Ripon hornblower ‘calls the watch’ in London for first time in 1,000-year history

Ripon’s hornblower “called the watch” over the River Thames last night for the first time in its 1,000-year history.

Allison Clark, who became the city’s first female hornblower in 2017, represented the north’s smallest city on City Cruises’ flagship vessel, Erasmus, as part of the World Travel Market Event – a travel and tourism trade show which takes place at Excel London.

The special dispensation was agreed by Ripon City Council, and the event was jointly hosted by North Yorkshire Council, Visit York, Visit Leeds and Herriot Country Tourism.

North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for the visitor economy, Cllr Derek Bastiman, said:

“The visitor economy is a major contributor to North Yorkshire’s economy, bringing in more than £1.5 billion a year and attracting over 33 million visitors from domestic visits alone to the county.

“I am extremely proud of our heritage and having a hornblower from our area sound the horn over the River Thames for the first time in over a thousand years is quite the honour.”

Allison Clark calls the watch last night. Pic: James Glossop.

Representatives from each local board were invited as part of the All Aboard For Yorkshire initiative, which aimed to showcase the culture and beauty on offer across York and North Yorkshire.

Ms Clark added:

“Along with my three hornblower colleagues, I must have one of the longest-standing, unaltered job descriptions in the world.

“I never imagined when I took the role that I would be on the Thames next to the Tower of London announcing that North Yorkshire is ‘at large’ in London!”

Gemma Rio, head of tourism at North Yorkshire Council, also said the council is “on a mission to broadcast to the global travel industry, to look, and book, ‘up north’”.

North Yorkshire was represented at the World Travel Market by North Yorkshire Council, Herriot Country Tourism and Visit York as part of the UK Inbound stand. 

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Valley Gardens bike track — further details revealed

Further details of the proposed new bike track in Harrogate’s Valley Gardens have been revealed.

North Yorkshire Council is running a six-week consultation on whether to replace the nine-hole pitch and putt course with a pump track.

Pump tracks use bumps and bends in the land to allow cyclists and scooter riders to generate momentum.

The consultation says the “new facility would be approximately 2,000 square metres”.

However, the council has now said the track itself wouldn’t be this size, and much of the pitch and putt course would be returned to grassland.

A council spokesperson said the track, which would cost £2,000, is likely to be similar in size to the one in Wetherby, which is shown below and in the main image. It could be open by April.

A council spokesperson said:

“It is a small beginners track that would be made of compacted hardcore.

“It would be 1 to 1.5 metres wide and will be based in a circular shape.

“The pump track is aimed at beginners to complement the existing skate park that attracts older and more competent children.

“It is not going to cover the whole area of the pitch and putt, only a smaller area where holes one to nine are. The frisbee golf is staying.”

Asked what would happen to the remainder of the pitch and putt area, the spokesperson added:

“The whole pitch and putt course would be closed and the remainder would be returned to normal parkland.”

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

“The track proposed would have gentle slopes, curves and bumps, be accessible all year, and replace the existing nine-hole pitch and putt golf course.”

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Rooms at closed addiction centre near Harrogate could be let to holiday makers

A Christian charity that runs training for people recovering from drug and alcohol addiction near Harrogate could offer bedrooms at one of its sites to holiday makers.

Horizon Life Training provides residential training facilities to people who have already been through addiction rehab centres, teaching them life and employment skills.

The charity runs a men’s centre at Kennel Hall Farm in Killinghall and a women’s centre at Bramall House on Skipton Road, which was formerly the Black Bull pub and is close to RAF Menwith Hill.

During the covid pandemic, the centres closed for new intakes, which the charity said has let to a “break in the supply” for suitable applicants for the training.

As a result, all of its activity is now taking place at the Killinghall centre, leaving nine bedrooms and a flat at Bramall House currently unused.

In plans submitted to North Yorkshire Council, the charity said it does not want the building to remain empty so it’s asking the council to approve a temporary change of use application so it could be used for holiday lets.

It also said the move would bring in much-needed income for the charity. It said the move may be necessary for up to two years before it can reopen the centre for recovery training.

Planning documents state that contractors working on the Kex Gill A59 new road scheme could potentially rent rooms at the site.

They add: 

“The charity still bears the sizeable fixed costs of operating the building, placing its own financial continuance at risk.

“This proposal would ensure the use of the building in a constructive manner during a period when it would otherwise be empty. It will provide much needed accommodation for those who will use it and an income to facilitate the upkeep of the building for Horizon Life Training.”

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Knaresborough bridge to close tonight for nighttime resurfacing

High Bridge in Knaresborough will be closed to nighttime traffic for the next 11 days from this evening due to resurfacing.

North Yorkshire Council posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, today that the closure will be in effect from 7pm until midnight daily until Friday, November 17.

It added a “fully signposted diversion” will be in place.

The grade two listed bridge over the River Nidd, which passes Mother Shipton’s Cave, is the main route into Knaresborough from the Starbeck direction.

Councillor Matt Walker, a Liberal Democrat who represents Knaresborough West, said it was a standard resurfacing project and he wasn’t aware of any concerns.

But he added:

“What the council haven’t done is put new lights over the bridge yet.

“This funding was put in place prior to us being elected and we keep getting a push back on when it will happen.”

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Harrogate Theatre boilers to be replaced by December

North Yorkshire Council is set to replace Harrogate Theatre’s boilers by December after a fault was found.

The authority, which is the landlord of the building on Oxford Street, said a routine inspection found the aging facilities had to be replaced.

David Bown, chief executive of the theatre, told the Stray Ferret that an issue with the boiler was identified in the summer.

As a result, temporary heaters have been put in place for shows to continue.

The Stray Ferret asked North Yorkshire Council how much the replacement boiler will cost the authority and when it would be installed.

Kerry Metcalfe, North Yorkshire Council’s assistant director property, procurement and commercial, said:

“As the theatre’s landlords it is our duty to ensure the building has a safe heating system.

“During a routine service visit, the theatre’s boilers were found to be faulty, so they had to be capped off in line with Gas Safe standards.

“Due to the age of the existing boilers, there was no option but to fully replace them. Given the building’s age and the complex work involved, it raised the cost to a level where we had to put the replacement out to a competitive tender process.

“This process has now been completed and work to install the new boilers has begun. The work is due to be completed in December. The work has been budgeted for and final cost estimates are currently being compiled.

“Arrangements are in place for temporary heaters to be used to allow the theatre to function as normal and for shows to continue.”

The work is the latest to take place at the theatre in last few years.

Last year, a £1 million project to replace the 120-year-old roof at the building was completed. The works were initially meant to be completed in September 2021, but were delayed due to covid and labour shortages.

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Children in North Yorkshire waiting ‘too long’ for autism assessments

North Yorkshire Council says it wants to improve waiting times for autism assessments after being told by parents that delays of more than three months are harming the mental health of children.

The council is set to ask the public for views on its draft autism strategy for 2024-2027 that has an aim of helping autistic children, young people and adults to live full, happy, and healthy lives.

Autism is lifelong neuro-development condition that affects how people perceive the world, communicate and interact with others.

Approximately 1% of the UK population is autistic, meaning around 6,155 autistic people live in North Yorkshire based on the 2021 Census.

The new draft document builds on the previous local strategy and joins up areas including education, employment, housing and the NHS in a bid to improve how adults and children with autism access services.

However, according to the report, 9% of children under 10 in North Yorkshire are forced to wait more than 13 weeks for assessments — above the recommended NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) guidance.

For children between 10 and 17, the proportion waiting increases to 11%.

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The draft strategy says children and parents have highlighted a “lack of support” during and after the assessment and diagnosis process, which they say has had a negative impact on their mental health.

They also said that mental health can worsen while waiting for an assessment because an autism diagnosis is often needed to access some types of specialist support.

A 2021 study found that that between 1998 and 2018 there was a 787% increase in the incidence of autism diagnosis across the UK.

Experts say the increase is due to a greater public awareness of autism and earlier recognition and diagnosis of the condition.

North Yorkshire Council has been under significant pressure to deliver SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) provision in recent years.

There are currently eight council-maintained special schools and two special academies in North Yorkshire, including Springwater School in Starbeck and Mowbray School in Ripon.

But since 2016, the number of children and young people in North Yorkshire with identified SEND and an EHCP (education, health and care plan) has increased by over 110%.

There are now over 4,500 children in the county with an EHCP but there is not enough places at council-maintained special schools to accommodate them all.

Almost 600 children are forced to go to schools outside of the county or to independent and non-maintained schools which costs the council millions of pounds every year.

The council has proposed to build a new special school for autistic children at the former Woodfield school site in Harrogate.

Harrogate BID says amended Station Gateway scheme ‘should proceed’

Harrogate Business Improvement District has said the town’s £11.2 million Station Gateway scheme should proceed amid plans to scrap major elements of the project.

Yesterday, Cllr Keane Duncan, executive councillor for highways at North Yorkshire Council, said reducing Station Parade to one lane and pedestrianising James Street would need be dropped from the scheme in order for it “to be successful”.

The move comes as council officials are currently drawing up alternative options for the project after the previous proposals were paused last month.

In a statement, Harrogate BID chair Dan Siddle and BID manager Matthew Chapman said the organisation would back the scheme under the new plans.

They said:

“Whilst we accept the Station Gateway Project has been a divided subject we believe, after consulting with sector representatives within the BID membership, that the project should now proceed.

“The local authority has listened to the concerns raised, adapted the project to a plan that works for the majority and given assurances that the finished product will further enhance the Harrogate welcome and experience.”

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Mr Siddle and Mr Chapman added that the organisation felt the £11.2 million worth of funding would be “amiss to reject”.

The statement added:

“This level of investment to town and city centres is a once in a generation opportunity that Harrogate BID feels would be amiss to reject. Looking at the data that demonstrates how and where town centres are heading the Station Gateway Project will be the foundation of many more centrally funded projects that keeps Harrogate as a key destination for residents and tourists alike.

“As an organisation we must stress we do not see this project as anti-car or pro-cycling, purely one which will give people more choice on how they wish to travel to and move around our town.

“Furthermore, this funding, which has to be used towards this gateway scheme has earmarked some fundamental and positive improvements to public realm that we fully support if, as promised, is finished to a first-class standard.”

Full proposals on how the gateway scheme will be amended are expected to be put before senior North Yorkshire councillors at a later date.

The council halted the scheme immediately after lawyers acting on behalf of local property firm Hornbeam Park Developments launched a judicial review.

As a result, the authority announced it would draw up alternative options which would focus on “a high quality pedestrian-focussed public realm scheme, with improved access into the bus station, and better traffic flow through co-ordinated signal timings”.

Kingsley Drive developer to pay £1m towards Harrogate schools

Persimmon Homes will pay more than £1m to local schools including Grove Road and Harrogate Grammar School after North Yorkshire Council gave final approval for its 162-home Kingsley Drive development.

One of the last acts of Harrogate Borough Council’s planning committee in February was to approve the controversial plans, subject to the completion of a section 106 agreement.

The agreement between the council and developer has now been agreed and covers Persimmon’s contribution to public services that the future residents will use such as education, roads as well as affordable housing.

According to a report written by planning officer Kate Broadbank, Permimmon will pay £600,000 to Grove Road Primary School, £400,000 to HGS, Harrogate High and Rossett and £120,000 for early years provision.

The developer will also pay £220,000 to the NHS for healthcare costs, £150,000 towards Kingsley Drive being resurfaced and an £80,000 contribution towards a new mini roundabout being built at the junction of Kingsley Road and the A59.

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The site is allocated for development in the Harrogate local plan, which maps out where housebuilding can take place in the district and remains in use until North Yorkshire Councils agree its new county-wide plan.

The Kingsley proposals were unpopular with local residents who protested outside the Civic Centre before the planning committee meeting wearing t-shirts branded with slogans like “enough is enough” and “breaking point”.

Visuals of the Persimmon Home plan for homes on Kingsley Drive.

Visuals of the Persimmon Home plan for homes on Kingsley Drive.

Many of the objections centred on nearby roads like Knaresborough Road and Bogs Lane and how they will cope with the increased traffic from new residents.

Around 500 homes could be built in the area if plans by different developers are eventually built.

Persimmon has included two access points for vehicles on Kingsley Drive, one to the west of Birstwith Road and one midway between Leyland Road and Rydal Road.

The first 92 homes will include air source heat pumps to provide 100% of the heating and hot water.

The remaining properties will have conventional gas boilers, however, the developer says these will be supplemented by solar panels and waste water heat recovery, which recycles energy in wastewater to pre-heat the mains cold supply before it is boosted by the boiler.

The scheme would also include 65 affordable homes through a mix of affordable rent and shared ownership sales.

Government approves plan to convert Harrogate offices into flats

The government has given approval for a Harrogate office block to be converted into flats.

Bramhope Property and Investments Limited tabled the proposal to North Yorkshire Council to convert the the former office block off Clarence Drive known as Simpson Hosue into 12 two-bedroom flats.

It would have seen the ground, first and second floors converted.

However, the authority rejected the plan in May this year on the grounds that the flats would not have enough natural light.

The developer took the decision to the government’s Planning Inspectorate, which deals with planning disputes.

In a decision notice, Mr N Teasdale, planning inspector, said:

“I have no substantive evidence to demonstrate that the rear of the building would be in near constant shade/stygian gloom or that it would prevent solar gain.

“As all habitable rooms tested meet and are in excess of the minimum requirements of the guidelines in relation to daylight and sunlight then it cannot be assumed that future occupiers would complain, apply for tree works or that there would be pressure for removal/pruning.”

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Communications tower plan near Masham would ‘harm landscape’

Plans to construct a 35m-tall communications tower near Masham to boost 4G coverage in rural areas have been recommended for refusal ahead of a meeting next week.

Councillors on Skipton & Ripon’s planning committee will meet on Tuesday to consider an application from mobile infrastructure provider Cornerstone to build the tower in Ox Close Plantation, Healey.

However, because the plantation sits within the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), which has strict planning laws, a council officer has recommended the application is refused as “great weight must be given to conserving and enhancing the landscape and scenic beauty” of the AONB.

According to a report due before councillors, existing 4G coverage is “spasmodic” in the area serving Fearby, the hamlet of Leighton and part of the Healey and Ilton villages. Elsewhere, only areas of higher ground can receive a signal.

If the tower is built, it would mean a 4G signal could be received from the Vodafone, Virgin Media-O2 and 3 networks to most of the surrounding area.

The application is part of the Shared Rural Network venture, which is a £1bn drive between government and major mobile network operators to improve the UK’s digital connectivity.

By 2025, the venture is expected to achieve 4G coverage in 95% of the UK.

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One nearby resident has submitted a letter of support to the application saying they experience no mobile signal due to the landscape and are too far from the telephone exchange to ever benefit from any landline broadband.

It has also been supported by Fearby, Healey and District Parish Council.

Ox Close Plantation lies on the north-west side of the Upper Pott Beck valley, where it is occupied by Leighton Reservoir.

The journey from Masham to Lofthouse descends to pass around the reservoir before climbing south-west with visitors experiencing expansive views.

Cornerstone says the tower must to be 35m so signal won’t be blocked by the trees but the planning officer said it would result in harm to visitors.

It said: 

“The height of the tower above the plantation in which it is to be situated is excessive and does cause undue harm to the AONB and the amenity of visitors. 

“The proposed development would introduce an incongruous feature into an unspoilt landscape creating an unacceptable level of harm to the landscape character of the Nidderdale AONB.”

Councillors will meet in Skipton on Tuesday afternoon (November 7) to consider the plans.