Glut of housebuilding in Harrogate worsening Nidd raw sewage problem

A massive increase in housebuilding across Harrogate and Knaresborough is worsening pollution in the River Nidd, according to the Environment Agency.

Jamie Duncan, who has worked on the Nidd for 20 years for the public body, gave a wide-ranging presentation about the health of the river to Harrogate and Knaresborough councillors earlier today.

Yorkshire Water is allowed to release sewage into the Nidd when the sewerage system is at risk of being overwhelmed through what are called storm overflows.

It has led to human waste being released over thousands of hours, and sampling by the Nidd Action Group has reported that the bacteria E. coli is at “concerningly high” levels.

Mr Duncan’s message to councillors was stark as he warned the problem could get worse without a recognition of the impact that development is having, and improvements to the town’s creaking Victorian sewerage system.

He said the Environment Agency was trying to tackle historic pollution problems, such as peat bog erosion and metal mining, which wash into the river at Nidderdale and travel downstream.

But he said its attempts are being made more difficult due to the thousands of new homes that have been built in the outskirts of Harrogate over the last decade — and thousands are more planned.

He said:

“If you are building housing estates on the urban fringe, on greenfield sites that historically have sewers just for servicing a pub and a few farms… and you’re putting hundreds of houses into these pipes then you only need a very small amount of rain [for waste] to spill into rivers.

“That’s untreated sewage. You’ve sieved out contraception and sanitary products, nothing more.”

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During the 2010s the now defunct Harrogate Borough Council did not have a local plan for several years, which gave the authority little control over where developers chose to build.

Harrogate now has a local plan but Mr Duncan said North Yorkshire Council must give more consideration into what impact new housing is having on the sewerage system, which he said is struggling to cope.

He added that the situation is leading to more storm overflows and more sewage being pumped into the Nidd.

A working group of councillors was set up last year to tackle pollution in the river, following an incident last summer where several children ended up in hospital after swimming there.

A campaign is also underway to clean up the river so it can be designated with bathing water status. Harrogate and Knaresborough Conservative MP Andrew Jones submitted an application to government last month.

North Yorkshire Council is also in the early stages of developing a new county-wide local plan that will set out where housebuilding can take place over the next 15 years.

Paul Haslam, Conservative councillor for Bilton and Nidd Gorge, said he hoped the council can view the sewage network as a “critical part” of infrastructure, like roads.

In the meantime, Mr Duncan urged councillors to factor in the sewerage system when granting planning permission for new developments.

He said:

“If you’re going to grant it, please understand the knock-on effects. Houses might be new, but the sewage pipes might run a very long way through central Harrogate to a very old system that’s at capacity.”

Sharow road closed yet again

For the second time in 14 weeks, a section of Dishforth Road/Sharow Lane between the Ripon bypass roundabout and the traffic calming island on the approach to St John’s Church, was closed this morning following a burst water main.

Yorkshire Water and its contractor have been working at the scene, which is close to the location of the previous burst main that forced the closure of the same section of road from August 7 to 11.

More recently, the road in Sharownwas hit by flooding on November 14 caused by Storm Debi and back in December/January, there was three weeks of major traffic disruption when Yorkshire Water replaced a ruptured pipe at the sewage pumping station on Dishforth Road. This work involved the felling of a tree and a round the clock convoy of tankers removing sewage from the site and taking it by road to the sewage treatment works off Boroughbridge Road.

Workers at the scene this morning.

James Thornborough who lives in Sharow, supplied these photos, told the Stray Ferret:

“There has been chaotic scenes during this morning’s rush hour with no advance warning of the diversion route for drivers to take, causing them to have to do three point turns in the road.

“The regularity of major mains failures on this key traffic route, points to the need for a resilient wholesale solution to be put in place.”

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Yorkshire Water begins installing parking charges equipment at Harrogate district reservoirs

Work is set to begin this week to install equipment and infrastructure at Harrogate district reservoirs as part of a parking charges trial.

Yorkshire Water is undertaking the work at Swinsty Moor car park today, with Swinsty Stack Point, Thruscross and Fewston set to follow afterwards.

The company is introducing payment machines and automatic number plate recognition cameras at the reservoirs.

It will see charges introduced at the car parks from early 2024.

A spokesperson for Yorkshire Water said: 

“We know how important our sites are to local communities and visitors alike. We have thought long and hard about the way people use our sites before implementing this trial, as well as considering approaches at similar sites around the country. We believe a small parking fee and increased security will help to dissuade anti-social behaviour, such as fly-tipping, at our sites but also have a long-term positive impact in terms of the projects we can deliver in the future.

“Our brand-new, in-house ranger team will be supported as a direct result of introducing these charges and we have a wide range of exciting conservation, community and facilities enhancements lined up for the future.

“We will be collaborating with local authorities and local stakeholders to ensure the introduction of these tariffs in 2024 causes minimal disruption and will be working hard to ensure all our visitors are aware of the charges before they arrive at our sites.”

Car park users will be able to pay via card payment on site, by using the RingGo app or telephone.

The proposed tariffs will be one hour at £1, two hours at £2, six hours at £3 and an all day pass for £5.

Meanwhile, an annual pass for all car parks will cost £30.

Parking will remain free for blue badge holders.

Bransby Wilson Parking Solutions, based in York, has been appointed to operate the parking meters. 

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Harrogate Lib Dems criticise Yorkshire Water £2m executive payments

Harrogate and Knaresborough Liberal Democrats have criticised Yorkshire Water after it paid senior executives £2 million in bonuses last year.

Companies House documents show the water firm paid a total of £2.09 million to four executives in the year ending March 2023.

The move comes as Yorkshire Water has faced criticism this year for pumping sewage into local rivers.

Tom Gordon, Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate for Harrogate and Knaresborough, said the water industry had become a “gravy train”.

He added that chief executives of water companies should be banned from taking bonuses.

Mr Gordon said:

“Our local waterways are being pumped full of raw disgusting sewage, all whilst the water firm hand themselves insulting pay-outs. The whole thing stinks. These salaries and perks have reached eye-watering levels, yet Conservative ministers refuse to act. 

“I was shocked that there was literally no mention of sewage in the King’s Speech.

“It is time to rip up Yorkshire Water so it no longer puts profit before the environment. The firm is clearly not working how it should and is not listening to local concerns on sewage discharges. 

“This country’s water industry has become a gravy train where sewage and money flows freely. This is a scandal and happening on this government’s watch.”

In response, a Yorkshire Water spokesperson said: 

“The pay of our directors is set by a remuneration committee, which is independent from our executives, and is comparable within the industry.

“Any incentive payments are strongly linked to company performance and align with best practice and regulatory guidance.”

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The comments come as Yorkshire Water recently submitted a £7.8 billion proposal to Ofwat as part of investment plans for 2025 to 2030.

The company’s plan includes £3.1 billion to improve resilience in the water network, £4.3 billion to protect river and coastal water quality and investment in customer service and financial support for customers.

However, it would mean average bills would rise from £438.12 in 2024/25 (£36.51 per month) to £518.76 in 2025/26 (£43.23 per month) with increases each year thereafter.

Mr Gordon previously described the move as “utterly scandalous”. 

However, Andrew Jones, Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, said the plan was a step up for Yorkshire Water and would help to “strengthen” plans for a bathing water application for the River Nidd.

Public meeting to be held about state of River Nidd

A public meeting is to be held in Knaresborough next month to discuss the campaign to improve water quality in the River Nidd.

The drop-in meeting will follow a similar format to the one held in March, which marked the start of the campaign.

Groups involved will give short presentations and talk to people on a one-to-one basis.

Topics will include the results of recent water sampling on the Nidd, which revealed high levels of faecal bacteria, the bid for bathing water status and Yorkshire Water’s business plan for 2025 to 2030.

Nidd Action Group, which includes Knaresborough town councillors, environmental campaigners, anglers, councillors and community groups, will again stage the event at the Centre-on-Gracious Street.

The meeting, titled ‘What do we know about the River Nidd and its tributaries – and what do we need to do?’ will take place on December 5 from 3pm to 6.30pm.

Stands and displays will enable visitors to familiarise themselves with the campaign, which was prompted by concerns about water quality and bathers at Knaresborough Lido suffering sickness and diarrhoea,

Andrew Jones, the Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, submitted the bid for bathing water status to rivers minister Rebecca Pow last week.

If successful, government agencies would be obliged to take action to improve water quality at the lido. This would also improve water quality on a much longer stretch of the river.

The bid has been backed by 33 organisations and businesses, including Knaresborough Town Council, North Yorkshire Council, Yorkshire Agricultural Society and Bilton Conservation Group.

A decision is expected by the end of April next year.

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Developer appeals decision to refuse 23 homes in Bishop Monkton

A developer has appealed a council decision to refuse plans for 23 homes in Bishop Monkton.

Kebbell Development Ltd tabled a plan to build the houses on Knaresborough Road in the village.

At a meeting of the Skipon and Ripon area constituency planning committee in August, councillors rejected the plan amid concern it would increase the amount of raw sewage released on streets.

The decision went against North Yorkshire Council officers’ recommendations to approve the scheme.

One councillor said having more properties in the village could exacerbate the “abomination” of raw sewage being released into the streets during heavy rainfall.

The committee had also called for Yorkshire Water to provide more detail on how the scheme would impact on foul water drainage in the village.

No representative from the company appeared at the meeting.

But the company said “most, if not all” of the “sewage escapes” in the village were caused by residents putting excessive toilet paper, fat, oil and grease down toilets and sinks which caused pipes to block.

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The developer has now taken the decision to the government’s Planning Inspectorate, which deals with planning disputes.

In a statement of case submitted to the inspector, Kebbell Development Ltd argued that there was no planning reason for the scheme to be refused.

It said:

“It is clear that the appeal proposals fully comply with the requirements of relevant policies contained within the development plan and there are no material considerations that indicate planning permission should not be granted.”

The developer added:

“The council have acted unreasonably in refusing planning permission.”

A government planning inspector will make a decision on the plan at a later date.

Yorkshire Water investment plan ‘utterly scandalous’, say Lib Dems

The Liberal Democrats in Harrogate and Knaresborough have described a plan by Yorkshire Water to increase bills to invest in infrastructure as “utterly scandalous”.

The company submitted the £7.8 billion proposal to Ofwat yesterday as part of investment plans for 2025 to 2030.

Tom Gordon, Lib Dem parliamentary candidate for Harrogate and Knaresborough, said people would be “rightly outraged” if the plan were approved.

However, Andrew Jones, Conservative MP for the constituency, said the proposal was a step up for Yorkshire Water which would help to “strengthen” plans for a bathing water application for the River Nidd.

The company’s plan includes £3.1 billion to improve resilience in the water network, £4.3 billion to protect river and coastal water quality and investment in customer service and financial support for customers.

However, it would mean average bills would rise from £438.12 in 2024/25 (£36.51 per month) to £518.76 in 2025/26 (£43.23 per month) with increases each year thereafter.

Mr Gordon said he had joined calls for Ofwat to ensure that money is spent to fix and upgrade the water network.

He said:

“It is utterly scandalous that customers are going to be expected to cover the costs of these upgrades. Yearly water bills are going to rise by nearly 20% under these proposals. It is a slap in the face to our community that we are expected to pay for the years of underinvestment in water company infrastructure that has led to this sewage scandal.

“To add insult to injury, in recent years, Yorkshire Water executives have taken home million in bonuses. That money should have been invested in upgrading their ageing infrastructure instead.

“I am happy to join the calls of the Liberal Democrats, who today wrote to the government and Ofwat asking that they step in to ensure that this money is spent on fixing leaky pipes and stopping sewage discharges rather than lining the pocket of water company execs.

“People in Harrogate and Knaresborough will be rightly outraged if they are made to pay the price for this sewage scandal, while water company bosses continue to trouser huge bonuses.”

River Nidd bathing water status

However, Mr Jones said the move would help to strengthen plans to submit a bathing water application for the River Nidd.

The move would oblige organisations such as the Environment Agency to take action to clean the Nidd, amid concerns about high sewage levels and bathers falling ill at Knaresborough Lido.

Andrew Jones, MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough.

Andrew Jones, MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough.

Mr Jones added that, while bills would increase if approved, the plan also included measures to support “less well-off customers”.

He said:

“This proposal put to Ofwat looks to be a real step up from Yorkshire Water when it comes to water quality and I welcome that.  Investing nearly £4.3 billion in environmental initiatives as part of a 7.8 billion plan is a significant commitment. It recognises the scale of the task and the proposals will strengthen the bathing water quality application for the Nidd in Knaresborough which is being put together right now.

“None of us like seeing bills increase which is why I was pleased to see the support package put in place for less well-off customers and the commitment from shareholders to support the plan financially.

“We need Yorkshire Water to lead the way with critical new and upgraded infrastructure to waste treatment plants, water storage facilities and storm overflows. Alongside this they need to provide better and more impactful information about how people should dispose of sanitary products, items containing microplastics and kitchen waste so that they don’t get to the sewerage system and our waterways. We should also look at how we can reduce the effect rainwater run-off from agricultural land has on our rivers.

“The approach should be to tackle the water quality issue positively from every angle and this investment should enable Yorkshire Water to do that.”

Nicola Shaw, chief executive of Yorkshire Water, said the plans were the company’s largest ever investment into the network.

She said:

“This submission marks our largest ever environmental investment and illustrates our commitment to deliver what our customers expect. The programme will protect and improve the quality of water in rivers and at coasts, leading to cleaner, safer water environments that support recreation and biodiversity across the region.”

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Campaigners ‘cautious’ over Yorkshire Water £7.8 billion investment plan

Campaigners say they are “cautious but positive” over Yorkshire Water plans to invest £7.8 billion in infrastructure over five years.

The company announced the move today as part of investment plans for 2025 to 2030, which have been submitted to industry regulator Ofwat.

It includes £3.1 billion to improve resilience in the water network, £4.3 billion to protect river and coastal water quality and investment in customer service and financial support for customers.

However, it would mean average bills would rise from £438.12 in 2024/25 (£36.51 per month) to £518.76 in 2025/26 (£43.23 per month) with increases each year thereafter.

The proposals come as water companies have been under increasing public pressure at the amount of sewage being discharged into rivers and seas.

In the Harrogate district, campaigners say they are cautious at the plans but welcomed planned investment into the country’s water network.

Dr David Clayden, chairman of the Nidd Action Group, which is co-ordinating efforts to clean the River Nidd, said:

“Any investment in cleaning up our rivers, particularly the River Nidd and its tributaries is to be welcomed.

“Cynics amongst us may say something like ‘too little, too late’ and ‘we will be paying twice for something that should have been done years ago’, but I’d like to strike a more positive, if cautious, response to this announcement by Yorkshire Water.

“It’s a plan, not yet a reality, for actions possibly starting in 18 months time. Ofwat may yet dial down the ambition — and the cost to us as citizens — along with the much hoped for improvements in water quality. 

“As citizens we need to keep the pressure up on our politicians not to settle for any scaling down of  ‘improvements’.”

Nicola Shaw, chief executive of Yorkshire Water, said the plans were the company’s largest ever investment into the network.

She said:

“This submission marks our largest ever environmental investment and illustrates our commitment to deliver what our customers expect. The programme will protect and improve the quality of water in rivers and at coasts, leading to cleaner, safer water environments that support recreation and biodiversity across the region.”

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North Yorkshire Council urged to fine utility firms over roadworks

Utility firms should be fined for failing to complete planned maintenance on time and for shoddy work to repair roads, councillors have claimed.

A North Yorkshire Council meeting heard senior council officers were examining whether utility firms could be fined from the day their repairs failed to when they were put right amid escalating frustration being expressed by residents and other businesses.

The authority’s Richmond constituency committee was told Yorkshire Water had rejected a request for its senior managers to appear before the committee to explain why its planned works in the Upper Dales market town of Hawes had sparked traffic chaos in May.

The move comes as Northern Gas Network recently pushed back its completion date for roadworks on Harrogate’s Skipton Road.

Three-way lights were in operation close to the junction with Sykes Grove for more than a month to enable Northern Gas Networks to replace metal pipes with plastic pipes.

Richmond councillor Stuart Parsons said firms across the county were seeing utility companies repeatedly disrupting their business by failing to properly repair roads after cable and pipe-laying works and then taking years to rectify poor quality work.

Yorkshire Water had, the committee heard, given assurances it was examining the issue in Hawes and that regular meetings between the council and the water firm were set to take place to prevent a recurrence of the Hawes incident.

Councillors heard a number of actions, such as improving its communications and taking on board local residents’ views, had been agreed by the firm.

The committee’s chair, Cllr Yvonne Peacock, said although she had initially wanted the firm to face questions from elected representatives, Yorkshire Water’s refusal to do so had led to “possibly a better outcome”, as the firm was now working with the council’s officers on a range of schemes.

The Upper Dales councillor added: 

“We don’t want a diversion taking us a round trip of 90 miles just because you’ve got a hole in the ground.”

Councillors said while most of the utility companies were not acting responsibly, Northumbrian Water had recently set an example by working with the authority to avert unnecessary traffic issues.

Cllr Heather Moorhouse, who represents Great Ayton, added: 

“If we increased the fines by the minute I think we might get a very different action. That they can just clear off on a Friday of a bank holiday weekend and leave a gap in the road.

“Emergency works is one thing, but planned maintenance is another. They make a lot of money. We should start charging them as the police do.”

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Raw sewage spilled into North Yorkshire streets 600 times in five years

Yorkshire Water has admitted that raw sewage has spilled into the streets in the Skipton and Ripon constituency area 600 times over the last five years.

The figure was revealed during a meeting in Skipton yesterday when the company’s head of corporate affairs, Tim Myatt, was grilled by councillors about what the company is doing to stop sewage and other waste being discharged into rivers and public places.

Mr Myatt, who was a senior Harrogate councillor for the Conservatives until earlier this year, said Yorkshire Water was investing an extra £180 million to reduce discharges by at least 20% before 2025.

This is on top of a £147 million investment to reduce discharge at its wastewater treatment works.

But councillors said the company had not spent enough since privatisation in 1989.

Last month, the council’s planning committee refused an application for 23 homes in Bishop Monkton following fears the housing would exacerbate raw sewage being released into village streets during heavy rainfall.

Nick Brown, the Conservative councillor for Wathvale and Bishop Monkton, asked Mr Myatt how many reported incidents of sewage being spilled into Skipton and Ripon’s streets there had been in the last five years. Mr Myatt told him it was 600.

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However, this only includes details from the main postcodes in the constituency area so the actual number is likely to be higher.

A ‘monstrous’ figure

Cllr Brown described the figure as “monstrous” and said more investment was needed.

He said:

“Six hundred incidents of sewage in villages and towns is unbelievable. I find the lack of investment over a period of years is partially to blame for that. In future, the investment must be made sooner rather than later in curing these problems.”

Mr Myatt said Yorkshire Water has had teams in Bishop Monkton this week looking at the problem.

Conservative and Independent Group councillor for Ripon Minster and Moorside, Andrew Williams, said the company has been providing an “effluent service” for customers.

He added:

“We raised the issue of effluent in the street in Ripon and received a fob-off. It’s not good enough.”

Conservative councillor for Settle and Penyghent, David Staveley, said Yorkshire Water had “stone-walled and come up with bad excuses” when faced with criticism from customers over raw sewage and other issues.

Mr Myatt said Yorkshire Water wanted a “step change in transparency”, including more monitoring of their infrastructure to help understand how to reduce overflows. He said he was aware the public wants the company to “vastly improve performance”.

He said:

“We have invested since privatisation. It’s important to not think that pre-privatisation there was lots of investment and now there is none. 

“There has been significant investment and improvements in certain areas.”

North Yorkshire Council is currently putting together a local plan that will map out where housing can be built across the county. 

Mr Myatt indicated Yorkshire Water would like to become a statutory consultee on planning applications and that the new local plan will help it target investment into infrastructure.

He added:

“Knowing where growth is likely to be enables us to plan for investment and make the case for that in those areas.”