Long-standing Ripon eyesore finally tidied

The site of a former Ripon petrol station and convenience store that has been derelict for decades, has been tidied up 11 months after city councillors called for enforcement action.

The defunct Express petrol station on Skellbank, which has been empty for more than 20 years, is located on the tourist route to Fountains Abbey and diagonally across the road from Hugh Ripley Hall — named in honour of Ripon’s first mayor.

In early 2021 Harrogate Borough Council planning enforcement officers instructed the owner to tidy the site, cut back vegetation and leave it in an acceptable manner prior to any further development.

Last November, Ripon councillors called for further action to smarten up the area, which remained in an overgrown state.

The overgrown site pictured in November 2022.

At a full city council meeting last November, Cllr Stuart Flatley’s request for the now abolished Harrogate Borough Council to serve a Section 215 enforcement notice on the site owner was unanimously supported, after he said:

“This area is on the route to the Fountains Abbey world heritage site and has been in this unacceptable condition for many years and we can’t let this continue.”

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Section 215 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 gives local planning authorities the power to take steps requiring land be tidied up when its condition adversely affects the amenity of the area.

If it appears that the amenity of part of their area is being adversely affected by the condition of neighbouring land and buildings, they may serve a notice on the owner requiring the situation be remedied.

Ripon alleys rejuvenated with overnight deep clean

Four of Ripon’s busiest alleys have been given a deep clean.

The overnight operation on Monday, was organised by Ripon Business Improvement District in one of its first initiatives to attract more visitors to the city and help businesses to benefit from increased footfall.

The clean-up focused on the thoroughfares between Oliver’s Pantry and Halls department store, M&Co and Costa Coffee, Boots and Specsavers and also Lavender Alley.

Last week, the BID’s interim manager Elizabeth Faulkner said:

“We know these alleyways are key to the way visitors and residents use the city so we want to make them as attractive as possible.”

Photo of alleyway cleaning

The deep clean was carried out overnight.

“There has been lots of talk about what they could be used for, but first we will clean them up and then look at lighting.

“These are of course just a small part of Ripon and we have got a big destination to make an impact on so we will then start to move around the city for more deep cleaning.”

Photo of alley between Oliver's Pantry and Halls

The alley between Oliver’s Pantry and Halls department store links the Marshall Way retail park and car park with North Street.

The BID, which levies businesses to fund city centre improvements, came into being after 70 of the 87 who voted this summer, supported setting up the body.

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Following the vote, more than 280 firms within the Ripon BID area are now contributing to an annual budget of £160,000 for projects to create a safer, cleaner and better promoted city centre.

The first networking events for businesses will be held on January 17 and 24.

A Harrogate BID was created in 2019 but plans for a BID in Knaresborough were rejected in October.