Knaresborough pulls together to help flood victims

Dozens of homes in Knaresborough were flooded in the space of minutes on Monday night when there was an unexpected downpour.

In the days since then, the town has been rallying round to help those affected.

The Stray Ferret covered the immediate aftermath of the storm. But in the days since, charities, volunteers and councils have been working together to help people find accommodation and provide other practical support.

A community hub has been established at Chain Lane Community Centre where all those involved in the effort, including Knaresborough Town Council and North Yorkshire Council, are helping.

We visited this morning to find out more.

Sue Vasey, chief executive of the community centre, said people can receive financial and emotional support, insurance advice and guidance on the damage to their homes, as well as the opportunity to speak about alternative accommodation.

Ms Vasey said:

“We’re encouraging people to come forward.

“Our support is tailored to the needs of the individual. We can help with accommodation if people don’t have somewhere fit to live, and if an issue arises that we can’t directly help with we have people and the resources that can.

“Don’t suffer in silence. This was a freak event and our kettle is always on.”

Ms Vasey said 48 households have so far come forward seeking support after their homes were damaged by the flood, but she feels there are people still struggling alone.

The flooding on Monday.

She also praised the town and those involved in the recovery process for “stepping up”:

“I feel really proud of how Knaresborough has stepped up – everyone is really rallying together.

“We have 20 volunteers, local groups like the Lions and the Rotary Club are helping and local funders have also come forward to support people.”

Ms Vasey said the hub has also been assisted by North Yorkshire Council’s major incident response unit, adding it had been “absolutely amazing”.

After the flooding, questions were raised about the condition of the drainage systems in Knaresborough, with some people pointing the finger at the council.

When asked if she shared these concerns, Ms Vasey said:

“The council responded really positively to the incident. It was extreme weather and I don’t think the drains could’ve coped with that amount of water regardless.

“This is the first time we’ve done an emergency service response since the unitary authority formed and it’s a test bed. I think it’ll be good to come together with other services when things have started to calm down and we can learn from it going forward.”

Chain Lane Community Centre is open for free help until 6pm today (Friday, May 10).

It will resume normal working hours (9am to 1pm) next week, but Ms Vasey said people can still come forward to access support.

If you have been impacted by the flooding, you can visit the community centre on Chain Lane, call 01423 861066 or email info@chainlane.org to begin the support process.

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Heavy rain causes Starbeck church ceiling to collapse

The ceiling of a Starbeck church has collapsed after a severe rainstorm this week.

David Leonard, a treasurer at St Andrew’s Church, contacted the Stray Ferret on Wednesday after part of the ceiling of its Welcome Centre caved in on Monday evening (May 6).

Mr Leonard said the volume of rain was “too much” for the rooftop drains, which led to the damage.

The church also took to social media to say the Welcome Centre is “out of action” following a “severe ingress of water”.

Mr Leonard said the church has insurance, but would also apply to various charities for financial help to fix the ceiling.

He said:

“I don’t know exactly but I expect it’ll cost at least £5,000 to repair – if not more.

“I imagine the welcome centre will be out of action for around three months, but the repairs will take as long as they take.”

Mr Leonard did confirm, however, the church is still operating as usual and can be accessed via different doors.

It comes after an extreme rainstorm hit parts of Starbeck and Knaresborough on Monday.

Several Knaresborough roads were underwater, while homes were flooded and residents were forced to evacuate.

The damage raised questions about the ability of local drainage systems to cope, but North Yorkshire Council denied this was a factor.

Mr Leonard attributed the damage at St Andrew’s to “just a case of there being exceptional weather that day”.

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Residents react to revised Maltkiln plans

Residents have been urged to give their views on revised plans for a new town the size of Thirsk seven miles from Knaresborough.

Yorkshire developers Caddick Group, which applied for outline planning permission in 2019, plans to build up to 4,000 homes near Kirk Hammerton, Cattal and Green Hammerton.

Caddick held a public consultation at Kirk Hammerton Village Hall on Tuesday (May 7) to share its updated plans for the settlement known as Maltkiln.

The town will include affordable and eco-friendly houses, as well as two primary schools, a mixed-use local centre, a sports hub and green spaces.

The changes announced included moving the site boundary to the north east and east to provide access into the first phase of development from the A59.

The two roundabouts proposed to access the site have also been moved, with one on the east and one on the west of the site along the A59.

The amended locations of the two roundabouts. Pic: Maltkiln Consultation

There is also set to be an additional new road bridge over the railway line on the eastern edge of the site.

The firm added plans for the mixed-use local centre had extended east of Station Road and north of the railway station. In addition, the proposed location of the northern primary school has been amended.

Caddick also said delivery of the development will now start with a first phase in the north east and continue in a clockwise direction.

The revised plans and key. Pic: Stantec / Maltkiln Consultation

The scheme has faced backlash from some nearby residents since its inception and progress remains uncertain since the council threatened to compulsory purchase land for the new town.

Rural feel

The Stray Ferret attended the consultation event to speak to residents and Caddick representatives.

Kirk Hammerton resident James Browne (pictured above) told us people needed to have a “balanced approached” to the proposal.

He said:

“I share others’ concerns. I hope the amount of tension around the development means that things will be done in the right manner and not disrupt the rural feel around here.”

Mr Brown told the Stray Ferret he hopes, if the development goes ahead, there would be “benefits to amenities, cyclists, roads, shops and education” in what is a relatively “isolated area”.

He added:

“I’m hoping if it does go ahead, it would be delivered sympathetically, but once plans are approved, would it just become a case of delivering sheer volume?”

People at the consultation event.

Sue Husband, another nearby resident, questioned whether the potential number of houses was “really necessary”.

She told the Stray Ferret:

“We do need some housing – I get that. My preference is that it’s ecological housing that supports climate change, rather than just luxury homes. We also need a wider community. But do we actually need this number of houses?

“If the plans were to create a small village and there was the potential to expand it gradually, I think people would be able to accept it more. But because it’s this big, sudden expansion people can’t necessarily adjust to it.”

Ms Husband also said she would “consider moving house” if the plans were approved. She added:

“I moved here because it’s so peaceful and quiet.”

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Infrastructure fears

The Stray Ferret also contacted Green Party councillor for Ouseburn, Arnold Warneken, about the new plans.

He said the “biggest concerns from residents in his inbox” included the infrastructure of the existing roads and drainage systems.

Cllr Warneken said:

“People feel there could, in reality, be thousands of additional cars around the settlement and they are concerned about the existing road networks.

“They’re also worried about existing sewage systems. Residents have contacted me to say they don’t feel the sewage system can cope as it is, let alone with new houses being built.”

Cllr Warneken said residents also expressed concerns about a GP practice not being included in phase one of the development process, particularly as Springbank Surgery in Green Hammerton is “already oversubscribed”.

Developer wants community to ‘shape masterplan’

The consultation comes after North Yorkshire Council submitted the Maltkiln development plan document to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities for independent examination.

People now have the opportunity to give feedback on Caddick’s revised plans.

Chris Procter, director at Caddick Group, said in a statement:

“We’re particularly keen for communities in the area to shape key areas of the masterplan, including the design of the local centre, as well as the upcoming residential design code.

“All the information for the consultation is available on the Maltkiln website and we would really like people to get involved and give us their views. All feedback will be analysed and considered as part of our application for the first stage of the project, which we are anticipating submitting later this year.”

You can give your view on the refreshed plans and leave feedback here until Friday, May 27.

Proposed Harrogate children’s home faces public backlash

Plans to convert a Harrogate house into a children’s home have faced backlash from the public.

The application, which was tabled to North Yorkshire Council in March, outlines plans to turn Oak Back on Ashgarth Court – near Ashville College – into C2 classified housing, which refers to residential accommodation for people in need of care.

The Stray Ferret reported on the plans at the time of submission, which generated concern among social media followers.

Now nearly two months later, all 27 public comments made on the planning portal are objections.

Eddie Dale, who has submitted an objection comment to the council, said the house would be a “thoughtless site for a children’s residential home”.

He adds:

“There are no nearby facilities. The lack of youth clubs, cafés, play areas, surgeries and shops mean that it is an unsuitable location for this type of home.”

Mr Dale said he regarded Ashgarth Court as a “friendly, cohesive and safe environment”, but added the possibility of losing this made him “very uncomfortable and worried”.

Another objector, Richard Dennis, felt the application would be “detrimental” not only to the local community, but also for “any persons placed in care at the property” if approved.

He echoed concerns about a lack of facilities for young people in the area, adding it was “totally unsuitable” for potential residents:

“A Google search of a C2 property says that potentially alcohol/recovering drug addicts could be housed here. A quiet family cul-de-sac where children regularly play outside on the green is a totally unsuitable location for people who have these issues.”

Louise Dennis was one of many to highlight parking issues.

The application claims the house has a “large off-street driveway” meaning “no cars will take up additional road space”. However, Ms Dennis “strongly disputes” this.

She said:

“In reality the driveway would house two cars comfortably. The application suggests that there would be nine full-time staff, so likely at least a minimum of three vehicles there at any one time, excluding healthcare workers, social workers, visitors, cars of residents if over 17 etc.

“Therefore, the driveway would not accommodate all these vehicles on a day-to-day basis and there will be an increase in cars parked on the road, which is against what the applicant has claimed.”

Ms Dennis also expressed concern about the increase in traffic and congestion that could arise should the plans be approved.

Ms Dennis also suggested the local community would “undoubtedly be impacted” if the plans went ahead, adding more cars in the area would release more emissions and the potential risks of noise and anti-social behaviour would increase.

‘Widespread misconception of care homes’

In an email uploaded to the planning portal, applicant Jolyon McKay addressed some of the objections made.

He said it was “understandable” that some people “harbour reservations about residential placement homes”. He added, however, “sensationalised portrayals” had led to a “widespread misconception of care homes”.

He said:

“The objection raises doubts about the accommodation’s suitability for nine staff members and potential visitors, suggesting that the proposal deviates from a family home environment.

“Contrary to this assertion, while the residential placement home will have the capacity to employ up to nine staff members, it is important to clarify that it is highly unlikely that more than three staff members will be present on-site at any given time.

“It’s important to clarify that our property does indeed feature ample parking space, including a garage, to accommodate multiple vehicles. We have taken proactive measures to ensure that parking arrangements are sufficient to meet the needs of both staff and visitors without causing disruption to the neighbourhood.”

He added “thorough assessments” had been undertaken to “ensure the site will not adversely affect local amenities or community cohesion”, and said his team “remain dedicated to fostering a positive relationship with the local community and addressing any concerns in a proactive and transparent manner”.

The application states several healthcare workers would be hired at the children’s home and would be an Ofsted registered site.

It also said the home would have four bedrooms, with “never more than a maximum of three children living at the home”.

North Yorkshire Council will adjudicate on the application at a later date.

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Exclusive: Hackers demand ransom after breaching North Yorkshire Council computer system

International hackers have breached the trading standards computer system at North Yorkshire Council and demanded a ransom.

The Stray Ferret was tipped off by an anonymous source at the council who said the hackers had encrypted large amounts of data and were “demanding a ransom to decrypt it”.

The source added:

“Backups have also been encrypted so this is a big problem. This systems holds a lot of data and this breach could impact on a large number of crime investigations within the area.”

The Stray Ferret asked the council for further details about the breach, which is believed to have happened in March.

We asked how much data had been compromised and how it was able to happen, as well as what action the council was taking to resolve the situation, and the likely cost and timeframe.

The council issued a statement that included quotes from Mike Andrews, the National Trading Standards eCrime team’s national co-ordinator, and Madeline Hoskin, the council’s assistant director for technology.

The National Trading Standards eCrime team investigates fraud on behalf of local authorities.

The statement confirmed there had been “an incident”, which it said had been “contained” but did not clarify the extent of the breach.

Mr Andrews said in the statement:

“We are working with national agencies and other partners to investigate this incident.

“Fortunately, we became aware of the incident at a very early stage and swift action was taken.

“Protecting personal data remains our top priority and steps were taken to contain the potential impact.

“As the investigation is ongoing, it would not be appropriate for us to comment any further at this stage to avoid jeopardising any future legal proceedings.”

Ms Hoskin said in the statement:

“We take considerable precautions to prevent and detect cybercrime and take our responsibilities extremely seriously.

“We worked with an independent team of digital forensic specialists which helped ensure a swift recovery from the incident.

“No information related to the council’s customers outside of the data held by the National Trading Standards E-Crime Team has been affected.”

The council declined to comment further.

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Boroughbridge Primary School to get two new classrooms

Two new classrooms are to be built at Boroughbridge Primary School and its existing Horsa hut will be demolished.

North Yorkshire Council has awarded a £805,870 contract to Pontefract firm R H Fullwood Ltd to carry out the work.

This project will be funded by section 106 funding paid by developers to the council to compensate for the impact of new homes on local infrastructure.

The classrooms are expected to be ready for the new academic year, September 2024.

Last year 2023 the headteacher, governors and council met to discuss plans to expand the school, which

This led to talks about the current building, which is situated alongside the KS1 playground and separate to the main school building, being replaced.

Emma Ryan, headteacher of Boroughbridge primary school said:

“This is an extremely exciting time to be at Boroughbridge Primary School.

“The school has grown considerably over the last few years, mainly due to the new housing developments, and I am positive that pupil numbers will continue to increase. It is great that the local authority have recognised the need for extra classrooms as this will allow us to accommodate our pupils.”

Boroughbridge primary school

A school spokesperson added:

“It was clear that the new housing estates and general growth of Boroughbridge was going to impact the school with a rise in pupil numbers. Over the last year, this has been very evident due to all our new families and pupils.

“This Horsa hut has been part of our school for a long time but is now not fit for current educational needs and for the quality of teaching that we uphold. As a result, it will need to be demolished.”

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Third consultation begins on Harrogate town council

A third consultation has been opened on plans to create a Harrogate town council.

The town council would be formed for administrative purposes from April 1, 2025, and the first elections would be on May 1, 2025.

North Yorkshire Council has said residents could expect to pay between £40 and £60 on top of their council tax each year to pay for the new council.

Harrogate and Scarborough are the only part of North Yorkshire which do not have a parish or town council.

Harrogate was due to get its own town council this year but it was delayed for a year after councillors asked to redraw the ward boundaries.

Officers had recommended that each of the proposed 10 wards in Harrogate, which were based on current North Yorkshire Council divisions, be represented by two councillors per ward on the town council with the exception of Saltergate, which would have one councillor.

But Conservative councillors raised concerns, including Cllr John Mann, who represents Oatlands and Pannal. He said accountability to residents would be better served by single councillor wards. 

He told a council meeting at the time:

“These arrangements will be with us for many decades to come and we need to get it right.”

Cllr Chris Aldred, a Liberal Democrat councillor subsequently told the Stray Ferret the concern over ward arrangements was a “red herring” and later urged the council to speed up the process.

Cllr David Chance, the council’s executive member for corporate services, said in a statement yesterday:

“The public consultation already carried out has shown that there is widespread support for town councils to be created for both Harrogate and Scarborough.

“We now want to get the wards right so are asking for views on that before the end of this month. Then we can take a final decision to introduce the town councils which will provide more democratically-elected voices for both areas which is vital as we deliver key services.”

You can take part in the consultation here.

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‘Our home is ruined’: residents face up to aftermath of Knaresborough floods

Residents in Knaresborough are facing up today to the aftermath of last night’s floods, which affected about 30 homes.

Firefighters battled for two hours to pump water from homes and some residents even used buckets to remove water from their houses.

We ran a live blog last night and have followed up concerns — denied by the council — that the state of the drains played a part.

Today, we visited Knaresborough to speak to some of those whose homes were flooded.

Outwardly, the town appeared to be back to normal, with little sign of the impact of the storm. But the homes of those affected tell a very different story.

‘It feels pretty desperate’

Ann and Richard Briscoe, who live in St Margaret’s Gardens, said the house they have lived in since 2007 had been ruined.

A holiday let attached to their home, which was being rented out, was also affected.

Ms Briscoe said the rain began around 5.30pm. She contacted her daughter about the “size of the rain drops” just before their garden and downstairs flooded.

She said:

“By around 6pm, the manhole cover in our garden started to lift and just three minutes later water was coming over the front door. By 6.30pm, our entire lounge was flooded.”

The tenants in the holiday cottage, who had to relocate to Scarborough, began piling chairs and sofas on top of tables to limit the damage as much as possible, the couple added.

The flooding at the door and outside their home.

Besides the inconvenience, the storm will have a considerable financial impact on the couple. Ms Briscoe said:

“The carpet is absolutely soddened, and I suspect it’s sewage water because a lot of the water came from the burst manhole.

“We’ve contacted our insurance company, but we’ll have to cancel a lot of our holiday let bookings. I don’t know how much it’ll be, but that will be a real loss of income for us.”

The couple said neighbours and family members rushed to their house to help, with some lifting furniture onto bricks to prevent it being soaked.

Firefighters arrived to assist the Briscoes, but the couple said “most of the water had dispersed at that point”.

They, along with many others, feel the state of Knaresborough’s drains was a key factor.

Ms Briscoe said:

“I feel as though our home is ruined – I mean it feels pretty desperate.

“The drains are definitely an issue and whoever is going to fix them will get my vote.

“We just need help getting these drains sorted out. At our age, we can’t have this hanging over our head.”

Cllr Matt Walker, a Liberal Democrat who represents a part of Knaresborough, said he agreed the drains were a contributory factor — although the council has denied this.

Cllr Walker has also been part of a joint emergency response involving the emergency services, North Yorkshire Council and Knaresborough Town Council, which led to four people being found alternative accommodation. Welfare checks are being carried out today.

However, the couple said they did not receive any offers of alternative accommodation last night.

Ms Briscoe added:

“They can notify us that our bins will be emptied a day late, but where is the message offering us help in this situation?”

One of the flooded rooms.

‘Stuff was floating through our house’

Firefighters pump water from the home.

The Robinson family, who live on Dentdale Drive in the Eastfield area of the town, were forced to evacuate their home last night.

Nichola and Mark Robinson told the Stray Ferret they had gone to watch their son play cricket at Knaresborough Cricket Club yesterday afternoon.

The couple said there were “bright skies” until lightning halted play.

Ms Robinson said:

“We just sat in the car while there was lightning waiting for the coaches to say whether the match would go ahead. Then the rain came in at around 5.30pm and the match was called off, so we set off home.

“The rain was absolutely torrential – it was horrendous driving home.”

By the time they arrived home, the water was already above their ankles.

Ms Robinson said the rain was so heavy she could “barely see” it had run into their house. She added:

“Mark called to me, ‘the water is in the house’ and that’s when I realised it was already about a foot-high against the wall and garage door.

“The first thing we thought was the electricity, but luckily it been taken out by the storm.

“Mark went into the house and our lounge was just completely flooded. Stuff was floating through the house.”

The height at which the water reached is evident on the wall.

The couple said the fire brigade arrived at around 7pm to pump out water.

Ms Robinson also feels the state of Knaresborough’s drainage system and new housing developments could be to blame:

“Our home is destroyed. The smell is unbearable, and our furniture is ruined.

“There is an overarching problem with drainage infrastructure in Knaresborough. Everyone is saying the drains need sorting out.

“So many new homes have been built, I don’t think the drains can cope with the sheer amount of housing and no improved drainage systems. It worries me that it could be a potential cause of the problem.

“We have a new-build estate behind us and if there has been no improvement on drains, where is the water supposed to go? Water was bubbling up through the grass.

“The road was like a river. If a car came down, waves were forming.”

The couple also said they too were not offered alternative accommodation by the authorities and instead stayed with family nearby.

Mark and Nichola Robinson’s home after the flood.

Chain Lane drop-in session

North Yorkshire Council said in a statement this afternoon:

“The agencies involved in supporting the communities impacted by flash flooding in Knaresborough last night (Sunday) are out on the ground again today, including Knaresborough Town Council and North Yorkshire Council.

A range of help, advice and support is available via a community drop-in centre supported by Chain Lane Community Hub, Chain Lane, Knaresborough, HG5 08S.

“There are also highways crews out inspecting local drains to see what debris has been swept into them by the intense rainwater.

“Ready for Anything volunteers are also coming to help on site.”

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Grants totalling £1 million available for small businesses in North Yorkshire

Businesses in North Yorkshire have the chance to apply for £1 million in funding through a new package of capital grants.

Small and micro businesses can apply for the small business grant scheme, administered by North Yorkshire Council through thennational government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

The scheme is focussed on increasing business growth, productivity and resilience. Grants of between £1,000 and £10,000 are available.

This is the second round of funding, following the first round in the last financial year which saw £750,000 awarded to businesses across the county.

Micro businesses, with less than 10 employees, and small firms with less than 50, can access free support through the business advisory teams at the council and the York and North Yorkshire Growth Hub, which provides business support.

There are more than 32,700 micro, small and medium-sized enterprises alongside 90 large businesses in the county.

Cllr Carl Les, the Conservative council leader and the chair of the shared prosperity fund board in North Yorkshire, said sole traders, start-ups, home businesses and social enterprises, as well as landlords and people looking to diversify their farm businesses and limited companies, were among those welcome to apply.

He added:

“This time we have allocated an even larger funding pot to the scheme to enable it to be bigger and better and have used learning from last year to improve the application process.

“Our ambition is to see a broad range of applications which seek to make long-lasting improvements to our small and medium businesses across the county.”

To aid businesses with their applications, the growth hub with partners at the social enterprise Enterprise Cube has organised two webinars on writing a business plan and a cash flow forecast which will take place on May 16 and 17.

Carolyn Frank, development manager at the York and North Yorkshire Federation of Small Businesses, said:

“This scheme has provided a practical way that the local authorities have been able to work together with us and other partners to unlock government funding and get it directly to businesses in our area, to help them to innovate and grow.”

The closing date for applications is Friday July 12. To find out more click here.

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Knaresborough floods ‘not related to condition of drains’, says council

Last night’s flooding in Knaresborough was due to the sheer deluge of rain rather than the state of drains, North Yorkshire Council said today.

About 30 homes were affected by flooding last night and some people had to be found emergency accommodation. This prompted questions about whether better maintained drains would have helped.

A statement this morning issued by the council on behalf of agencies involved in last night’s emergency response said 32 millimetres of rain fell in an hour, which is the equivalent of about an inch-and-a-quarter.

It said:

“The flooding related to the volume and speed or heavy rainfall and is not related to the condition of the drains.

“Yorkshire Water is investigating concerns regarding sewage around St Margaret’s Gardens.”

Speaking on behalf of the agencies involved, North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service station manager Dave Dixon said as part of the statement:

“In the space of two hours from around 6pm last night an extreme localised weather event saw the equivalent of 32 millimetres of rain per hour fall in Knaresborough. The speed and volume of heavy rain led to flooding in some properties and overwhelmed local drainage systems for a period of time.

“Knaresborough Town Council and North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service led the response on the ground ensuring people were safe. The town council has a robust emergency response plan and this was put in place ensuring people were safe and where appropriate electricity supplies were turned off.”

It added:

“Two vulnerable households were evacuated to temporary accommodation, some other people chose to leave themselves but most chose to stay because the water had not entered their property or they preferred to go upstairs to safe space.

“Four fire appliances attended the scene, along with North Yorkshire Police and North Yorkshire Council staff.

“I would like to thank all those involved in last night’s response  and to reassure local residents that the agencies involved will also be on the scene this morning to follow up on damage and any assistance anyone may need.”

High Bridge drains concern

Cllr Matt Walker, a Liberal Democrat who represents Knaresborough West on North Yorkshire Council and is also a town councillor, has been part of the emergency response.

Cllr Walker told the Stray Ferret 25 homes on Orchard Close and six properties in the St Margaret’s area were flooded.

He said most residents chose to stay at home or stay with relatives or friends but a family of three were found accommodation at the Knaresborough Inn and one older male was found council accommodation.

Cllr Walker said the town council was undertaking welfare checks on Orchard Close today and was finding out what other support was available.

He added he thought the state of drains was a contributory factor, particularly at High Bridge, which was among the worst affected areas by flooding.

He said:

“We have raised concerns about blocked drains on the A59 going from High Bridge to Henshaws on a number of occasions and and nothing is done about it.

“It’s a district-wide frustration. The council needs to review why this has happened and it’s my view that the drains were a contributory factor.”

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