Plans to build an 80-bed care home close to the centre of Ripon have been refused by North Yorkshire Council.
Muller Property Group proposed to demolish industrial buildings at T&R Williamson business park to make way for a new care facility.
Eight units at the site are currently occupied and let to various tenants and the development would have resulted in the loss of between 12-15 jobs.
However, the developer argued that 70 social care jobs would have been created through the scheme.
Access to the site, which is next to the city’s Aldi supermarket and near to the fire and police station, was proposed off Stonebridgegate.
According to plans attached to the application, the developer hoped to deliver a “high-quality” care home on the site with a design that better reflects the surroundings than what is currently there.
Besides the bedrooms, the plans also included several shared living rooms, a hair and nail salon for residents, a cafe and 31 car parking spaces.
The developer added in documents:
“The development will improve the appearance of the site and will provide a use which is much more in-keeping with the residential character of the area.”
But the NHS told the council GP practices in Ripon did not have the capacity to accommodate the additional residents that would arise from the care home. It asked for a contribution of £40,478 to go towards local health services.
Despite the creation of new social care jobs, the council said in its refusal notice that it objected to the proposed loss of employment space due to the demolition of the industrial buildings.
The refusal notice said:
“The proposed development would result in the loss of existing employment floorspace.
“No evidence has been submitted to demonstrate that the site has been actively marketed for employment use, that continued use of the site for employment is no longer viable, that the existing businesses remaining on the site could relocate to comparable suitable premises in the local area, or that alternative employment uses cannot be accommodated on the site.”
The council also said the size of the building would harm the Ripon Conservation Area, the facility would not provide “satisfactory living conditions” for residents and insufficient information had been provided
regarding the potential implications of gypsum-related ground stability issues.
The developer can appeal the decision.
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Ripon City Council objects to plans for 80-bed care home
Concerns about the impact on neighbouring residential properties have prompted Ripon councillors to object to plans for a care home development on Stonebridgegate.
As a statutory consultee, the objection will be considered when the application is determined by North Yorkshire Council planners.
The proposed development by Muller Property Group at the T&R Williamson Business Park (pictured), would involve the demolition of existing industrial units and construction of a care home of up to 80 bedrooms, with associated parking and landscaping.
The outline planning application for the 0.61 hectare site, was considered by members at Monday’s full Ripon City Council meeting, where Cllr Julie Ann Martin-Long led the objections.
She said:
“The proposed building will be up to three storeys in height and will dominate neighbouring residential properties, which is unacceptable.
“It will also generate additional traffic close to a busy junction, with Aldi, the police and fire station and Marks & Spencer all nearby.”
The nearby Aldi in Ripon
Councillor Eamon Parkin, said:
“I’m concerned about the impact that a building of this height would have on its neighbours and for that reason I think we should object to it.”
A design, character and access statement prepared by ADG Architects in support of the application on the North Yorkshire Council planning portal, stated:
“The building is expected to be 2.5 to 3 storeys in height to reflect the surrounding context. The lower ridge height and gable roof would be placed to the north of the site which has neighbouring residential properties.”
The statement added:
“There is a dense tree line to the north, east and west boundaries of the site, these provide a natural screen to the neighbouring properties to increase privacy.
“The trees along the boundary lines also create a buffer to reduce noise from Stonebridgegate and the surrounding highways network.”
In her comments on the proposed development, which can also be found on the planning portal, Anne Sims, North Yorkshire Council’s principal conservation officer said:
“The new building, although set back from the road side, sits much higher than the neighbouring two storey terraces along Stonebridgegate
(within the Conservation Area).“To improve the design, there should be two storey elements, especially closer to the road and close to the existing two storey terraces and adjacent to the conservation area.”
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Long-awaited £1.2m refurbishment of Ripon’s police and fire station confirmed
North Yorkshire Police has confirmed that a refurbishment of Ripon’s shared police and fire station is underway.
The £1.2m project has been in the pipeline for several years after the force sold Ripon’s police station in 2014.
Officers have used facilities at the fire station since 2018 but the site on Stonebridgegate has been deemed not fit-for-purpose by North Yorkshire Police.
In summer 2021, former Conservative Police, Crime and Fire Commissioner Philip Allott unveiled plans for a major refurbishment of the building.
A report was prepared for councillors yesterday that said the works had now been approved and represented “the best value for money” for Ripon residents.
The works will include repurposing the ground floor for the police to interact with the public, changing the first floor to create better meeting spaces for the fire service and improving the windows and lighting of the building.
Additional facilities costing £90,000 will also be created in Ripon’s Town Hall on Market Place to improve the police’s presence in the city centre.
Councillors in Harrogate met last night and heard from North Yorkshire Police Chief Inspector Richard Ogden about the project. Construction work is estimated to take around 15 weeks.
Ch Insp Ogden said:
“It’s something that has been long-overdue. I’m really pleased we have a way forward. We’re not only going to have investment for the fire service but we’re going to have a footprint for our neighbourhood team in the city centre. It’s really exciting for Ripon.”
The police said there will be slight disruption during construction but work will be phased to reduce its impact.
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Zoe Metcalfe
In a press statement released after the meeting, Conservative Police, Crime and Fire Commissioner Zoe Metcalfe said:
“The facilities in Ripon are out of date and not suitable for our modern and inclusive work force.
“This redevelopment is long overdue. As commissioner, I have listened to the community and staff, and want to create a safe environment for the fire and police services to work from and is fit for the future.
“I am also delighted that part of this investment enables us to put our local policing team right into the heart of the city in the Town Hall, being accessible and visible, helping people to be safe and feel safe and contributing towards economic growth.”
Anti-social behaviour in Ripon
Last week, police in Ripon urged residents to report instances of anti-social behaviour following reports in the Aismunderby Road and Ambrose Road areas and the area around the Jack Laugher Leisure Centre and nearby skate park.
Ch Insp Ogden told councillors last night that spikes in anti-social behaviour “comes and goes” in Ripon but that officers have worked to target offenders in the city. He said:
Plan for 80-bed care home on Ripon paint factory site“There was considerable anti-social behaviour problems in Ripon 18 months ago. The neighbourhood team did a lot of proactive work and we dealt with a number of individuals and things seem to be in a good position.”
A new care home could be built in the heart of Ripon if plans are given the go-ahead.
The 80-bed facility has been proposed for the site of the T&R Williamson business park on Stonebridgegate.
The outline plans for a three-storey building extend to more than 4,700m sq, replacing the current 1,294m sq paint factory.
In supporting documents submitted with the proposal, applicant Miller Property Group said:
“The application is pursued on a speculative basis, though interest has been expressed for the future occupation of the development by care home operators.”
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As well as the 80 bedrooms, the outline plans including lounge and dining space on each floor, as well as a cinema, a library and activity rooms.
The proposal includes retaining the existing 28 parking spaces and creating two disability spaces, as well as one ambulance bay.
However, even if the plans are approved, the exact details would need to be confirmed with a full planning application in future.
In supporting information, the applicant said:
“Overall, the application scheme will enable the delivery of a high-quality care home on the site. The development will improve the appearance of the site and will provide a use which is much more in-keeping with the residential character of the area.”
A spokesperson for T&R Williamson said:
“As previously reported, T&R Williamson Paints, established 1775, merged with sister company Thomas Howse Industrial Coatings, established 1903, over two years ago.
“Since then, there has been a planned and phased programme to fully integrate both businesses at the West Midlands headquarters of Thomas Howse.
“This has enabled us to maximise production facilities and ready ourselves for the next stage of our evolution.
“T&R Williamson retains its renowned branding, as well as the privilege of The Royal Warrant awarded in 2011 in recognition of its specialist paints, varnishes and lacquers supplied to The Royal Household.
“The merger represents an exciting new era for both companies, which pool more than 360 years of expertise in the paint and coatings industry.
“It has been a natural progression to build on the existing synergies of both companies and blend together the market-leading position, reputation, skill base and aspiration that they both share.
“The merger has also signalled a major programme of significant investment in the latest technology in production machinery. This is helping us to improve efficiency, striving us forward on our green aspirations reducing energy consumption and production waste, as well as building a broader product range.”
To view or comment on the application, visit the Harrogate Borough Council planning website and use reference 22/02831/OUTMAJ.