readers letters Archives - Page 3 of 4

Readers’ Letters: Station Gateway should be scrapped amid Spring StatementReaders’ Letters: Driving around Harrogate is becoming difficult and slowReaders’ Letters: Harrogate Station Gateway scheme would disrupt daily lifeReaders’ Letters: ‘Shameful’ empty super-green council properties need tenantsReaders’ Letters: Knaresborough’s land train proposal ‘makes no sense’Readers’ Letters: Ripon should have world class facilities for the city’s visitorsStray Views: Concerns about housing scheme for Harrogate’s Knox Lane

Stray Views is a weekly column giving you the chance to have your say on issues affecting the Harrogate district. It is an opinion column and does not reflect the views of the Stray Ferret. Send your views to letters@thestrayferret.co.uk.

Knox Lane and affordable homes

The report compiled by the case officer for Harrogate Borough Council about the proposed Knox Lane housing development ignores many facts.

It appears the application submitted in April 2020 is a Stonewater Housing Association/Jomast joint venture.

In the application for 73 homes, only 10 were open market. Fifty homes, including 10 open market ,were proposed on the allocated site, 80% affordable, the remaining 23 affordable homes were on adjacent unallocated land. The number of affordable (86.3%) is more than double Harrogate Borough Council’s HS2 Policy, despite pre-application discussions having taken place with council officers in September 2019. The following statements were included in supporting documentation with the application:

It is important to note that it was the applicant’s aspiration to provide a full affordable housing scheme on the site. However, an element of market dwellings has been introduced at the request of the council based on their reasoning that it would provide a more balanced scheme.

Due to the uncertainty in respect to the length of any lockdown and the fact that the scheme has already been consulted upon and the site is now an allocation, it is considered appropriate to submit the application rather than delay until some form of meaningful consultant can be carried out at some undetermined point in the future. There is a clear and pressing need for the delivery of housing of all forms within Harrogate.

Despite the application not being compliant with Harrogate Borough Council Local Plan policies it remained on the planning portal with consultees being contacted.

The revised application submitted in December 2021 excluded the 23 affordable homes on the unallocated land but included 30 (56.6%) in the new plan, still in excess of Harrogate Borough Council affordable homes policy and contrary to NPPF 47.

Consultations with residents were held in February and March 2018 when the land agent advised a proposal for 100% affordable homes on behalf of Wakefield and District Housing Association. It is now almost five years since these consultations were held yet no further consultations have been.

The link to Knox Country Park was requested by the case officer. He apparently has not considered the impact this will have on the newly planted habitat for wildlife. The extract from the ecological report submitted on behalf of the developer suggests the increase in footfall would.

Knox Lane comprised a single-lane road and associated footpath. It was lined on both sides by tree lines (including that one the western site boundary) and grass verges, with managed agricultural land beyond to the west. The tree lines may offer some nesting habitat for birds and foraging and commuting habitat for bats, but Knox Lane itself offers negligible suitable habitat for wildlife, comprising impermeable, artificial surfaces that are disturbed by human activity on a regular basis. As such, this area was assessed to be of low ecological value.

Catherine Alderson, Harrogate

Pollution and the River Nidd

I have today received a newsletter from the Conservative Party promoting our local MP Andrew Jones. The lead story covering the front page concerns the River Nidd, highlighting the work he is doing to improve the quality of the water in the river.

Can this possibly be the same Andrew Jones who represents the Conservative Party that has reduced the powers of the Environment Agency to prosecute offending water companies? That will not force private water companies, who pay substantial salaries to board members and huge dividends to shareholders, to carry out their duty to the public and refrain from putting sewerage into rivers in the first place.

The sheer hypocrisy is beyond belief.

Graham Dixon, Harrogate

More memories of Hotel St George

Further to Kathleen Mitchell’s letter last week. Bill Pritchard and Eddie Jack were still working at the hotel when my husband John Abel and Peter Pointer bought the hotel in 1970.

They both were excellent porters and I have very happy memories about them both.

So good to see your letter Kathleen Mitchell.

Vivien Abel, Harrogate

Do you have an opinion on the Harrogate district? Email us at letters@thestrayferret.co.uk. Please include your name and approximate location details. Limit your letters to 350 words. We reserve the right to edit letters.

Stray Views: Time to get tough on noisy cars in Harrogate district

Noisy motorists should get hefty fines

I was interested to read that Harrogate police are allegedly clamping down on noisy vehicles and anti-social behaviour of drivers in Harrogate town centre.

I’d like to know where the police are, particularly in the evening after Halfords has closed, on Knaresborough Road?

The reckless and inconsiderate driving of high powered vehicles in the area is truly awful.

Noise from so called ‘sporty’ exhausts, speeding, doughnutting on Halfords car park, intimidating other road users etc. Police presence is noticeable by its absence.

Whilst I’m dead set against what sometimes appears to be victimisation of the motorist, something should be done to get these idiots either off the road or given hefty penalties for the problems they’re inflicting on motorists and residents in this area.

Lesley Tudor, Harrogate

Malcolm Neesam’s support for Valley Gardens

Malcolm Neesam, whom I came to know over the last few decades, willingly shared his vast historical knowledge, research, photographs of yesteryear and documents with us all.

His enthusiasm and interest for Harrogate’s history was immeasurable.
However, we have many books and publications to remember him by, including his last publication Wells and Swells, published in April.

During my time as Chairman of Valley Gardens and afterwards Malcolm’s support was incalculable. In 2016 Malcolm opened the restored Old Magnesia Well Pump Room in the Valley Gardens.

He also attended our other restorations, the Japanese Garden, King Edward VII Memorial Gate and events in the Valley Gardens.

For A Souvenir Guide to Valley Gardens, Malcolm wrote the introduction and again proof read the contents and found some photographs for the publication, for Anne Smith and I.

Thank you Malcolm.

Jane Blayney, Harrogate

Stray Views: How did Woodfield school end up in this mess?

Woodfield’s school’s planned closure a sad reflection of times

Woodfield Community Primary School is going through a consultation process to close at the end of this year. There is to be a public meeting on Wednesday 15th June at 6pm at the school.

Woodfield is, as the name suggests, a community primary school which serves the local population. It has been extensively refurbished over the last few years, has a large playground and extensive playing fields, It has a community library and children’s centre at the same site.

Why then is it closing? This is, like many things, complex. It is to do with poor management by North Yorkshire County Council, inexperienced acting headteachers, social media, Harrogate parents exercising their ‘choice’ to go to the ‘better’ schools, and finally Ofsted rating the school in 2020 as ‘inadequate’.

The Ofsted rating was the death blow for Woodfield. It meant the school had to join an academy but no academy wanted to take it on, due to small pupil numbers, leaving the school in a catch- 22 situation.

There was no attempt to alter this situation by the education authorities, who could have stepped in at this point as far as I am aware. The school is now almost certain to close.

Many people do not know of the existence of Woodfield. Many people will not be bothered. It is not the school that the affluent of Harrogate send their children to, it was a good, caring school around the corner with teachers and teaching assistants that cared for the children, but didn’t get the best SATs results.

I think it is important sometimes to reflect on what do we really want for our children.

Vicky Lack, Bilton

Trying to order a drive-through coffee without a car

Yesterday whilst walking past Costa Coffee in Pannal I decided to go for a coffee. The restaurant part was closed due to lack of staff.

Upon walking away I noticed that the drive-through was open so I decided to ask for a coffee at the drive-through whilst there were no cars queueing. I was informed that due to not being in the car I could not be able to get a coffee. How does that work ??

Needless to say, I accepted that I was not driving a car. My options would have been to pretend I was driving a car or jump in the next car and ask to be a passenger.

We live in a seriously mad world where common sense has gone totally out of the window.

Amanda Finney, Pannal

Stray Views: Skipton Road ‘improvements’ have made delays worse

Skipton Road ‘improvements’ have made delays worse

At 9.30am today (Wednesday) it took me 16 minutes to drive between the New Park and Empress roundabouts in Harrogate, a distance of just over a mile.

The recent ‘improvement’ to the traffic lights at the junction of King’s Road and Woodfield Road has made Skipton Road jams much worse, in both directions.

When will North Yorkshire County Council return to remedy these problems where the traffic lights are not giving anything like enough time to motorists on the main Skipton Road, and how much has this wasted work cost so far?

Liz Carnell, Knox Way, Harrogate

Get it beeping right!

I read your articles about beeps at pedestrian crossings.

I have reasonably good eyesight and hearing but I entirely agree with Mr Raho that beeps are really necessary at pedestrian crossings and should be installed, as they do help so much when trying to cross.

Patricia Perry, Harrogate

Our MP is in first gear

I read last week’s letter about Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones’ lack of communication on his website.

It’s because it’s such a safe seat and he thinks he will walk it again at the next election — he’s in first gear all the way.

Michael Ward, Knaresborough