A scuba diving business owner has said plans for a deep diving facility in Knaresborough have been “woefully misunderstood” after the proposals were rejected.
Tim Yarrow, who owns Harrogate-based Diveshack, had planned to build the training pool facility on Thistle Hill.
However, Harrogate Borough Council rejected the plan on the grounds that the proposal would “result in harm to the visual and spatial openness of the green belt”.
Mr Yarrow, who has been a scuba instructor around the world for 30 years, said his facility would have offered an opportunity for “potential local investment”.
He said:
“It is my opinion that the necessity and requirements of a specific training facility for scuba and all it brings with regards to potential further local investment, employment and potential career paths has been woefully misunderstood.”
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The plan would have seen the site at Thistle Hill changed from agricultural land to a deep water diving centre.
Mr Yarrow said that his club, which has been open since 2018, currently trains young and upcoming divers. He said the facility would help to expand this.
However, the council said in its decision notice that the facility was also outside the development limit of any village or settlement.
It said:
Council rejects Knaresborough scuba diving facility plan“The proposal is for a new tourism and recreational use however the application fails to demonstrate that there is a local need for the facility in this location, that the facility is of a scale and nature appropriate to its location and intended purpose, and that the facility is accessible to the community or catchment population it is intended to serve.”
Harrogate Borough Council has rejected plans for a bespoke scuba diving training pool in Knaresborough.
Tim Yarrow, owner of Harrogate-based Diveshack UK, lodged the plan to build the facility at Thistle Hill in the town.
Mr Yarrow said the proposal offered the district a chance to get a “truly unique” facility.
The plan would have seen the pool built at land at Thistle Hill and see the site changed from agricultural land to a deep water diving centre.
However, the borough council refused the proposal on the grounds that the plan would “result in harm to the visual and spatial openness of the green belt”.
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Council officials added that the site was outside the development limit of any village or settlement.
In a decision notice, the council said:
“The proposal is for a new tourism and recreational use however the application fails to demonstrate that there is a local need for the facility in this location, that the facility is of a scale and nature appropriate to its location and intended purpose, and that the facility is accessible to the community or catchment population it is intended to serve.”
Mr Yarrow, who has been a a scuba instructor around the world for 30 years, told the Stray Ferret previously that the move would help to draw people in from the area and improve access to the sport.
He added that his club, which has been open since 2018, currently trains young and upcoming divers. He said the facility would help to expand this.
Mr Yarrow said:
Vaccine sites in Harrogate district gearing up for spring boosters“The facility proposed will allow access for Diveshack to promote courses tailored to individual needs and timings, taking very little of the land for change of use and no negative impact on the close neighbours of whom all have been consulted and are in support.
“It has been drawn up in a sympathetic way to the environment with materials and energy usage and aims to be the best, most eco designated scuba training facility in the North.
“It will allow access to an amazing sport to numerous people who would maybe never have thought they could ever give it a try.”
Vaccination sites in the Harrogate district are preparing to get busy again following the announcement of spring booster jabs.
Covid clinics in Harrogate, Ripon, Knaresborough and Pateley Bridge have wound down or paused since December.
But that is about to change after the government said people aged 75 and over, care home residents and people with weakened immune systems can now book fourth jabs.
Yorkshire Health Network, which is a federation of 17 GP practices in the Harrogate district, operates sites at the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate and Ripon Races.
The showground will have its next clinic from 8.30am to 5pm on April 1.
The Ripon Races site.
Dates at Ripon Races are being finalised so they don’t clash with horse race meetings.
Tim Yarrow, operations manager at Yorkshire Health Network, said:
“We anticipate uptake to be high in the 75 and overs as Harrogate has a large population in that cohort.”
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Knaresborough and Pateley Bridge
Homecare Pharmacy Services’ site in Knaresborough.
Homecare Pharmacy’ Service‘s vaccination site at Chain Lane in Knaresborough is to add Monday covid clinics to its existing Friday and Saturday clinics. Bookings are encouraged to avoid having to wait.
Pateley Bridge Pharmacy, which paused its vaccination programme in December, plans to start again soon.
Samina Khan, who owns the pharmacy, said:
“I think we will restart in April, with bookings from March 25, but we are still finalising details.”
Infections rocketing
It comes as infection rates continue to soar in the Harrogate district.
The seven-day infection rate is now 885 per 100,000 people. It was 343 at the start of the month.
It is the highest rate in North Yorkshire and above the England rate of 833.
Harrogate West and Pannal Ash is the worst affected area in the county. It has recorded 135 positive cases in the last seven days.
Harrogate covid vaccination centre set to close in MarchHarrogate’s covid vaccination centre at the Great Yorkshire Showground is set to close next month.
The site, along with the vaccination centre at Ripon Races, is run by Yorkshire Health Network, a federation of the 17 GP practices in the Harrogate district.
The final jabs will be administered at Ripon Races tomorrow. The clinic will be open to people aged 12 and over and walk-ins will be accepted between 8.30am-12.30pm and 1.30-5pm.
The showground site will continue until March 12.
The site first opened in December 2020 to support the first vaccination rollout and administered 117,000 jabs in its first six months of operation.
It reopened in December 2021 as part of the covid booster campaign.
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Tim Yarrow, operations manager at Yorkshire Health Network, confirmed that the site would close on March 12. He said:
“After March 12 we will be offering a scaled back service on more of an ad-hoc basis, hopefully still at the showground.”
Vaccinations at the site will continue until March, with walk-in appointments available.
A spokesperson for Yorkshire Health Network added:
“Vaccination clinics are due to be held at the Yorkshire Event Centre until at least the middle of March,
“However, with some adults and vulnerable children likely to still require access to the covid vaccine, the Yorkshire Health Network is currently looking at future provision beyond this date, with arrangements to be confirmed soon.
“If patients still require first, second or booster doses, they can book appointments via the NHS Booking Service online or call 119, or visit the NHS website to see local arrangements for walk-in clinic.”
Knaresborough could get scuba diving pool
A bespoke scuba diving training pool could be built in Knaresborough.
Tim Yarrow, owner of Harrogate-based DiveShack UK, is behind the plans. He told the Stray Ferret the facility would be something “unique” for the district.
Mr Yarrow, who has been a scuba instructor around the world for 30 years, wants to build a three to four-metre pool near Knaresborough Celtic FC in the south of the town.
Before covid, his company organised diving trips off Malta in the Mediterranean but says a local pool would enable divers to learn closer to home.
He also hopes to work with charities so people with disabilities can use the pool.
Mr Yarrow submitted plans for a pool in September but withdrew them last week following an objection from Knaresborough Town Council, which objected to the size of the building and said there was “no proven supporting need for this facility”.
A revised plan is expected to be submitted soon.
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Mr Yarrow told the Stray Ferret the covid pandemic had hit his business hard:
“We were getting a really good momentum going then covid hit and knocked us back.
“We’re very much reliant on taking people abroad and they want to learnt to dive as they are going on holiday, but people aren’t going on holidays so the diving industry has had a massive kick between the eyes.”
Despite the UK’s cold water, Mr Yarrow said it is still a fantastic place to dive.
“Yes it’s cold but we’re kitted out for it.
“Marine life around the coast is fantastic and I don’t think people realise how good it is. We have seals in the Farne Islands, Scotland’s marine protected areas and spectacular shipwrecks.”