Fears Nidderdale could become ‘barren’ unless more affordable homes are built

A lack of affordable homes in the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is forcing young and low-paid families to move away, a meeting has heard.

Members of Harrogate Borough Council’s overview and scrutiny commission last night called for greater action to bring forward more affordable homes in the area, which has seen average property prices climb to around £320,000, according to Zoopla.

The AONB covers around two-thirds of the Harrogate district but only has 9% of its population and councillor Tom Watson, who represents the Nidd Valley ward, expressed fears that it could become “barren”.

He said:

“If we don’t have small developments in the area, village schools are going to close, pubs are already on the way out and village shops are also going to go.

“The AONB is there to protect the countryside, but we have got to make sure the area is a living one and not barren.”

227 households on waiting list

Created in 1994, the AONB was introduced to conserve the countryside with levels of protection from developments.

A total of 253 homes were recently proposed at sites in Darley, Dacre, Summerbridge and Pateley Bridge under the council’s Harrogate district Local Plan 2014-35. But government planning inspector ruled that they would have had too great an impact.

Since then, a growing number of residents have struggled to get a footing on the property ladder with 227 households currently on the council’s waiting list for social housing in Upper Nidderdale.

And with an average of just 20 vacancies becoming available each year, the waiting list would take around 10 years to clear if no more households came forward.

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Councillor Pat Marsh, leader of the council’s Liberal Democrats, described the situation as “really sad” and said efforts to build affordable homes on small plots of council-owned land were only a “tiny drop in the ocean”.

Council planners said they were also demanding affordable homes be built at developments of more than 10 properties to try tackle the problem.

Smaller profits

However, Jenny Kerfoot, executive officer for housing growth at the council, said landowners were often reluctant to bring forward plans for affordable housing because of the smaller profits involved.

She added the council was hopeful these landowners have “given up hope that their land is worth a lot of money” now that the Local Plan has been adopted and any large developments have been ruled out.

She said:

“There won’t be any of these big sites in the AONB or predominantly for market housing so it’s our intention now to approach those landowners.”

Councillor Victoria Oldham, a Conservative who represents the Washburn ward, said another possible solution would be the conversion of disused farm buildings, but she added any new developments were often met with opposition from locals.

She said:

“We all know little pockets of land in the area where a pair of semis could easily go, but half of the problem would be the negativity from parish councils or people in the immediate vicinity.

“I’m pretty much against large developments in the AONB because we haven’t got the transport facilities. A lot of places don’t even have shops or post offices – and you can forget banking.

“But one or two houses in areas would be of benefit as something needs to be done.”

 

Children learn about food at Summerbridge farm

Schoolchildren enjoyed a different kind of lesson today when they visited a Summerbridge farm to learn how food goes from the field to the dinner plate.

The children visited Birchfield Ice Cream Farm as part of a new initiative from Yorkshire Agricultural Society.

The society launched the Farm to Fork campaign to teach the younger generations about farming, food and the countryside.

The children, from Ashfield Primary School in Otley, enjoyed a trailer ride around the farm as the Whitley family, who run the farm, explained how they look after animals.

The children also got to see farm’s cows, pigs and hens up close as well as visit the farm’s dairy parlour to see how ice cream is made.

Sarah Whitley, of Birchfield Ice Cream Farm, said:

“We’ve loved hosting Ashfield Primary School with the Yorkshire Agricultural Society and hope the children have come away with a real insight into how farmers produce food and look after their animals and crops.”

school kids visit summerbridge farm

The children meet the animals.

Ben Nowell, class teacher at Ashfield Primary School, said:

“As a teacher, we try to teach the children to make the best choice they believe in with the information that they have.

“We believe it is important for children to understand where their food comes from and how it is made so they can make informed, healthy decisions for themselves.”

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Today’s visit is one of several organised throughout the year. The campaign was launched by the society during last year’s first lockdown.

Nigel Pulling, chief executive of the society, said:

“It is so important to educate new generations about where their food comes from and our Farm to Fork visits are great opportunities to do exactly that.

“Yorkshire has such a wonderful farming story to share and the earlier we can get this message across to children the better.”

Summerbridge woman gets trapped in loft

A woman in Summerbridge needed rescuing from her loft when the hatch closed and she was unable to get out.

A postman was alerted to the danger when he heard the woman shouting for help shortly after 11am yesterday.

Firefighters from the nearby Summerbridge station rushed to the house and managed to get in through a window using a triple extension ladder.

They were then able to rescue the woman, who has not been named, from the loft.

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Charity worker jailed for attempted robbery at Summerbridge Stores

A charity worker who attempted to rob a Summerbridge convenience store armed with a knife and a hammer has been jailed for two-and-a-half years.

Munashe Chikomba, 23, was said to be “extremely polite” during the bungled robbery and didn’t appear to know what he was doing, York Crown Court heard.

Chikomba walked into Summerbridge Stores near Harrogate with his hood up, a Snood masking his face and carrying a 12-inch, rubber-handled hammer, a five-inch knife and a plastic bag, said prosecutor Jeremy Barton.

Store owner James Thornton was behind the till as Chikomba, who had driven from Leeds, walked up to the counter. There was a female customer in the shop when the incident occurred in the Dales village store at about 3.30pm on March 27.

Mr Barton said:

“As (Chikomba) got closer, (Mr Thornton) could see the defendant had a white plastic bag in his hand and a hammer

“The defendant was holding the hammer out in front of him…and said, ‘Open up (the till)!’”

Chikomba, who “appeared calm”, was holding a knife in his other hand and “kind of fumbled it a bit”.

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The female customer feared he was about to lunge at Mr Thornton with the five-inch blade.

Mr Barton said:

“He again asked (Mr Thornton) to open (the till).”

The shopkeeper said he couldn’t open it and grabbed his phone to call police.

Chikomba, the son of an NHS worker, told Mr Thornton “not to do that”, but then lost his nerve and fled the scene.

summerbridge stores

Summerbridge stores

He drove off in a Vauxhall Corsa, which was later stopped by police on York Road. Officers found the hammer and the knife, as well as another blade inside the boot and a grey balaclava or Snood. 

Chikomba pointed at the balaclava and said, “That’s what I used”, then stopped himself when he realised he was incriminating himself. He was arrested and taken in for questioning, but remained silent. 

Shop owner ‘really shaken’

Mr Thornton, whose family had run the business in Summerbridge for over 20 years, said he was “really shaken” by the incident.

He said he had never experienced anything like it in the 16 years since taking over the running of the shop from his parents and didn’t feel safe at work anymore. He was now “scared for my colleagues’ safety”.

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He said although Chikomba “didn’t seem very confident in what he was doing”, he felt like he was in “direct danger”.

Chikomba, of Cardigan Road, Headingley, admitted attempted robbery, two counts of possessing an offensive weapon in a public place and one count of carrying a blade.

‘Wholly out of character’

Khadmin Al’Hassan, for Chikomba, said it was “very bizarre” for his “softly-spoken” client to commit such a terrifying act.

Mr Al’Hassan said:

“This was wholly out of character for this young man.

“He has been suffering from mental health issues for a significant period of time.”

He added, however, that Chikomba was over £1,000 in debt at the time, and it appeared this prompted him to act in a “wholly irrational” way, “although he didn’t even know whether (trying to steal from the shop) was going to resolve his issues”. 

He said Chikomba was in a “low, depressive” mood on the day in question and his problems stemmed from a traumatic childhood in his native Zimbabwe, where he was kidnapped for three weeks after his parents had fled the country.

He eventually joined his family in the UK and “since then he’s had various complications as a result of his distress (and) traumatic experience”.

Mr Al’Hassan said:

“He’s managed to live a fairly law-abiding life and he’s involved in charity work.

“He has helped other young people in his community.”

Chikomba, who has no previous convictions, had been “highly thought of” by his tutors who had provided character references for him.

He had a “very loving family”, a partner and had recently become a father for the first time. He was “extremely remorseful” for his actions.

Mr Al’Hassan said that Chikomba was in fact “extremely polite during this entire incident and then he left without further altercation”.

Jail sentence necessary

Judge Simon Hickey said that, notwithstanding Chikomba’s otherwise “impeccable character”, it had to be jail for a “knife and hammer-point attempted robbery on that Saturday afternoon…in a family-run store in the small North Yorkshire village of Summerbridge”.

He said Chikomba terrified Mr Thornton who “didn’t know what you were going to do”.

Mr Hickey added:

“You have done a great deal (of good) in the community.

“This is completely out of character.”

He said it was clear that Chikomba’s remorse was “genuine” and there was “little planning” before the raid, which was “miles away from your address in Headingley”.

The judge said Chikomba was a “very responsible and loving father”, but it appeared that his “moderate depressive disorder” and debts had led to him becoming “overwhelmed” on the day in question “and you decided to go and do something about it and that was to rob the store and clear your debts”. 

Chikomba will serve half of the 30-month jail sentence behind bars before being released on prison licence. 

Man admits holding up Summerbridge Stores with knife and hammer

A man carrying a knife and hammer is facing jail for holding up a convenience store in Summerbridge.

Munashe Chikomba, 22, appeared at York Crown Court via video link today and admitted to attempted robbery, possessing an offensive weapon and carrying a knife.

The raid occurred at Summerbridge Stores, a village shop on Main Street, on March 27.

Khadmin Al’Hassan, for Chikomba, said it was “very bizarre” that his “softly-spoken” client should commit such an act and asked for the case to be adjourned for a pre-sentence report.

Judge Sean Morris, the Recorder of York, said:

“He’s never been in trouble before – it’s a bizarre thing to do.”

The judge agreed to adjourn sentence for a probation report but warned Chikomba “not to read (anything) into this adjournment” because “this is a serious matter”.

Chikomba, of Cardigan Road, Headingley, Leeds, was remanded in custody until sentence on June 2 after pleading guilty to attempting to rob a male shop worker, two counts of carrying an offensive weapon and one count of having a bladed article in a public place.

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Man accused of attempted robbery at Summerbridge Stores

A man has appeared before magistrates charged with attempted robbery at Summerbridge Stores.

Munashe Chikomba, 22, is accused of attempting to carry out the robbery at the village shop near Pateley Bridge on Saturday.

Chikomba, of Cardigan Road, Headingley, is also accused of possessing offensive weapons, namely a knife and a hammer, without reasonable excuse in a public place.

He appeared at York Magistrates’ Court in Monday where he was sent for trial at York Crown Court on April 26. He was denied bail.

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Police appeal for help finding fraudsters who conned woman, 80

Fraudsters pretending to be from a disability service stole three bank cards from a woman in her 80s in Summerbridge.

Police in Harrogate today issued a CCTV appeal to find the man and woman responsible.

The suspects took three bank cards and subsequently made fraudulent transactions in Ripon and Darlington.

The incident occurred on Hartwith Bank at around 4.45pm on October 14.

A North Yorkshire Police statement said:

“We are appealing for information which will help to identify the suspects, including anyone who recognises the person in the CCTV image, which is from TK Maxx in Darlington around an hour after the incident.

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Anyone with information can contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2, and ask for Katie Bell.

You can also email katarina.bell@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk.

If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Quote the North Yorkshire Police reference number 12200181553.

Elderly Summerbridge woman tricked by bank card thieves

Thieves tricked their way into an elderly woman’s house in Summerbridge, stealing bank cards which were later used for transactions in Ripon and Darlington.

The pair – a man and a woman – told the occupant they were from a disability service and were allowed into her home.

While there, on Wednesday, October 14 between 4.30pm and 5pm, they took three bank cards which were later used to make fraudulent transactions. A spokesman for North Yorkshire Police said:

“We are requesting the public’s assistance to help establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident.

“In particular, we are appealing for information about the identity of the people in the CCTV images as officers would like to speak to them in connection with the incident.”

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Anyone with information should contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option two, and ask for Katie Bell, or email katarina.bell@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk.

To report information anonymously, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Quote the North Yorkshire Police reference number 12200181553.

Is Mary the Harrogate district’s longest-serving lollipop woman?

An 85-year-old lollipop woman in Summerbridge has celebrated her 45th year of helping children cross the road.

Mary Fisher has helped three generations of children at Summerbridge Community Primary School.

She took up the role in 1975, when Harold Wilson was Prime Minister and Leeds United reached the final of the European Cup, and has been excited by it ever since. She said:

“One of the best parts of the job is that everyone recognises you – everyone always waves at me.

“I love being outside and active as well. I have to be out and about rather than sat inside. Not a day goes by where I think I don’t want to get up today and do it.”

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Ms Fisher worked as a carer for more than 30 years before retiring in her 60s.

“I’d get up in the morning and go to my caring job, before coming back and getting changed and going out to be a crossing lady. I did that for many years and I enjoyed it.

“The community thinks the world of us lollipop ladies and the job we do and every day is different and every day is happy.”

Nick Coates, headteacher at the school, said Ms Fisher was “a treasured member of our community for generations” who had “ensured the safe crossing of the busy road for hundreds of children”. He added:

“Not only does Mary ensure that everyone is safe, but she always has a kind word for the children and a wise word for the parents, many of whom she has known for all of their lives, too.”

Council steps in to buy Summerbridge social housing

Harrogate District Council has stepped in to buy five homes in Summerbridge for social housing after a national housing charity pulled out of the development.

The homes, worth around £395,000, at Poppyfields will be offered to people in Upper Nidderdale as social rented properties.

The houses were originally allocated as four affordable rented properties and one shared ownership as part of a wider 13 home development.

Housing sites, such as Poppyfields, have a requirement to allocate 40% of homes to affordable housing.

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But the original housing association for the affordable homes, Home Group, pulled out of projects across the country in March in order to focus on other “strategic sites”.

Now, senior councillors on the authority’s cabinet have voted to step in to purchase the houses and offer them to local residents in order to salvage the housing scheme.

The council said the current pandemic has left “considerable uncertainty” in the housing market and an increase in demand for rented homes in Nidderdale.

Mike Chambers, cabinet member for housing, said it was right for the council to step in.

He said:

“It is very appropriate that we buy these houses.

“It allows us to provide much needed accommodation to people in Nidderdale and also has the effect of us being able to assist a small enterprise who might have otherwise had a difficult time in moving these houses.”