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Leaseholders at Bedern Court in Ripon, where four apartments were demolished this year, have voted to seek planning permission for a replacement block.
It follows reports from engineers which showed that no evidence of sinkhole activity was found on the site.
The 29 leaseholders, who are shareholders in Bedern Court Ltd, which owns the freehold of the residential properties, took the decision at their annual general meeting.
They did so after receiving a report from Harrogate-based engineering practice Hill Cannon, which included findings from a geotechnical investigator.
A thorough inspection of the foundations of the stricken block was made possible after it was demolished and the investigation carried out by Mugen Geo Ltd, of Hebden Bridge, concluded “there is no evidence of a sinkhole”.
Large cracks were visible on the properties before they were demolished
Surveyor Richard Willis, who is the managing agent for Bedern Court, said:
“It was discovered that the reinforced concrete raft under the block had not been installed properly and subsequently failed, causing extensive structural cracking which necessitated the evacuation and demolition of the building.
“All other properties on the site, where the foundations were properly installed, are unaffected and with sinkhole activity ruled out, a planning application for a replacement block will now be brought forward.”
The red brick residential development close to Ripon Cathedral was built in 1986 and in October 2020, the apartments at 1,3 and 5 Bedern Court and 17 Skellgarths, were evacuated after being deemed unsafe for human habitation.
The damage caused to the block was blamed over a number of years on sinkhole activity in the area.
Controlled demolition of the four properties was carried out over seven weeks and completed in early March.
Ripon Canal to celebrate 250th anniversary with open day on Saturday
Ripon Canal, one of the city’s hidden historic gems, will celebrate its 250th anniversary on Saturday with a day of festivities, including displays and live music.
The festival is part of the Heritage Open Days programme running from tomorrow (September 8) until Sunday September 17, which will see dozens of venues across the Harrogate district take part, offering free entry to anyone wishing to visit.
Saturday’s open day at the canal basin runs from 11am until 3pm and at 1pm the Mayor of Ripon, Councillor Sid Hawke, will unveil a plaque to mark the waterway’s landmark anniversary.
The day, which has been organised by Richard Willis , owner of Ripon Scenic Cruises with support from Ripon Civic Society, will be attended by representatives from organisations including the Canal & River Trust, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, the RSPB and civic dignitaries.
The picturesque approach to the canal basin
The history of Ripon Canal
The canal opened in September 1773, principally to bring coal by boat from the mines of West Yorkshire for domestic use in Ripon and to carry cargos of wool and lead ingots from the Dales for use in Yorkshire’s cloth and heavy manufacturing industries.
However, 75 years after its opening, the canal became virtually redundant overnight with the arrival in Ripon of the railway and the opening in June 1848 of a station to the north of the city centre.
Barges could not compete with the new rapid delivery service and with the loss of trade, the canal’s fate as a commercial enterprise was sealed.
Operators of the new mode of transport that caused the canal’s demise soon became its owner, as the waterway was purchased by the Leeds and Thirsk Railway in 1844, which subsequently became part of the North Eastern Railway in 1855.
Decades of dereliction followed and at one stage Ripon City Council mooted the idea of filling in the canal to create an extension for the Dallamires Lane Industrial estate.
Prior to this suggestion, the British Transport Commission had obtained Royal Assent for the abandonment of Ripon Canal in 1956.
Regeneration and conservation
Calls to regenerate the canal to realise its potential as a leisure and tourist asset for local residents and visitors proved successful, gaining momentum through the formation of the Ripon Canal Society, of which Mr Willis was appointed secretary in 1982.
The waterway reopened for navigation as far as Littlethorpe Road Bridge in 1986 and was officially reopened right into the centre of Ripon in September 1996, with the assistance of the society and local authorities and with funding from English Partnerships.
Further improvements have been brought about through work carried out by Ripon Motor Boat Club, which has its marina and clubhouse on a section of the canal at Littlethorpe.
The waterway is now managed by the Canal & River Trust, which is the charity that succeeded British Waterways. It was awarded a Green Flag for its water quality in July 2018 and the improvements brought about by conservation volunteers and the Environment Agency have attracted more wildlife to its banks, while otters are regularly spotted hunting for fish.
Mr Willis told the Stray Ferret:
“The festival provides the opportunity for people to find out more about Ripon Canal and the role it has played, first as an industrial transport route and now as a leisure and recreational asset that attracts both visitors and wildlife into the heart of the city.”
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Alongside Ripon’s iconic cathedral and historic market, canal cruises are on the list of visitor and tourist attractions on a sign guiding motorists to the city centre.
Many of those tempted for the first time to make the turn off the bypass to ‘stay awhile amid Ripon’s ancient charms’ may not realise that this place is also a waterway wonderland, with three rivers, a wetlands area with lake and the hidden gem of a canal.
The arrival of the railway at the height of Victorian Britain’s industrial revolution, spelled the end of the line for the man-made navigation. But far-sighted people in the city saw its environmental, leisure and recreational potential and saved it.
Now there are plans in hand to celebrate the canal’s 250th anniversary in September 2023 — an event that will also give visitors a chance to enjoy Ripon’s wealth of watery assets.
The Ure, Skell and Laver each have their own characteristics and attractions, including wooded walks, along river banks linked by iron, stone. concrete and wooden bridges.
A wooded walk along the River Skell, which runs parallel with Ripon Canal
There’s a ford crossing the Skell that is safe to drive through when water levels allow and stepping stones, which are popular with pedestrians and dog walkers.
Otters have been spotted in the city’s rivers and canal, signalling the fact that water quality has been dramatically improved, thanks to the work of conservation volunteers, the Canal and River Trust and Environment Agency.
The canal’s 250th anniversary
Richard Willis, who owns and operates Ripon Scenic Cruises and provides trips from the canal basin off Bondgate Green, is planning the festival that will celebrate the waterway’s notable milestone.
Richard Willis is planning a festival in the canal basin in September 2023
In this, his 16th season of offering scenic journeys aboard his custom-made Pride of Ripon canal boat, Mr Willis is already looking forward to next year.
He told the Stray Ferret:
“This is a magnificent opportunity for Ripon to put itself in the UK spotlight for enthusiasts and people who enjoy the gentle and idyllic pleasures of waterside or waterborne leisure activities.”
The picturesque approach to the canal basin
He is well-placed to speak about the magnetic attraction that brings people back time and again after they have had their first cruise.
Mr Willis said:
“We have regular customers who have been coming to us for years from across the Harrogate district and further afield.
“They come specifically for a cruise and while here, they visit the cathedral, museums and other attractions in the city – all good for the tourist economy.”
He added:
“The Pride of Ripon was tied up for a lot of last year because of the covid lockdown, but once restrictions lifted in July, we were busy every day.
“At the end of the season we were able to reflect on our best-ever year of operating here.
“That’s why I am so confident that a canal-focused festival in the basin will be a great success.”
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