Plan to build 23 affordable homes in Scotton rejected

A plan to build 23 affordable homes in Scotton has been rejected.

Harrogate Borough Council turned down the proposal from Jack Lunn (Properties) Ltd, which was earmarked for a site on Ripley Road in the village.

The plan would have seen a mix of one, two and three-bedroom affordable homes built on the site.

Affordable housing is defined as housing for people who cannot afford to buy or rent homes on the open market. The price varies locally.

The council estimates the district needs 6,600 affordable homes built between 2014 and 2035, which is the equivalent of 313 per year.

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However, the council turned down the application on the grounds that the site was outside the development boundary for the village.

In its decision, the council said:

“The proposal would result in an incongruous projection out of the existing settlement into open countryside. 

“The proposed development is not small in scale and is not an infill development that relates well to the existing built form of the settlement.”

The proposal also received 20 letters of objection from residents calling for the application to be turned down.

Scotton and Lingerfield Parish Council said in its objection that the scale of the development was not justified for the village.

It said:

“The National Planning Policy Framework is quite clear how exceptions sites should only be released for local affordable housing needs and not to meet general affordable housing needs. 

“The level of local affordable housing need has not been identified within Scotton and Lingerfield parish area to justify the scale of development being proposed.”

In documents submitted to the council, the developer said that the homes would make a “positive contribution” to the area.

It said:

“The design proposal intends to provide a sympathetic response to the surrounding context.

“The homes use materials indicative of the local area whilst the layout seeks to provide a range of homes as part of the development to allow for a positive contribution to the local community.”

Appeal for information after £1,000 damage to Nidd Gorge car park barrier

The Woodland Trust is trying to track down a white van that caused £1,000 of damage to a barrier at the entrance to the Nidd Gorge car park on Ripley Road in Scotton.

Witnesses say they saw the van hit the height restriction barrier as it attempted to enter the car park on Saturday July 31 at about 10am.

The heavy gauge steel barrier was bent backwards and several visitors in the car park at the time gathered around the van. But the vehicle’s number plate has yet to be identified.

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The Woodland Trust owns the car park and maintains the woods in the gorge, which is a popular location for hikers and dog walkers.

A spokesperson for the Woodland Trust said:

“The Woodland Trust is a charity that protects woodland areas for the public good. It relies on donations to do this. Ideally, we would like to identify the driver or vehicle so we can try to recover the approx £1,000 repair cost and not divert it from other essential woodland protection work.

“We would be grateful if anyone can help us to identify the van or driver, by providing a vehicle number plate for example.”

Anyone with information can contact The Woodland Trust on 0330 3333300 or email: enquiries@woodlandtrust.org.uk . Emails should have the subject heading ‘Nidd Gorge – Height Barrier Damage’.

Five of the 10 care homes with most covid deaths in Harrogate district

A breakdown of covid deaths for each care home in North Yorkshire has revealed five of the 10 worst affected are in the Harrogate district.

The new figures released by the Care Quality Commission, which regulates care homes, revealed 18 care homes in the county reported a total of 515 resident deaths during the course of the pandemic.

Health officials said the results “bring into stark relief the ravages” of the virus.

Five of the 10 care homes worst affected during the pandemic were in the Harrogate district. These included three in Harrogate, one in Knaresborough and another in Scotton.

Top 10 worst affected care homes in North Yorkshire:

Richard Webb, director of health and adult services at North Yorkshire County Council, said:

“Every death from covid during the course of this terrible pandemic has been one death too many.”

“The death toll in care homes over the last 20 months, published by the Care Quality Commission, brings into stark relief the ravages of covid and the price we have paid as a society and that we continue to pay.

“All the families and friends who have lost loved ones to the virus are very much in our hearts and in our thoughts.”

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Care home managers must inform the CQC when one of their residents dies. From April last year they also had to say whether covid was believed to be a factor in the person’s death.

The newly published data is based on these notifications.

No link between care standards and deaths

The CQC said in its report that it has not found a link between standards of care and the number of deaths – something local health officials have also stressed.

The social care watchdog said contributing factors included the levels of covid in the local community and the age and health of the residents.

The struggle for PPE and hospital patients being discharged into homes without getting tested were also thought to contributors to the virus spreading quickly.

And although it is now widely available, testing was said to be a “critical” issue at the start of the outbreak with some test kits taking up to 20 days to be delivered to North Yorkshire care homes.

Mr Webb praised social care staff for their “heroic efforts” during the pandemic:

“Staff have worked heroically to contain the virus as best they could. We are grateful to staff in care homes as well as our own authorities who showed courage and bravery in doing all they could to protect our residents, working tirelessly during such a difficult period.

“We will never know, if we had not taken swift action supported by colleagues in the care sector in those early days, how many more would have died.”

Scotton girls run 24 hours to raise funds after vandals strike

A junior football team from Scotton that was targeted by vandals has completed a 24 hour fun run to raise money for repairs.

Vandals damaged the goals used by Scotton Scorchers under 14s girls team during lockdown.

This prompted the team to raise money towards creating safe storage for the goalposts and upgrading the clubhouse kitchen.

So at 2pm on Saturday the players set off, helped by coaches and parents, on the run in an attempt to raise £1,000.

At least two people were running at all times during the challenge, which was successfully completed yesterday.

The team beat its £1,000 target — at the time of publication the fundraiser is at £1,255. You can click or tap here to donate to the gofundme page.

Tinker the horse, an unlikely team mascot who wears the Scotton Scorchers’ number 10 shirt, even helped by guiding the runners home.

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It will cost more than £5,000 to complete the works so the club has more fundraising events planned.

Wayne Latimer, the under-14s girls coach, told the Stray Ferret:

“It has been a difficult year for the team but they have come back and not only have the under-14 girls team won their league but so have the under-16 girls team.

“I am sure quite a few of them will still be resting up in bed today but I am incredibly proud of all of the girls who took part in the 24-hour fun run.

“They have absolutely smashed the target of £1,000 and it will make a big difference for the club.”

Anyone who would like to join the team can find out more information on the club website. Or send an email to the club secretary Mike Collier.

Plan submitted for 23 affordable homes in Scotton

Developers have submitted plans for 23 affordable homes in Scotton.

Harrogate-based Jack Lunn (Properties) Ltd has lodged the proposal to Harrogate Borough Council, which would see the development built off Ripley Road in the village.

The plan would see a mix of one, two and three-bedroom affordable homes built on the site.

Affordable housing is defined as housing for people who cannot afford to buy or rent homes on the open market. The price varies locally.

The council estimates the district needs 6,600 affordable homes built between 2014
and 2035, which is the equivalent of 313 per year.

Also included in the Scotton proposal are measures for access and public open space.

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In documents submitted to the council, the developer said that the homes would make a “positive contribution” to the area.

It said:

“The design proposal intends to provide a sympathetic response to the surrounding context. 

“The homes use materials indicative of the local area whilst the layout seeks to provide a range of homes as part of the development to allow for a positive contribution to the local community.”

The borough council will make a decision on the proposal at a later date.

The plot thickens! Passerby saw artist paint ‘Banksy’ in Scotton

As speculation mounts over a “Banksy” mural in Scotton, a passerby has claimed she saw the artist in the act.

The owners of the historic Guy Fawkes Arms found the piece on the pub’s wall earlier this week and are currently trying to find out whether it is a genuine work by the notorious street artist.

Guy Fawkes lived in Scotton. The mural, which bears a Banksy signature, shows Guy dropping covid passports into a burning Houses of Parliament.

Danielle and Adam Vear, who own the pub, were shocked to discover the design at around 3.30pm on Wednesday.

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While the Vears await news from the Pest Control website, which was set up to verify Banksy pieces, a witness has come forward.

Lucy Anne Morgan happened to be passing the pub on Wednesday and told the Stray Ferret:

“I was driving past the pub at around 3.30pm. I saw two men. One guy was finishing off the spray job and another, who was wearing a red hoodie, had a camera.

“They definitely looked a bit suspicious. I don’t know if Banksy would paint it in the middle of the day with a witness but it could be.”

Has Banksy painted a mural in Scotton?

The owners of the historic Guy Fawkes Arms in Scotton are trying to find out whether a mural, which appeared on their pub yesterday, is a genuine Banksy.

Danielle and Adam Vear were shocked to discover the image featuring Guy Fawkes, who lived in the village, when it appeared in broad daylight yesterday at about 3.30pm.

The spray paint and stencil mural, which bears a Banksy signature, shows covid passports dropping from a barrel held by Fawkes into a burning Houses of Parliament.

The quality of the mural, plus the fact it was done so quickly, suggests it is the work of a talented artist. But is it a Banksy? Ms Vear said:

“I really don’t know. Whoever did it is good and put a lot of thought into it. Everyone is intrigued by it.”

The couple think the artist appeared when they were in the pub. Remarkably, nobody seems to have spotted them even though the pub is situated in the heart of the village.

The Vears are now trying to verify the work by contacting the pest control website set up for such a purpose.

If it is a Banksy, it would be worth millions of pounds.

The pub, which dates back to the 1700s, reopens today for outdoor drinks only and Ms Vear insists the mural isn’t an elaborate publicity stunt.

“The whole thing is just bizarre.”

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Scotton bonfire will be back but will never burn a Guy

Tonight is fireworks night but events across the Harrogate district have been cancelled.

It is usually a special night in Scotton, the small village on the outskirts of Knaresborough where Guy Fawkes grew up.

Fawkes’ home, Scotton Old Hall, is the most famous landmark in the village and still stands today.

The village always lights a bonfire on November 5 but refuses to burn an effigy out of respect for its former resident.

That does not deter visitors though as the event attracts about 1,500 people each year.

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But this year will be different.

Scotton Cricket Club, whose players sport badges displaying Guy Fawkes, organises the event.

The club’s chairman, Andy Marshall, told the Stray Ferret:

“It is a very popular event, people come from all over the country because we have strong connections with Guy Fawkes.

“As we have that connection we will never burn a Guy. Instead we burn other bits of timber and always have a big fireworks display.”

Coronavirus may have forced the event’s cancellation this year but Mr Marshall promises it will be back “bigger and better”.

Community groups to carry out speed checks in district villages

Community groups will be out in Hampsthwaite, Scotton and Tockwith tomorrow to check for speeding motorists.

The groups will be supported by North Yorkshire Police, using equipment to monitor speeds and pass information to officers.

The county-wide initiative could result in drivers being prosecuted based on the information supplied by the community groups. Jamie Smith, of North Yorkshire Police’s Traffic Bureau, said:

“Speeds of 60mph-plus through 30mph communities are unbelievably irresponsible, and clearly highlight that we need to continue doing everything we can to prevent them.

“If a child was to run into the road or a vehicle was to unexpectedly pull out of junction, the outcome would be unthinkable.

“Like us, residents are all too aware of these dangers and are fed up of motorists tearing through their communities and putting lives at risk.

“Community Speed Watch group do a very important job and we’re extremely grateful to everyone who gives up their time to support this valued work. We bring together police resources, tactics and teams along side these groups to pack a real punch against speeding and other dangerous road use.”

At the same time, officers from North Yorkshire Police will be on key routes through the county to check for unroadworthy vehicles. They will also be looking for other hazards, such as driving while using a mobile or under the influence of drugs or alcohol, not wearing a seatbelt, tailgating, and uninsured vehicles.

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