Harrogate councillors back £4.5m social housing investment

Councillors have backed a major investment into social housing in Harrogate.

Meeting last night on Zoom, Harrogate Borough Council’s cabinet gave the green light for the authority to spend £4.5m on 52 properties that are currently being built on Whinney Lane in Pannal Ash.

16 of the homes would be transferred to HBC’s housing company, Bracewell Homes, to be sold under shared ownership, and the rest would be made available for social rent.

Developer Stonebridge Homes has planning permission to build 130 homes at the site with work currently underway. The homes earmarked by HBC for purchase are scheduled for completion in November.

Councillors were told that around 1,500 council homes have been lost in Harrogate town centre since Right to Buy was introduced in 1980 which the Whinney Lane purchase will help mitigate.

Cllr Mike Chambers, cabinet member for housing, called the purchase “good news” for HBC.

Cllr Graham Swift, cabinet member for economic development emphasised that HBC’s housing stock has been “significantly” reduced due to Right to Buy sales and the investment would “alleviate some of the demand from social housing that is there.”

HBC says it could recoup between £1.18m and £2.37m from the 16 shared ownership properties, with the council turning a profit on the purchase after at least 13 years thanks to the rental income.

Cllr Chambers said the purchase will help get families off the council home waiting list, which currently stands at 1,249 households.

However, the council’s report into the purchase warned there is “uncertainty” over the medium to long-term future of the housing market as estate agents in the district report a “pent up” demand for housing following the easing of lockdown restrictions.

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In related news, almost 50 Pannal Ash residents met on Sunday at the Squinting Cat pub to “mobilise” against hundreds of new houses proposed for Whinney Lane.

It was organised by Whinney Lane resident Mike Newall who wanted the event to be a “wake-up call” for locals who he said will face years of disruption.

Residents mobilise against Whinney Lane developments

Almost 50 Pannal Ash residents met last night at the Squinting Cat pub to “mobilise” against hundreds of new houses proposed for Whinney Lane.

It was organised by Whinney Lane resident Mike Newall who wanted the event to be a “wake-up call” for locals who he said will face years of disruption.

The developer Stonebridge is currently building 130 homes at Castle Hill Farm on Whinney Lane and last month plans were submitted by Banks Group for 270 homes and a new primary school on the fields opposite the Stonebridge development.

Pannal Ash residents meeting at the Squinting Cat pub last night.

Mr Newall spoke to give locals information about each development and advice for submitting objections to Harrogate Borough Council.

Whinney Lane is now closed for seven months due to the construction of two site access points for the Castle Hill Farm housing development as well as a new roundabout.

The lengthy closure has proved controversial and the manager of the Squinting Cat pub told the Stray Ferret that it “could kill” the business.

Mr Newall told the Stray Ferret that developers are “riding roughshod” over the area.

He said:

“All of a sudden people are realising that if we’re not careful it will be urban expansion. It will be a complete belt around Harrogate that is expanding into urban sprawl.

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While the latest set of plans from Banks Group is at a site allocated for development in Harrogate Borough Council’s Local Plan, Mr Newall is hopeful that because it is on Special Landscape Area (SLA) land, development could be delayed.

Since HBC adopted its long-awaited Local Plan in March, the planning committee has begun to refuse developments on sites that sit within the plan.

Last week, councillors refused 149 new homes on Kingsley Road near Harrogate High School because they said it would make already clogged roads in the area even worse.

Mr Newall added:

“People are suddenly waking up to the fact that they have a big housing development behind them and they will be staring straight into someone’s bathroom. That’s what’s stirred up this current group.”

Council could spend £4.5m on 52 homes in Harrogate

Harrogate Borough Council is planning to buy 52 homes at the Castle Hill Farm development on Whinney Lane.

In a report due to be discussed by the council’s cabinet next week, the council says the homes would cost £4.5m in total.

Sixteen homes would be transferred to HBC’s housing company, Bracewell Homes, to be sold under shared ownership, and the rest would be made available for social rent.

Developer Stonebridge Homes has planning permission to build 130 homes at the site. Work is currently under way and the first homes are scheduled for completion in November.

HBC says it could recoup between £1.18m and £2.37m from the 16 shared ownership properties, with the council turning a profit on the purchase after at least 13 years thanks to the rental income.

The council said the shared ownership homes will support first-time buyers in the district.

“The acquisition of 16 shared ownership homes by the council or its housing company will provide a great opportunity to meet high demand from potential first-time buyers in the district and will generate a revenue stream to support council services.”

The council also believes the purchase would help ease demand for socially rented homes as there are currently 1,249 households on the waiting list.

However, the council warned there is “uncertainty” over the medium- to long-term future of the housing market as estate agents in the district report a “pent up” demand for housing following the easing of lockdown restrictions.

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The Stray Ferret asked Stonebridge Homes about HBC’s involvement in the scheme but the company had not responded by the time of publication.

There have been signs locally that, since lockdown, housebuilders are being more cautious with developments. Last month, the UK’s largest housebuilder, Barratt Homes, pulled out of a 390-home development in Littlethorpe, Ripon.

Meanwhile, Banks Group submitted plans for 270 homes and a primary school on the opposite side of the Castle Hill Farm site on Whinney Lane.

Whinney Lane is now closed for seven months due to the construction of two site access points for the Castle Hill Farm housing development as well as a new roundabout.

The manager of the Squinting Cat pub told the Stray Ferret that the closure “could kill” the business.

270 homes and primary school proposed for Whinney Lane

Plans have been submitted for 270 homes and a new primary school on Whinney Lane.

Durham-based developer Banks Group is behind the proposals for the site, which is designated for development within Harrogate Borough Council’s Local Plan.

Whinney Lane in Pannal Ash is one of Harrogate’s main pressure points for new housing and the site is located directly opposite the Castle Hill Farm development where work has already begun on 130 homes.

With 2,500 new homes in various stages of development on the south side of Harrogate, HBC would like to see new schools built in the area to ease pressure on local primary schools in Pannal, Rossett Acre and Beckwithshaw.

The primary school would be built at the top of Whinney Lane opposite Castle Hill Drive and documents say it would employ 40 full-time staff. No details about the number of pupils are available.

Banks Group is proposing a mix of 1 bedroom (29%), 2 bedroom (38%), 3 bedroom (28%) and 4 bedroom (4%) homes. 40% will be affordable.

The developer suggests the development could generate HBC about £3m over six years as a result of the government’s New Homes Bonus scheme in addition to £500,000 per year in council tax payments.

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Notices were placed on Whinney Lane about the plans on July 16. However, Whinney Lane closed this week for seven months for highways improvements related to the new housing.

Residents say people will now not see the notices or be able to raise any objections before the deadline of August 16.

Speaking to the Stray Ferret, resident Ian Watson questioned why the green planning notification signs were put up on a road that is now closed.

He said:

“Very few people will know about the green signs. And, with a partial lockdown still with the pandemic very few people are out. The footpath will be closed. The road is not used by cars.”

In response, a spokesperson for Banks Group said it had posted nine notices at locations on Whinney Lane, Castle Hill Drive and Lady Lane.

The spokesperson added:

“They have been placed in nine different locations around the area, which will hopefully provide local people with plenty of opportunity to see what’s being proposed.”

The plans will go before HBC’s planning committee later this year.

County council won’t budge on seven month Whinney Lane closure

North Yorkshire County Council says a controversial seven-month road closure at Whinney Lane won’t be reduced, despite pleas from the manager of the Squinting Cat that it could put his pub out of business.

Speaking to the Stray Ferret, Don Mackenzie, executive member for highways at North Yorkshire County Council, called the delay unfortunate but said the seven-month timeframe agreed with the housing developer Mulgrave is “reasonable”.

The Stray Ferret reported earlier this week that the road will be closed to build two access points for the Castle Hill Farm housing development as well as a new roundabout.

The roundabout will have four exits, including one into another site on Whinney Lane which is earmarked for development in Harrogate Borough Council’s Local Plan. However, planning permission is yet to be granted for the site and residents say North Yorkshire County Council should not allow the roundabout to be built.

Cllr Mackenzie said the authority is entitled to plan ahead for highways improvements.

He said:

“When one designs highways and roundabouts one has to have a certain amount of foresight to look ahead.

“We’d be criticised if we constructed the roundabout then it has to be completely redone. We’d be accused of wasting tax payers money.

“NYCC gets criticism that we don’t put infrastructure in place before development happens. In this case we are, even though permission has not been granted.”

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Several residents have contacted the Stray Ferret this week to voice their complaints about the closure, with one calling it “absolute madness”.

Cllr Mackenzie sought to reassure residents and the Squinting Cat, saying access will be maintained.

He added:

“It’s unfortunate but residents needn’t worry. Their access will be maintained as will access to the Squinting Cat.

“But I cannot deny that large scale residential of this nature will cause disruption. Whinney Lane is not alone in that.”

Squinting Cat pub says seven-month road closure ‘could kill us’

The seven-month-long Whinney Lane road closure “could kill” the Squinting Cat pub, says its manager.

Speaking to the Stray Ferret, Andy Harrison said he is “absolutely mortified” that the main road to the pub from Harrogate will be closed for seven months – just as it attempts to recover from lockdown.

North Yorkshire County Council announced that a section of Whinney Lane will be closed to traffic from Monday, July 27 to February 28 2021, due to the construction of two site access points for the Castle Hill Farm housing development as well as a new roundabout.

The closure will end around 200m before the Squinting Cat. Mr Harrison said it will have major implications as most people driving to the pub use Whinney Lane rather than the longer route through Burn Bridge.

He added the road closure will be a major blow after reopening following lockdown on July 6 and questioned whether NYCC could offer the pub financial compensation.

He said:

“We’ve struggled. Trade is hard anyway and with the road closure I don’t know if we can sustain it”.

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Local residents told the Stray Ferret that the closure of Whinney Lane will be the start of years of disruption due to the different housing developments planned for the area.

One resident, who didn’t wish to be named, said she has seen construction vehicles blocking the lane for residents who use it to exercise. She said “it’s like a takeover”.

Another resident, David Siddans, said he is expecting further closures when more homes are built on the adjacent field of Whinney Lane.

Nigel Smith, head of highway operations at NYCC told the Stray Ferret that they hope works can be completed ahead of schedule and that there will be a temporary footpath installed for pedestrians.

However, he said the authority would not be able to provide any compensation to the Squinting Cat.

He said:

“We understand the inconvenience the closure will cause however these are essential and unavoidable works associated with the development.

“A signed diversion will be in place and pedestrian access has been agreed with the landowner, providing a temporary footpath to houses and businesses.

“We understand the concerns that businesses have regarding trade during any road closure. However, there is no statutory provision for compensation by the Highway Authority for businesses affected by essential roadworks.

“If a business is concerned about a road closure please get in touch with their local highways office, but regretfully we are unable to make any offer of compensation due to the temporary disruption of traffic flow in this area. That said, local access to residences and The Squinting Cat will be maintained where possible.”

Whinney Lane in Harrogate to be closed for seven months

A section of Whinney Lane in Harrogate will be closed to traffic from Monday, July 27 to February 28.

The closure is due to the construction of two site access points for the Castle Hill Farm housing development as well as a new roundabout.

The road will be closed from the Castle Hill Drive junction and continue until around 200m before the Squinting Cat pub.

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Meanwhile, Penny Pot Lane will be closed to traffic for four weeks, beginning on Monday, August 3.

This is for the Persimmon King Edwin Park residential development between the Jubilee roundabout and the Ethelburga’s estate.

Access to the estate will be kept open during the road closure and cycling and walking will be permitted.