Harrogate Borough Council has said “categorically” that a delay to the opening of Ripon’s new swimming pool is not linked to ground stability issues and the threat of sinkholes.

The six-lane pool on Dallamires Lane was due to open on December 8 but the council said on Friday this had been delayed because a fault with the lining of the pool had been found during testing. The pool is now due to open in January but no precise date has been confirmed.

A council spokesman said pool manufacturer Myrtha would be carrying out additional work to fix the problem, at no extra cost to the council.

A swimming pool liner is a vinyl surface that is attached to the walls and floor of a pool to help keep in the water.

There have been long-standing concerns about sinkholes on the land the pool has been built on. But a council spokesman said the two issues were not linked.

“We can categorically confirm that this issue is related to the lining of the pool and not a ground stability issue.”

Harrogate Borough Council closed Ripon Spa Baths last month in anticipation of the new pool opening. The delay to the Dallamires Lane pool means there is nowhere to go for a swim in Ripon until the new year.

Read more:

• BREAKING: Ripon pool opening delayed until January after fault found
• EXCLUSIVE: Ripon leisure scheme racks up additional £1m cost

Concerns have again been raised recently that the site could be permanently plagued by the threat of sinkholes.

This month, a council-commissioned report by engineering company Stantec outlined measures to mitigate the effects of a void that was detected last year.

Dr Alan Thompson, a geologist and director of Cuesta Consulting in Somerset, called for the council to postpone a decision on the measures and give greater consideration to finding an alternative site.

Senior councillors voted to press ahead with plans to carry out further work while opening most of the site.

The Stray Ferret revealed last week that Ripon’s new leisure project is now more than £4m over budget.

Additional safety measures have been taken at a Ripon residential block in danger of collapse through subsidence caused by sinkhole activity.

Ripon City Council is in the process of writing to North Yorkshire County Council, calling for the four properties at Bedern Court to be demolished.

In the meantime, Bedern Court Ltd (BCL) – a not-for-profit company controlled by owners and leaseholders with houses and apartments in the 29-unit development – has installed the steel fence (pictured above) inside the courtyard to keep people away from the affected block.

The new fencing is in addition to the continuing closure of Peacock’s Passage, at the side of Bedern Court on Skellgarths (pictured below).

BCL chair Mat Pritchard, told the Stray Ferret:

“With its worsening state and the risk of collapse or falling masonry and tiles, we have concerns about use of parking spaces close to the property. The fence also prevents access to the block.”

BCL has set up a wardens group to keep an eye on the block, which was has remained empty since its evacuation more than a year ago.

Mr Pritchard pointed out:

“They will advise of any further deterioration that they witness and we will continue to liaise with all relevant authorities.”

At its full meeting earlier this month, Ripon City Council agreed to write to NYCC, calling for it to demolish the stricken block on the grounds of public safety.

At the meeting, council leader Andrew Williams, said:

“The movement of the affected block caused by sinkhole activity in the area is gaining speed and the implications for public safety are enormous.

“The block fronts onto the public highway and pavement and the potential impact of collapse and possibility of opening up of more damaging sinkholes in neighbouring areas cannot be ignored.

“If the perilous state of the building means it’s not safe to walk along Peacock’s Passage, it can’t  be safe to walk or drive past it on Skelgarths. It needs to be demolished as quickly and safely as possible.”

BCL, which is still awaiting settlement of a long-standing insurance claim relating to the affected block, has provided its insurers with reports from a monitoring engineer and geologist in support of the claim.

Ripon City Council has called for the urgent demolition of four homes in the city that are in danger of collapse because of sinkholes.

A council meeting last night heard the properties at Bedern Court were in a “perilous” state and “the implications for public safety are enormous”.

The homes, which have remained empty since they were evacuated in October last year, border Skelgarths, one of the arterial routes through and into the city.

Peacock’s Passage, a footpath that runs alongside Bedern Court, was blocked off with permission from North Yorkshire County Council a year ago, after the owners of the stricken block raised concerns about public safety.

Peacock’s Passage has been barriered off since the evacuation of four properties at Bedern Court

Last night’s meeting saw councillors vote unanimously to support the call to contact the county council and request urgent action.

City council leader Andrew Williams, told the meeting:

“The movement of the affected block caused by sinkhole activity in the area is gaining speed and the implications for public safety are enormous.

“The block fronts onto the public highway and pavement and the potential impact of collapse and possibility of opening up of more damaging sinkholes in neighbouring areas cannot be ignored.

“If the perilous state of the building means it’s not safe to walk along Peacock’s Passage, it can’t  be safe to walk or drive past it on Skelgarths. It needs to be demolished as quickly and safely as possible.”

Skelgarths borders the affected block

Mat Pritchard, chairperson of Bedern Court Ltd, a not-for-profit company controlled by owners and leaseholders with houses and apartments in the 29-unit development. told the Stray Ferret:

“All authorities, including the parish, district and county councils, have been contacted by us and kept updated on the increasingly desperate situation that we are facing and we welcome this news from Ripon City Council.

“We have taken all of the measures that we can, but feel that we are rapidly running out of time.”

Reports from a monitoring engineer employed by Bedern Court Ltd indicated that ground movement is ongoing and appears to be speeding up.

While monitoring the signs of movement, Bedern Court Ltd continues to await the outcome of a long-standing insurance claim relating to the affected properties.

A year after four Ripon homes had to be evacuated because of subsidence, the owners are continuing to press for settlement of a long-standing insurance claim.

Fears of a building collapse at the 35-year-old Bedern Court scheme on Skellgarths have increased following a new report by a monitoring engineer.

Leaseholders and owners feel they have been put in a desperate situation caused by circumstances beyond their control.

The claim is currently with global insurance company Arch, and while owners and tenants of the four affected properties hope for good news, the engineer’s report has highlighted a worsening situation exacerbated by sinkhole activity in the area.

Four homes at Bedern Court have remained empty after being evacuated a year ago

Mat Pritchard, chairperson of Bedern Court Ltd (BCL) – a non-profit company controlled by owners and leaseholders with houses and apartments in the 29-unit development – told the Stray Ferret:

“The report from our monitoring engineer indicates that the ground movement is still ongoing, and appears to be speeding up.

“The risk of catastrophic collapse has ratcheted upwards and we are now seriously worried that the block could be very close to some kind of tipping point.

“We greatly fear a situation where it does collapse or partially collapse, and someone gets killed or injured.”

In addition to the monitoring report, BCL commissioned a separate investigation from a geotechnical engineering practice.

This looked at the history of the site and concluded that the subsidence issues experienced there do constitute an insurable risk that should be covered by insurance.

The report was sent to Arch in June and Mr Pritchard, who owns one of the affected properties with his wife Jane, said:

“We have been in very regular contact with the insurers in an attempt to get this matter resolved as swiftly as possible, but we are still waiting.

“All authorities, including the parish, district and county councils, have been contacted by us and kept updated.

“We have taken all of the measures that we can, but feel that we are rapidly running out of time.”

A tidy-up is underway at a central Ripon location where a sinkhole prevented new homes from being built.

The Stray Ferret understands the area in Allhallowgate will remain as green open space for the public to enjoy. Further details are expected shortly.

Grey hoardings around the site were taken down yesterday as part of the proposed makeover.

Harrogate Borough Council was set to build 17 homes to replace a block of flats in poor condition on Allhallowgate.

However, serious ground stability issues came to light during demolition of the existing properties and the project was scrapped in 2019.

The proposed scheme was backed with funding from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government but the sinkhole made the development economically unviable.

The site, pictured in February before the tidy-up began

The area remained dormant. Hoardings were erected and an entry gateway was chained and locked.

In February, Ripon councillor Mike Chambers, Harrogate Borough Council’s cabinet member for housing and safer communities, told the Stray Ferret:

“The area is going to be tidied up, levelled, re-seeded and greened to improve its appearance.

“It has become overgrown and the hoardings are a bit the worse for wear.”

With the removal of the hoardings, the extent of the tidy-up operation has become evident.

Bushes and overgrown foliage have been cut back and grass is starting to grow.

Removal of the hoardings started yesterday

Residents of the demolished block were all permanently re-housed by Harrogate Borough Council and funding has been allocated for extensive refurbishment and improvement of the remaining Allhallowgate block, which is due to start shortly.

Ripon’s gypsum issue

Ground instability problems caused by the soluble nature of gypsum have been seen in many parts of Ripon.

The Stray Ferret reported in October about the evacuation of a residential block at Bedern Court, caused by subsidence in the area.

In February 2018, a sinkhole opened up on the car park of Ripon Leisure Centre, off Dallamires Lane. A further void discovered near the leisure centre entrance a year ago is under investigation.

In 2016, a dozen homes in Magdalen’s Road were evacuated after a 66-foot wide sinkhole opened up.

Read more:

• Ripon BID chairman’s confidence in the city
• Why were the Royal Engineers marching through Ripon?

A Ripon councillor who voted in favour of the city’s new swimming pool and leisure centre refurbishment, is now supporting calls for an independent investigation into the scheme.

Sid Hawke was one of eight councillors on Harrogate Borough Council’s planning committee that approved an application two years ago for a new six-lane pool to be built alongside the existing leisure centre, which would be refurbished.

But following fresh concerns about sinkholes, Cllr Hawke, an independent who represents Ripon Ure Bank on Harrogate Borough Council, told the Stray Ferret:

“If I knew then, what I know now, I would have definitely voted against it.

“I’ve wanted a new swimming pool for Ripon for years, but the public interest must come first.

“I fully support an independent investigation looking into safety issues, so we can get them all sorted out.”

Also on the planning committee, which met on June 25, 2019, was Pat Marsh, the Liberal Democrat leader on Harrogate Borough Council, who was one of three councillors to abstain. Conservative councillor Nigel Simms voted against, because of misgivings about the suitability of the site two years ago.

Last week Cllr Marsh called for an independent investigation into the multi-million pound development at Camp Close, off Dallamires Lane.

Her comments followed safety concerns raised in a report by the multi-national consultancy Stantec, which were amplified by Dr Alan Thompson, a leading authority on the gypsum and sinkhole issues affecting all types of development in the Ripon area.

Cllr Pat Marsh

Cllr Marsh’s call came in the wake of the Stray Ferret’s exclusive story about safety concerns that came to light after Stantec’s inspection of a cavity discovered close to the leisure centre entrance in September.

The cavity, in the area where the new pool is due to be attached to the existing leisure centre, is in close proximity to a sinkhole that opened up on the centre car park.

That sinkhole arose 16 months before the planning meeting where the new pool was voted through.

Cllr Marsh, said:

“I’m pleased that Cllr Hawke supports my call for an investigation and I hope that other Ripon councillors will follow suite.

“The people of Ripon deserve a new pool — but there have been long-term ground stability issues in this area, as I know from the time when the leisure centre was being built.

“With this in mind, I couldn’t vote for further development at Camp Close as I thought that other site options should have been considered.

“We will see what the investigation commissioned by Harrogate Borough Council says about the cavity and then press for an independent safety investigation.”

A spokesperson for Harrogate Borough Council said last week:

“The multi-million pound investment project at Ripon Leisure Centre shows our commitment to providing modern, fit-for-purpose leisure facilities for the people of Ripon.

“Given the well-known ground conditions in Ripon, we employed qualified and experienced geologists and geo-technic engineers to carry out necessary investigation works and advise on what would be required to provide this much needed facility.

“A total of 441 grouting sites received 3,043 tonnes of grout which, along with the casting of a reinforced concrete slab, provides the foundation for the new swimming pool building.

“The void which is underneath the existing leisure centre is understood to have been present a number of years. This was only discovered as a result of the work to prepare the new swimming pool site.

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“It is now being investigated and should any remedial work be required then it will be carried out.

“We are committed to providing this much-needed facility that will encourage a healthier and more active lifestyle for our residents and something they can be proud of.”

A leading authority on Ripon’s long-standing gypsum and sinkhole problems has raised serious safety concerns about the site of Ripon’s new swimming pool and existing leisure centre.

The Stray Ferret has obtained a copy of a letter sent by geologist Dr Alan Thompson to Harrogate borough councillors in which he states issues around the stability of the ground of the existing leisure centre haven’t been taken seriously enough.

Dr Thompson, a director of Cuesta Consulting in Somerset, was the principal author of a definitive document in 1996 on land in Ripon where there is a risk of ground instability, which subsequently provided the basis for Harrogate Borough Council’s planning policy.

His intervention follows an inspection carried out by global consultancy firm Stantec into a “cavity” that appeared near the entrance to the existing leisure centre building in September 2020.

In a strongly-worded letter he claims that the council has not followed its own protocols.

“My stark conclusion is that, if the lessons to be learned from the Stantec report are not heeded, the council could be walking blindly into a major problem – not least in terms of public finances and political consequences but also, potentially, in terms of future public safety.”

In May, Michael Constantine, head of culture and sport and interim head of operations, answered questions on the safety of the development at the leisure centre site.

Dr Thompson claims cabinet members  were not made aware of the wider concerns about the site contained in the Stantec report:

He said:

“The purpose of this letter is to draw the Councillors’ attention to a number of key findings identified in that report, (that) clearly demonstrate the cavity in question is associated with ongoing subsidence activity relating to gypsum dissolution.

“The findings also reveal serious concerns about the extent of instability beneath other parts of the existing building and the inadequacy of the foundations that were used.

“Those concerns have clear implications for the new swimming pool development.”

What was said to cabinet members in May? 

At the cabinet meeting on May 26, Mr Constantine was asked by councillor and deputy leader Graham Swift if the project had followed protocols. Cllr Swift said:

“I think you are aware that there are residents out there who have written to members either under their amateur-guise of geology or potentially historic professional credentials for geology and have expressed some concerns about the work that is carrying out there.

“I just really wanted to take this opportunity to receive your assurances that although we are not necessarily in negotiations with the amateurs or the residents that are making the claims, just make sure we are undertaking professional surveys throughout this work, we have got the right technical geologists on all the work and that all the right protocols are taking place for the progress of this project.”

Mr Constantine responded, saying:

“I am very content to be able to give cabinet, council and any interested residents my assurance that as a project team we are employing sufficiently qualified and experienced geologists and geo-technical engineers.

“The ground investigations works is proposed to take place and be delivered by the company who have undertaken the main series of investigations and re-enforcement works for the main new pool facility. They have a very detailed knowledge of the site and they are pretty much the UK industry experts in stabilisation.”

Mr Constantine also said that the cavity discovered in September 2020:

“Is a shallow void which goes underneath the building and is not thought to be a related dissolution feature.”

What does the Stantec report say?

The ‘void’ was discovered on 14 September 2020, when principal contractor Willmott Dixon (WD) was excavating foundations for the new swimming pool extension to the leisure centre.

Stantec’s report, which has been seen by the Stray Ferret, raised concerns about the load-bearing capacity of existing piles under the existing leisure centre, which would have been used to support the connection between the new pool and the leisure centre.

Discussions where held with Willmott Dixon and construction and property consultants Pick Everard  (PE) and a new design solution was put forward.

The report states that this approach is:

“Expected to provide sufficient mitigation of the risk of future ground collapse to the new extension.

“The risk of the ground collapse further impacting on the existing building can’t be overlooked, in the short term the void should be backfilled with inert crushed gravel and should be monitored and regularly topped up to maintain sidewall support to allow works on the extension and the raft foundation to be undertaken.

“Further detailed investigations are required to evaluate the stability of the existing building given the concerns raised.”

Dr Thompson’s letter to councillors makes it clear that he thinks more needs to be done following the report:

“Any further development in the same area (such as the new swimming pool) would clearly require very extensive ground investigations and very careful foundation design, in line with the protocols set out in Policy NE9.

“Even then, it would not be surprising to conclude that, on this particular site, an adequate engineering solution for a public building might not be financially feasible.

“Inadequate ground investigations may have been carried out, leading to reliance being placed on inappropriate engineering solutions.

What is the council’s response to Dr Thompson’s concerns? 

In a statement to the Stray Ferret a council spokesman said:

“The multi-million pound investment project at Ripon Leisure Centre shows our commitment to providing modern, fit-for-purpose leisure facilities for the people of Ripon.

“Given the well-known ground conditions in Ripon, we employed qualified and experienced geologists and geo-technic engineers to carry out necessary investigation works and advice on what would be required to provide this much need facility.

“A total of 441 grouting sites received 3,043 tonnes of grout which, along with the casting of a reinforced concrete slab, provides the foundation for the new swimming pool building.

“The void which is underneath the existing leisure centre is understood to have been present a number of years. This was only discovered as a result of the work to prepare the new swimming pool site.

“It is now being investigated and should any remedial work be required then it will be carried out.

“We are committed to providing this much needed facility that will encourage a healthier and more active lifestyle for our residents and something they can be proud of.”

Read more:

• Council to spend £110,000 to investigate ‘hole’ on Ripon leisure site
• Final cost of Ripon pool/leisure scheme ‘unknown’

This timeline sets out the key events from before plans for Ripon’s new swimming pool and leisure centre refurbishment were approved, to the present day.

Concerns about ground stability on the Camp Close site were highlighted before Harrogate Borough Council’s planning committee approved the council’s own planning application on 25 June 2019.

• February 2018:  A sinkhole opens up on the leisure centre car park
• June 2019: The planning application for new swimming pool and leisure centre refurbishment is approved
• June 2019: Local press reports that some councillors at the planning meeting had expressed ‘deep concerns’ about Camp Close site and hadn’t supported the application
• June 2019: Dr Alan Thompson sends email to HBC principal planning officer Gill Ritchie claiming that when the application was approved, ground stability issues were ignored and the council ignored its own planning policy
• November 2019 principal contractor Willmott Dixon (WD) starts on site, after being awarded a £10.2million contract for delivery of the scheme over 17 months
• September 2020 WD discovers a ‘void’ while digging foundations at the entrance of the leisure centre
• September 2020 construction and property consultancy Stantec inspects the void and meets on site with WD and property infrastructure and construction company Pick Everard to discuss possible mitigation measures
• October 2020: Stantec produces a detailed cavity inspection report for WD and HBC, which raises concerns about the load-bearing capacity of piles under the existing leisure centre and flags up wider ground stability issues affecting the site
• October 2020: The report says that the ‘void’ discovered by WD should, in the short term, be backfilled with gravel, regularly monitored and topped up
• The Stantec report states: “The risk of the ground collapse further impacting on the existing building can’t be overlooked” and “further detailed investigations are required to evaluate the stability of the existing building”
• November 2020: HBC issues press release saying that the project had been ‘slightly delayed’
• May 2021: HBC cabinet approves additional spending of £110,000 for investigation of the void
• May 2021: Michael Constantine, the council’s head of culture, tourism and sport, answers questions from councillors and gives assurances about the site
• June 2021: A Freedom of Information request is submitted to HBC for the engineering reports on the Camp Close site, by chartered civil engineer and local campaigner Stanley Mackintosh
• July 2021: Mr Mackintosh receives a redacted copy of the Stantec report from HBC and supplies it to Dr Thompson
• July 2021: Dr Thompson sends letter by email to all HBC cabinet members, with his observations on the report and raises new concerns from a geological perspective.

The final cost of Harrogate Borough Council’s delayed multi-million pound leisure centre project in Ripon remains unknown.

In December, following a Freedom of Information (FOI) request submitted by the Stray Ferret, the council said that the information was ‘confidential’

It did, however, confirm that:

“Additional ‘site preliminaries’ will be payable to the main contractor as a result of the extension of the construction contract.”

Last week, senior councillors on the authority’s cabinet approved additional spending on the scheme estimated to cost £110,000.

This is required to investigate a ‘void in the ground’ and is necessary in order to retain the council’s business insurance on the building.

The ‘void’ was discovered last year near the entrance to the leisure centre.

The centre is being refurbished and will be attached to the new six-lane pool.

Responding to a second FOI request in March, the council said:

“The information you request is not held by Harrogate Borough Council because the final costs are not yet known.”

Now, after conducting an internal review of the FOI responses, Joanne Barclay the council’s acting chief solicitor (corporate services) said:

“I have reviewed this matter and I consider that the council met its obligation under regulation 5(1) at the time of its response to you and confirmed that the information you requested was not held.

“The Council provided a reason for this by confirming that the final costs were not yet known.”

Read more:

• Additional Ripon swimming pool cost ‘confidential’
• Harrogate Council secrecy

Discovery of the ‘void’ follows a separate incident in February 2018, when a sinkhole opened up on the leisure centre car park.

At a June 2019 planning meeting, three members of the eight-member committee abstained rather than support the project, after ‘deep concerns’ were expressed about the sinkhole risk in an area of Ripon known for widespread gypsum deposits.

In November of that year, construction company Willmott Dixon, was awarded a £10.2 million contract for delivery of the swimming pool/leisure centre scheme.

The 17-month contract had a completion date of 21 May 2021.

Last November, Councillor Stanley Lumley, cabinet member for culture, tourism and sport, said the project had been ‘slightly delayed’ by covid.

In a press release dated November 13, he added:

“Ground work, known as grouting, is nearing completion.”

Grouting is a method used to stabilise unstable ground.

In our FOI requests, we enquired about the additional costs involved in extension of the contract with Willmott Dixon.

We also asked what proportion of additional cost has arisen through the need for extra ground remediation works.

To date, the council has been unable to answer either of these questions

In its response to our first FOI request, it stated:

“A public authority may refuse to disclose information to the extent that its disclosure would adversely affect the confidentiality of commercial or industrial information where such confidentiality is provided by law to protect a legitimate economic interest.”

Harrogate Borough Council is to investigate a hole in the ground that’s appeared at Ripon Leisure Centre.

In a report due before senior councillors next week, the authority said it is required to investigate the “void in the ground” in order to retain its business insurance on the building.

The city has a history of sinkholes caused by the soluble of nature gypsum, the rock that lies under much of the area.

Construction firm Willmott Dixon was awarded a £10.2 million contract last year to build the pool and refurbish the leisure centre. It is due to be complete in November 2021.

Read more:

• Ripon sinkhole site set for makeover
• Ripon pool’s final cost ‘not yet known’, says council

The hole was discovered next to the entrance of the existing leisure centre last year and has been filled with crushed gravel as a short-term solution.

However, consultant engineers have told the council that further investigation will be required and remedial work if necessary.

The current insured value of the centre is £3,796,135 plus 10% contents, which the authority says would be lost should any damage be caused as a result of the work.

But, council officers have said this would be a “worst case scenario” and is considered to be an “unlikely event”.

In order to carry out the work, the council will have to self-insure as it says it will not be covered by any third-party insurance.

A report due before the council’s cabinet next week says:

“In order to retain the benefit of our existing insurance cover in the future, the council is obliged to mitigate known issues which could have an effect on this insurance cover. 

“The discovery of a void by the existing leisure centre is an issue which needs investigating and remedial works undertaken if necessary. 

“If the remedial works are not undertaken, the council’s insurers have stated that subsequent losses would not be insured. 

“However during the period of time these investigation and remediation works are ongoing they would not be covered by insurance therefore the council would have to self-insure for all non-negligent damage claims arising.”

It added that the engineers found that the hole had been there “for some time” and was not a result of the current work at the leisure centre site.

Councillors have been recommended to approve the investigation, which is estimated to cost £110,000, and any remedial works.

The Stray Ferret asked the borough council what caused the hole to appear, how wide it was and if any further voids or sinkholes had been found.

A council spokesman said:

“As a result of the reduced level dig – to prepare the new swimming pool site – for the casting of the reinforced concrete foundation slab, a void was discovered under an area of the existing leisure centre.

“This void, which is understood to have been present a number of years, will now be investigated further.

“While this will need to be resolved, we are fortunate that it was discovered as part of the multi-million pound Ripon Leisure Centre improvement project, and we can now carry out the necessary remedial works in the coming months.

“And once the whole project is complete, the leisure centre will provide the much-needed modern facilities that will encourage a healthier and more active lifestyle for our residents and something they can be proud of for years to come.”

Concerns over the Leisure Centre site

Cllr Andrew Williams, leader of Ripon City Council, said the authority had asked the borough council about concerns over the site before.

Sixteen months before Harrogate council approved the project in 2019 to build the new swimming pool, a sinkhole appeared in the leisure centre car park.

Cllr Williams said:

“If there is ongoing problem with the build site then it is in the public interest to know.”

Ground instability problems caused by the soluble nature of gypsum have been seen in many parts of Ripon.

The Stray Ferret reported in October 2020 about the evacuation of a residential block at Bedern Court, caused by subsidence in the area.

In February 2018, a sinkhole opened up on the car park of Ripon Leisure Centre, off Dallamires Lane.

In 2016, a dozen homes in Magdalens Road were evacuated after a 66-ft wide sinkhole opened up.