‘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.”

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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.”

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Temporary lights installed on Knaresborough High Street

Multi-way traffic lights have been installed on Knaresborough High Street ahead of six days of roadworks.

The temporary lights, which are on the A59 and Gracious Street crossroads, were put in place at 11.30am this morning.

Delays are likely as the route, which is a main route for access into the town and for school drop-offs, is one of Knaresborough’s busiest.

It comes as Northern Powergrid carries out maintenance works and utility repairs in the area.

The Stray Ferret contacted Northern Powergrid to ask what exactly the work will involve. A spokesperson said:

“The works on Knaresborough High Street relate to two high voltage faults, in three separate locations.

“Engineers have attended the site to excavate and locate the fault, which has required necessary traffic management to be put in place to safely carry out the work.

“Jointing work will take place on Thursday 14 March to repair the fault, which will require testing. It is expected that re-instatement will be completed by the weekend of 16/17 March.

“We apologise to customers and local residents for any inconvenience and can reassure that we’re working hard to complete the works and keep disruption to a minimum.”

However, according to North Yorkshire Council’s roadworks map the lights will remain until Tuesday, March 19 at 11.59pm.

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Council tree expert ‘not in a position to support’ Harrogate Spring Water

North Yorkshire Council‘s tree expert has said he is “not in a position to support” Harrogate Spring Water‘s bid to expand into woodland alongside its headquarters.

Arboricultural officer Alan Gilleard raised a series of concerns in his response to the consultation on the company’s planning application.

Mr Gilleard said “normally an application includes a tree survey though I cannot find one”. He added he could also not find any evidence detailing the species to be removed.

He raised several other issues that required further information before concluding:

“Reading through the documentation we seem to be light on detail and some way off a position where we could support. At the moment I am not in a position to support.”

The company, which is part of French-owned multi-national Danone, wants to fell trees in a section of the Pinewoods known as Rotary Wood to make space for a new building. It has agreed to plant 1,500 saplings to create a community woodland as mitigation for the loss of trees.

Rotary Wood in the Pinewoods

The public consultation was due to end on Sunday (March 10) but has been extended following a request from Pinewoods Conservation Group, which does not feel it has sufficient information to give its view. Representatives from Harrogate Spring Water are due to attend the group’s annual general meeting on Wednesday, March 20.

So far the consultation has attracted 590 objections and six expressions of support.

Concerns about ‘large scale industrial’ building

In another blow for the company, Helen Golightly, the council’s principal landscape architect, has said the “planting details are incomplete for the stage of the proposals” and requested further details.

Ms Golightly said it was “essential” for Harrogate Spring Water to produce a landscape visual appraisal that “should account for the loss of woodland and the consequences of this on both visual amenity and the character of the area”.

She said there needed to be “a rudimentary tree survey” and raised concerns about the latest designs for the proposed new building. which she described as a “very large scale industrial building”. She said:

“The reserved matters application shows a building which is much more monolithic than the outline proposal which had a series of components which helped to provide some relief along elevations and incorporated areas of glazing along the north elevation.

“There was also a suggestion of a green roof which now appears to have been removed from the proposals.”

Harrogate Spring Water has pledged to replace any trees lost on a 3:1 ratio. It has said the scheme will create 50 jobs plus 20 more during construction.

Richard Hall, managing director at Harrogate Spring Water, previously said the new community woodland “will be fully accessible to the public and we hope will become a valued resource for the local community for many years to come”.

Harrogate Spring Water received outline planning permission for the scheme in 2017, which remains valid. The current reserved matters stage deals with its appearance, size and landscaping. Councillors rejected a previous reserved matters application in 2021,

You can view planning documents and comment on the application by visiting the council’s planning portal here and typing in reference number 20/01539/REMMAJ where it says ‘enter a keyword’.

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Council predicts positive future for Harrogate Convention Centre despite scrapping £57m redevelopment

Senior Conservative councillors confirmed this morning that a proposed £57 million redevelopment of Harrogate Convention Centre will be scrapped.

But they offered a positive outlook for the facility’s future and heard it could operate without a £2.7m annual council subsidy in less than three years if it can attract outside investment to make smaller improvements.

North Yorkshire Council’s executive met in Northallerton this morning and agreed to discontinue the project it inherited from the defunct Harrogate Borough Council.

A council officer described the project as unaffordable and blamed spiralling building costs which have seen the cost jump from £49m to £57m.

It also failed in a bid to win Levelling Up money worth £20m from the government that would have helped to pay for the project.

The council’s executive member for finance Cllr Gareth Dadd said it had been a “long and arduous task” to get to a decision on the redevelopment which he said would have achieved “dubious outcomes to say the least”.

Executive member for corporate services, Cllr David Chance, said it would have been “ludicrous” to move forward in light of the current financial predicament facing the authority.

The council is facing a £41.6m deficit in its budget this year with significant financial pressures on adult social care and special educational needs.

Cllr Dadd said:

“It was our job to get under the bonnet of the issues and see how the landscape has changed.”

The council will now undertake market testing to see if the venue can attract investment from the private sector or elsewhere. Cllr Dadd also proposed that the council writes to each mayoral candidate for the upcoming York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority urging them to support further investment.

Despite scrapping the redevelopment, Cllr Dadd maintained the council was committed to improving the convention centre and said it was “not the end of the story, far from it”.

The Harrogate Convention Centre opened in 1982 with conferences and events providing a boost to the town’s bars, restaurants and hotels.

North Yorkshire Council says the convention centre contributes £45m a year to the wider Harrogate district economy which Cllr Dadd said “should be ignored at our peril”.

Convention centre director Paula Lorimer came out against the redevelopment, arguing to do so would be counterproductive as it would involve shutting the venue for large periods.

Ms Lorimer is a proponent of creating new break-out spaces for conference delegates, which she believes could attract £1m additional income each year.

She told councillors that last year was the venue’s most successful in many years and if the upturn continues, along with a more commercial business model and investment, the convention centre could be “cost-neutral” for the council within just three years.

Ms Lorimer also suggested the venue could be renamed to reflect “a broader Yorkshire identity”. It was previously known as the Harrogate International Centre until 2017.

She said:

“I’m very committed to getting investment in the HCC but not at any cost, I do feel there are better ways of investing tactically, so we can do parts of the venue each year.”

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Kex Gill: Repair work unlikely to start before end of month

Work to repair a crack in the road on the A59 at Kex Gill is unlikely to start until at least the end of the month.

In an update, North Yorkshire Council said the wet weather and “further movement” had delayed and complicated matters.

The A59, which is the main route between Harrogate and Skipton, closed suddenly on February 2 after a crack appeared. It has led to lengthy diversions and increased traffic in places such as Ilkley and Pool-in-Wharfedale.

Barrie Mason, the council’s assistant director for highways and transport, said:

“February has been one of the wettest on record and this persistent rainfall has made the situation worse.

“We are monitoring the landslip daily and have unfortunately seen further movement since the start of the closure. This has resulted in additional investigations to ensure we have the most appropriate and effective repair scheme.

“Designs have now been completed, which will include sheet piling and backfilling, to address the existing slippage and prevent future movement of the road.”

Mr Mason added:

“Given the complexities of the work involved, we are working with our contractor on when it can start, which we hope to be before the end of the month.

“At the same time, we will also carry out any additional works which might be required in this area to minimise any further disruption once the road has re-opened.”

Motorists have previously expressed frustration at the lack of communication about the timeframe for work.

A council map showing Kex Gill.

Some have also questioned whether the closure is linked to work on the £68.8 million realignment of the A59 taking place nearby.

The realignment is being funded by £56.1 million from the Department for Transport and £12.7 million from the council.

Mr Mason said:

“As we have said previously, the A59 at Kex Gill has a long history of landslips and this latest closure is a result of the weather over the past few months.”

He thanked people for their patience and said:

“We understand the delay it is causing to journeys and would reiterate that we are doing all we can to complete the repair as quickly and safely as possible.”

The update does not give a latest estimate for the cost of the repairs, which were previously £115,000.

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