planning Archives - Page 23 of 24

Councillors’ ‘pride’ at Harrogate Spring Water decision

Two long-serving councillors who vocally opposed Harrogate Spring Water’s expansion plans into Rotary Wood at yesterday’s planning committee have expressed their pride at the decision to refuse the application

Eight councillors on Harrogate Borough Council’s 12-person planning committee voted to refuse the plans, with four abstaining.

Conservative councillor for Harrogate Harlow Jim Clark told the Stray Ferret the decision “showed the common sense of the planning committee”.

He said:

“I was very pleased and it was the right result. It will restore people’s confidence that there are excellent councillors on the planning committee.”

Mr Clark also paid tribute to local residents who he said “are very well informed” on issues surrounding the environment.

He said he hopes the debate around the bottling plant shows that local issues can be “at the forefront of climate change.”

Liberal Democrat councillor for Hookstone, Pat Marsh, who has been a councillor in Harrogate since 1990, told the Stray Ferret the Pinewoods application has been one of the most passionately felt issues in Harrogate in decades.

She praised members of the planning committee as well as many members of the public who wrote to her about the plans.

“I was very grateful to fellow members for standing up and saying this is wrong.

“I’m so grateful for all the people who took time and energy to contact me, especially the children. It made me very emotional.”

What happens next?

Harrogate Spring Water, which was bought last year by multinational firm Danone, already has outline planning permission to expand to the west of its existing site.

The company could choose to stick with this outline planning permission, appeal yesterday’s decision or submit a different application.

Immediately following the decision yesterday, Harrogate Spring Water released a statement that said it was considering its options.

Sales and marketing director Rob Pickering added:

“We would like to reassure our local community that we are committed to keeping them informed and involved with any environmental measures and landscaping developments at the Harrogate Spring Water site in the future.”

The Pinewoods Conservation Group charity called on Harrogate Borough Council to safeguard Rotary Wood from development.

In response, a HBC spokesman said:

“Outline planning permission, granted by the planning committee in 2017 for Harrogate Spring Water Limited to expand its bottling plant, still exists. This approved application (16/05254/OUTMAJ) permits the applicant to expand into Rotary Wood. Should an application for reserved matters be received, this will be reported to the planning committee.

“A separate decision by the council as landowner, regarding any potential disposal of the site and the status of the site as an Asset of Community Value, would still be required and subject to elected member approval.”

Plans submitted for 400-home eco-resort at Flaxby

The developer that wanted to build 3,000 homes on the former Flaxby golf course has now submitted plans for a 400-lodge eco-resort on the site.

The Stray Ferret reported in November that Flaxby Park Ltd was considering an eco-resort as an alternative scheme for the site close to the A1.

It has now submitted plans to Harrogate Borough Council and claims the project could generate £53m a year of visitor spending and employ 460 full-time staff.

According to documents filed with the planning application, the eco-lodges are “intended to attract the most discerning visitors” and would have a focus on sustainability.

The plans also include a hotel, outdoor swimming pool, spa and sports area as well as a pub/cafe, farm shop, gift shop and activity hub.

The documents say the “driving principle” behind the resort is to allow families to “reconnect with nature” in “an ecologically rich environment” using renewable energy. They add:

“The development of this unique, environmentally conscious eco-lodge holiday complex would generate significant benefits for the local economy and that of the wider region.”

The application accepts noise from the A1(M) “may be audible in certain areas of the site” but says trees will help to minimise the impact. It adds:

“Overall, the scheme proposed will promote a sustainable tourism and leisure development that will considerably strengthen the offer within the district.”

If planning permission is granted the developer says the resort could be built by 2024.

An aerial view of the proposed resort.

The site of the former Flaxby golf course has had a tumultuous recent history.

There were plans to build a £7m, 300-bedroom five-star hotel on the site but the company behind the scheme filed for bankruptcy.

Current owner Flaxby Park Ltd bought the site in 2015 and hoped to build 3,000 homes but its hopes were dashed when Harrogate Borough Council chose Green Hammerton and Cattal as the location for the homes instead.

The controversial decision came to a head in October when Flaxby Park Ltd and Harrogate Borough Council contested a judicial review in London’s High Court.

The judge ruled the council’s decision to choose Green Hammerton and Cattal over Flaxby did not have to be made again.

Harrogate council to correct planning objection after ‘censorship’ complaint

Harrogate Borough Council has blamed a computer error for accidentally redacting sections of a resident’s objection to a housing development.

Bill Shaw, a keen birdwatcher who lives near Richborough Homes’ proposed 95-home development at Granby Farm in Harrogate, wrote to the council highlighting the site’s wildlife value.

Mr Shaw, of Roseville Drive, was then shocked to discover some of his comments had been redacted on the council’s online planning portal.

Under privacy laws, the council can redact words or sentences if they refer to people or places.

But Mr Shaw found it difficult to understand why merely making observations such as that owls roost on the site, and red kite feed there, merited such action.

He told the Stray Ferret:

“It’s censorship and it doesn’t seem right at all”

The original letter (left) and the redacted version (right)

The Stray Ferret contacted Harrogate Borough Council, which today said the comments had been removed in error by a “redaction algorithm”.

The council uses a computer programme to automatically black out private information.

It said the original letter would be “reinstated imminently”.

A council spokesman said:

“We normally redact information regarding protected species. However, our redaction algorithm has been over zealous and removed information in error.

“Thank you to the resident who has spotted this error. It will be reinstated imminently.”

37 homes in Ripon look set for go ahead

Thirty-seven houses look set to be built on the site of former warehouses in Ripon after Harrogate Borough Council granted outline planning permission this week.

Prime Talent Ltd submitted plans to demolish vacant buildings at the Old Goods Yard, 2 Hutton Bank, which were previously used by companies such as Millennium Windows and Power Plastics, and build the homes.

Originally, 43 homes were mooted but the number was reduced after concerns were raised about the loss of the site for employment use.

An updated scheme was put forward with fewer homes and six units, which can be used by local businesses.

In August 2019, the council’s planning committee deferred approval to the chief planner subject to conditions, which included the completion of a legal agreement that dealt with the number of affordable homes.

Councillors also asked for a study on how the homes would be protected against subsidence.

Because the development involves bringing a vacant brownfield site back into use, the developer was able to apply a vacant building credit.

The government introduced vacant building credits to encourage developers to bring back into use previously developed sites containing vacant buildings by reducing the number of affordable homes they are obliged to build.

This reduced the number of affordable homes for this development to six, which is 16% of the development.

Normally on brownfield sites, the council asks developers to include 30% affordable housing.

As the site is in an area that may be subject to gypsum-related subsidence, developers undertook a study that recommends using rafting foundations on the buildings to mitigate any potential subsidence issues.

The developer is now set to submit a reserved matters application, which deals with the site’s appearance and types of homes.

Knaresborough dog groomers finds new high street home

A Knaresborough dog groomers is relocating along the high street at the end of the month — but has assured customers its much-loved dog window will remain a feature.

Carol’s Bonnie Dogs is known locally as the “one with dogs in the window”.

The owner, Carol Scanlan, doesn’t put the dogs in cages after being groomed but instead allows the animals to sit by the window as they wait to be collected.

She says the owners, as well as passers-by, like to see the dogs relaxing after pamper sessions.

The groomers is currently at 63 High Street but has been granted approval to relocate to the more spacious 44 High Street.

Ms Scanlan has been based in Knaresborough for three years and said business is going from strength to strength:

“A couple of local groomers closed down and we were being recommended. I’d say it’s tripled in the past three years.

“We needed more space and with the new place being next door to the pet shop it was a perfect match.”

Ms Scanlan hopes to move into the new shop, 44 High Street, at the end of the month.

Ms Scanlan currently employs two groomers, including one who started doing work experience from Askham Bryan College, as well as a part-time weekend member of staff.

She hopes to grow her team this year if business continues to get busier.

Dog groomers are allowed to stay open during this lockdown. Ms Scanlan said:

“After the first lockdown I was appalled at the condition of some of the dogs. I even sent an email to the Prime Minister. It was a massive relief to hear we can stay open.”

She hopes the groomers can move at the end of this month, with minimal disruption to the business.

Knaresborough restaurant plans to ‘shake things up’ on the high street

An Italian restaurant in Knaresborough has put forward a planning application to move into prime high street premises.

Two Brothers Grill and Pizzeria is currently based in Castle Courtyard but the growing restaurant has its sights set on a new space.

The restaurant has been open almost three years and proved to be a popular spot for locals. It is hopeful its new spot will “shake things up” for them.

The Ravasz brothers, Nandor and Szilard, opened the restaurant with their wives Vivien Kovacs and Eniko Szenasi in March 2018.

The team said the current unit will not be left empty, but instead they plan to turn it into a high-end bar.

The new space is said to be better suited to a restaurant and will give the owners more storage space. The owners said it will be “cosy and elegant, and still family friendly”.

The owners hope plans will be approved to allow them to start works on the new site, 69 High Street, straight away.

Nandor said:

“It will be the same people and menu, just a new space. We needed a bigger space and being on the high street is ideal.”

If the planning application is approved by Harrogate Borough Council, work will start immediately on the new building.

Mr Ravasz said plans are constantly changing due to restrictions but if everything stays on track he hopes to have the new place open at the end of spring.

Following last night’s lockdown announcement, the restaurant will continue to run as a takeaway. Mrs Ravasz added:

“We prefer the restaurant of course, but we are grateful to have an option B and the town is behind us. So many businesses haven’t got an option B so I can’t complain – we’re lucky to have business through the takeaway.”

St Aidan’s floodlit pitch plans approved

Councillors have approved St Aidan’s secondary school’s plans to build a floodlit artificial sports pitch, subject to conditions on lighting and flooding.

A report from HBC officer Jeremy Constable had recommended the proposals for refusal due to its impact on the surrounding area.

However, councillors on Harrogate Borough Council’s planning committee voted by a near unanimous decision this afternoon (nine in favour with one abstention) to defer to the chief planner for approval once new reports on drainage and light pollution are drawn up.

Nearby residents in Harrogate had complained the 15-metre high floodlights would cause light pollution to their homes and the Stray. However, Jeremy Constable, who wrote the council report, conceded at the meeting that light pollution would be minimal.

He said:

“There’s not going to be a great deal of light pollution. It can be mitigated with shields so that shouldn’t be a large issue.”

St Aidan’s chair of governers Jo Wicks spoke and said the pitch is “first and foremost” for the school but will also be used by the community in the evenings because of a “desperate shortage” of 3G pitches in the town.

Its hours of use will be 9am-8pm, Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm on Saturdays and 10am-2pm on Sundays.

Last week on HBC’s planning portal, the application had 40 objections and three in support. However, since the Stray Ferret story about the plans was published on Tuesday, there has been a surge of comments in favour, with 123 comments in support and 41 objections.

Several councillors spoke up in favour of the plans at the meeting, including Cllr Pat Marsh ,who said the council “would be letting our young people down” if they refused the plans.

She added:

“The weather at this time of year means the current pitches are unplayable. This is a way of providing to our young people. We owe it to them to provide this, not just for the school but for the wider community.”

Plans for Great Ouseburn caravan park could see it double in size

A caravan park in Great Ouseburn could double in size if planning is approved by Harrogate Borough Council.

The Burrows Park currently hosts 60 pitches for campers and caravaners but if plans were approved it would have capacity for approximately 100 pitches.

The park’s co-owner, Richard Kay, said this year had been “challenging” but over summer the park saw an influx of visitors as the staycation trend grew.

The 4 acres of land signposted for planning is already owned by the caravan park and currently used as an overspill area.

The plans include 57 further pitches, improved access, a toilet and shower block and a reception building.

The park said it has many eager people waiting to book a holiday and hoped this planning would allow it to facilitate everyone.

Mr Kay said:

“We’ve been talking about the plans for two years, my daughter only has one year left at college and she’s eager to get involved in the site so it seemed like the right time. Once it’s done it should look great and it’ll offer a mixture of seasonal and touring pitches.”

“We had a very busy summer especially with new caravaners which was great to see. But it has been a challenging year too, so we will just have to see how next year goes.”

Mr Kay has co-owned the site with his wife for seven years. As an avid caravaner himself he hopes the plans will bring more visitors to boost the local area.

Harrogate council defends planning department after accusations

Harrogate Borough Council has defended its planning department after a former planner told the Stray Ferret it ‘has been in a state of disarray’ for two decades.

David Howarth, who was employed by the council for five years in the 1980s and then worked for it as a private consultant for 30 years, spoke to the Stray Ferret to give us his views after reading our series of planning and housing articles this week.

In statement released to the Stray Ferret, a council spokesman robustly defended the performance of the planning department:

“To suggest our planning department has been in a ‘state of disarray for two decades’ is simply not true. The department is made up of highly qualified and experienced officers who work hard to ensure planning and development across the district adheres to national planning guidance that has changed significantly over the last few years, as well locally developed policies.

Mr Howarth said the council’s “weak resistance” to builders contrasted with its “heavy-handed” approach to residents seeking planning permission — an accusation that the council denied.

The spokesman said:

“To suggest we have a ‘weak resistance’ to builders is also not true. All planning applications, whether large-scale developments or single dwellings, are considered against this policy framework and determined accordingly.”

Our series this week has investigated the impact of the years that followed a rejected Local Plan in 2014 -before the formation of HBC’s current Local Plan, which was adopted in March 2020.

The spokesman added:

“The development of our Local Plan has been a mammoth task, as it is for all local authorities. The latest Local Plan has been judged as sound by the independent planning inspector.”

Harrogate planner: ‘council mistakes have created massive urban sprawl’

A planning specialist has blamed Harrogate District Council’s “parochial mindset” and “lack of vision” for the district’s “massive urban sprawl”.

David Howarth, who was employed by the council for five years in the 1980s and then worked for it as a private consultant for 30 years, contacted the Stray Ferret to give us his views after reading our series of planning articles this week.

Mr Howarth said the coverage had “brilliantly identified the major problems we have had over the last 20 years”.

He said the district’s planning department had been in a “state of disarray for two decades”, which had left the area at the mercy of developers.

David Howarth

Mr Howarth said the “acutely embarrassing debacle” of the Local Plan, which maps planning in the district and took six years to finalise between 2014 and 2020, was the critical failure. He said:

“When you get to the position where you have no Local Plan it becomes a free-for-all.

“You can’t blame the developers. They’re just doing their job. You can’t criticise them any more than you can Volvo for selling cars.”

Mr Howarth said many councils faced similar challenges but Harrogate Borough Council’s “parochial mindset” had backfired because its unrealistically low housing targets had been rejected by the government and resulted in far more being built. He said:

“We tried to restrict development because places like Harrogate and Knaresborough are nice places to live but when you try to restrict development to the absolute minimum and don’t conform with government guidelines, what happens then is the opposite arises and everybody piles in.

“In 1982 Killinghall Parish Council was screaming for a bypass. That’s 40 years ago — where’s the bypass? What we have instead is massive urban sprawl.

“A bypass could have been included in the Local Plan. The plan could have made developers pay a levy for houses they built Killinghall.”

Afraid to speak out

Mr Howarth said the council’s weak resistance to builders contrasted with its heavy-handed approach to residents seeking planning permission. He said:

“Some developments that have been accepted are very poor but if you put in an application to extend your conservatory they are down on you like a ton of bricks.”

Mr Howarth said the current situation was “predominantly the fault of the people in charge of Harrogate Borough Council” and its planning department needed to be more dynamic and visionary.

He said many planners were reluctant to speak out in case it cost them work with the council. He said:

“I’ve retired and could not care less now. Five years ago I wouldn’t have made this phone call.”

The Stray Ferret has asked Harrogate Borough Council for a response to Mr Howarth’s claims. At the time of publication we had not received one.

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Afraid to speak out