement new speeding enforcements to “protect the residents and their children from the up-to-81mph speeding vehicles.”

Roecliffe Lane in 2023.

‘Resurfacing is in our programme’

In response to the concerns raised, Melissa Burnham, highways area manager for North Yorkshire Council, told the Stray Ferret:

“Resurfacing of Roecliffe Lane is included in our programme for 2024/25. Once dates are confirmed, we will ensure the local community are aware.

“The local Highways team are also aware of the concerns raised and are liaising with North Yorkshire Police regarding enforcement.”

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Council approves staff accommodation plan at Follifoot equestrian centre

North Yorkshire Council has approved a plan to convert stables at Follifoot Park Riding Centre into accommodation for staff.

The stables that will be converted into a one-bedroom flat are currently home to three horses. The proposal will also see a barn extended to replace the space lost in the conversion.

The family-run equestrian centre near Harrogate has been in operation since 1986 and offers riding tuition for beginners to advanced riders.

It’s also home to the Follifoot Park Disabled Riders Group and Follifoot Park Young Riders club.

The centre has 36 stables, an indoor arena, outdoor flood-lit menage, function and teaching rooms, as well as a simulator horse to practice riding.

However in a statement submitted to the council by applicants Mr and Mrs Pedley, it says the business does not offer significant salaries so an accommodation package is important for staff retention.

It will mean staff can be on site around the clock to check on horses and deter thieves.

According to the statement, there was a recent incident at the centre where three men in balaclavas attempted to steal a quad bike and there have been numerous other break-in attempts.

The statement added: 

“The application property would be offered to one of the three full time staff members who currently commute from outside the Harrogate district and cannot afford to move closer due to house prices.

“This would then provide two full time members of staff on site and alleviate some of the pressure of the applicant’s family to cover such a significant operation.”

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Adult learning opportunities showcased at Harrogate pop-up event today

Anyone wanting to start the new year by learning something new can find out about the courses available to them at a pop-up event in Harrogate’s Victoria Shopping Centre today. 

The event, organised by North Yorkshire Council (NYC), runs from 9.30am to 1.30pm, and breakfast is included. 

NYC teachers are at the shopping centre to answer any questions that visitors may have about the learning opportunities available, and there’s a family learning teacher on hand to look after children while their parents discuss their options.  

Jennifer Ferguson, marketing officer for Adult Learning North Yorkshire, told the Stray Ferret: 

“At the start of the year, a lot of people will be thinking of a career change, and we can help them make an informed decision. 

“Whether you want to train as an accountant or become an accredited teaching assistant, we can point you in the right direction.” 

The council runs part-time adult education and training courses to help learners brush up on English skills or improve their numeracy through the government’s Multiply scheme, and there are also courses in IT, wellbeing, cookery and crafts.

A full course list can be found on the Adult Learning page of the NYC website.

Jennifer added: 

“If you’re thinking of learning something new this year, go for it. Come along – you’ve got nothing to lose. 

“We’ve got really friendly staff who can talk you through all the courses we offer and help you find the best one for you.”

Many of the courses are free of charge, but even for those courses that are not, 92% of NYC’s learners receive full funding.

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Will Sharow’s potholed roads ever be top of a levelling up agenda?

Will enough of the pots of money for pothole repairs announced by the government find its way to sorting out Sharow’s unresolved road issues?

The village near Ripon has 195 potholes of varying dimensions along 300 metres of Sharow Lane — its principal throughfare — and New Road.

When Prime Minister Rishi Sunak cancelled the HS2 high speed rail project and promised to use the billions saved on solving the nation’s persistent pothole problems, Sharow resident and former parish councillor James Thornborough initially felt that his lobbying on the issue would finally reap reward.

But the long-time road and environmental campaigner now believes that his village could be overlooked as the re-directed HS2 is spent on other locations across North Yorkshire.

Spending of £630,000 to solve nearby Ripon’s long-running rocky road issues around Market Square looks a certainty, but Mr Thornborough has already spotted the potential get-out clauses that would enable North Yorkshire highways to make a last-minute swerve around Sharow’s resurfacing request.

The potholes run the length of New Road

An email sent to him last month by Barrie Mason, North Yorkshire’s assistant director for highways and transportation said:

“The Highways Capital Annual Programme for 2024/25 was recently approved. The roads in Sharow were not included in this programme, however, North Yorkshire Council has been awarded additional funding as part of the government’s Network North funding.

“We are currently in the process of developing an updated programme for 24/25 which will outline how this additional funding will be spent.

“Both New Road and Sharow Lane are being considered for this additional programme in 24/25. It is the intention that the updated programme will be finalised and formally approved in late January 2024.”

‘So many false dawns’

For Mr Thornborough, it’s the words ‘being considered’ which gives him most concern. He told the Stray Ferret:

“There have been so many false dawns on this long and bumpy journey and I currently feel pessimistic rather than optimistic, but have fingers crossed.”

He believes that the on-going situation is unsustainable and pointed out:

“All we are getting is reactive repairs to an increasingly worsening situation

“The current default of filling every new pothole does not constitute ‘corrective action’. Corrective’ action requires a sustainable solution and filled in Sharow potholes barely survive three months.”

Sharow Lane, where temporary-fix repairs have been made to the deteriorating road surface

Mr Thornborough added:

“New Road and the top of Sharow Lane bear manifest evidence of a failed defect strategy. At last count 195 repaired pot holes spanned 300 metres of highway. No other road section in the region bears evidence of such wholesale degradation. Driving over the road surface is a ‘bone shaker’.

“The North Yorkshire highways director has conceded repairs amounting to £200,000 are needed. To date that sum has never received capital award, despite the appalling condition. Intervention is required.

“In the case of Sharow, future tarmac repairs will only survive if the road is returned to a level surface. Highways engineers will need to complete a graded mechanical scrape followed by a new tarmac top. North Yorkshire Highways have no other option because they have admitted that the road surface is so decrepit that it will not support ‘dressing’ with chippings.”

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Harrogate Ice Rink organiser says it has ‘no plans’ to return this year

The company operating the Harrogate Ice Rink has revealed it won’t be returning to the town this year.

York-based Events by Cynosure is running the rink in collaboration with Destination Harrogate, North Yorkshire Council’s tourism body, in Crescent Gardens.

The venture is in the second of a three-year deal between the two organisations.

However, John Lowery, chief operating officer at Events by Cynosure, told the Stray Ferret the ice rink will not be returning for the next festive season. He said:

“We have no plans to return for 2024 due to the losses sustained this year from the weather and lack of footfall in the area.”

The news comes after the company faced criticism from customers about the condition of the ice and poor customer service.

The Stray Ferret reported yesterday on complaints from some unhappy customers, one of whom described the surface as “extremely dangerous” and said the “rusty blades” had not been maintained.

One customer described the rink as “wet and rippled”.

Mr Lowery said the company had “suffered like all outdoor ice rinks” following adverse weather conditions throughout December, which led it to close eight times in just over a month.

The rink opened on December 1 and will run until Sunday, January 7.

The Stray Ferret asked North Yorkshire Council to respond to the complaints made by readers and also whether it would comment on Events by Cynosure’s announcement that its deal would end a year early. But it declined to comment.

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The 4 biggest decisions for North Yorkshire Council in 2024

2024 is the first full year for North Yorkshire Council after it took over from Harrogate Borough Council, the other six district councils and the former county council in a huge shake-up of local government last year.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service looks at four key decisions it is set to make that will all have a big impact for residents living in the Harrogate area.

Harrogate Convention Centre’s £40m redevelopment

Ever since what is now known as the Harrogate Convention Centre opened in 1982 there have been questions over its future.

The facility has struggled to return a profit with successive council administrations wrestling with what to do with it, conscious of its cost to council tax payers.

A council report two years ago said it is the largest driver of economic impact in the area with many bars, restaurants and hotels depending on the business through conferences and exhibitions.

Harrogate Convention Centre.

Harrogate Convention Centre.

However, critics have long argued the convention centre would perform better under private ownership.

In recent years, new conference venues have opened up in the north so Harrogate Borough Council announced plans for a transformative £40m upgrade to help it keep up with the competition.

A decision on whether the redevelopment goes ahead was passed over to North Yorkshire Council but it won’t be an easy one for the cash-strapped authority.

It’s facing a budget shortfall of £25m this year and has other priorities such as adult social care, schools and housing.

Ripon Cathedral’s new song school and cafe

A storm has been brewing since Ripon Cathedral unveiled plans for a new two-storey building on its public open space known as Minster Gardens.

The cathedral remains one of the city’s best-loved attractions but the plans have left a sour taste for some local business owners and residents.

The Dean of Ripon says the new building is much-needed and will provide a new song school for its choir, a cafe, toilet facilities and disabled access.

An aerial photo of Ripon Cathedral.

Ripon Cathedral viewed from the air.

Controversially, the plans include chopping down a veteran beech tree as well as 10 other trees on the gardens which has energised campaigners.

There have also some business owners have said they fear the scheme could “funnel” tourists away from city centre, taking away income from cafes and shops.

All eyes will be on councillors in the Skipton and Ripon parliamentary constituency area who will make a decision on the plans soon.

Harrogate Spring Water’s expansion

Over the last 25 years, Harrogate Spring Water has grown to become perhaps the town’s best-known international brand.

Some in Harrogate look at the Danone-owned company’s success as a badge of pride whereas others wince at the town’s association with plastic water bottles.

The firm’s success means it wants to produce more water bottles at its factory on Harlow Moor Road and create 50 more jobs.

Three years ago, councillors rejected a bid to chop down trees in Rotary Wood next to its headquarters in order to expand the factory.

It captured the imagination of the national media and was billed as a battle between business and the environment.

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The previous plans became a PR nightmare for Harrogate Spring Water so since then, the company has been carefully drawing up new proposals in at attempt to win over councillors and the Harrogate public, particularly around the emotive subject of trees.

Late last year it published new plans for the expansion and is proposing to plant 1,200 young trees in an area behind the Pinewoods to replace the 450 that will be chopped down at Rotary Wood.

The area will be open to the public and the new proposal goes much further than what was previously being offered on land behind RHS Harlow Carr.

The company hopes the application will be decided by Harrogate & Knaresborough councilllors as early as February.

The new settlement Maltkiln 

Controversy over a potential “new settlement” near Cattal, Green Hammerton, Kirk Hammerton and Whixley has rumbled on for almost a decade.

Thousands of homes and two new primary schools could be built there to change the face of the rural villages forever.

The future of the scheme was thrown into disarray last January when a farmer which owns fields around Cattal train station, making up around half of the proposed site, pulled out of an expected deal to sell land to developer Caddick Group.

It has left North Yorkshire Council scrambling to try and rescue the troubled scheme.

As Maltkiln will deliver so many new homes, the council has a say in how it’s being developed and officers have been working on a Development Plan Document (DPD) for several years ahead of a submission to government who will inspect the plans to judge if it’s still viable.

Last month, the authority said it would even be willing to use a compulsory purchase order (CPO) as a “last resort” to ensure that Maltkiln is built.

If it came to that, it would likely cost millions of pounds and would be an unprecedented step for North Yorkshire Council.