Ripon Cathedral’s plans for a £6 million annex on public open space to the north of the ancient grade I listed building have suffered a significant setback.

The city council, which a year ago voted to ‘support the general principle’ of the proposed development featuring a song school, refectory, shop, toilets and storage space, last night reversed that decision with a 4-3 vote against the scheme.

The ‘no’ vote, proposed by former Mayor of Ripon Councillor Eamon Parkin and seconded by Cllr Jackie Crozier, came at a full council meeting at which 10 members of the public voiced objections to the cathedral’s plans and nobody spoke in favour.

Loss of a veteran beech and other mature trees, along with concerns about the impact of the proposed development on hospitality and other businesses in the city, were the two main issues that prompted the council to withdraw its support and lodge an objection with North Yorkshire Council.

City councillors Andrew Williams and Barbara Brodigan, who sit on North Yorkshire Council’s Skipton and Ripon planning committee which, in the New Year will have the final say on the application, did not take part in the debate or vote. They absented themselves from the meeting after listening to the points raised by members of the public

Save the trees campaigners pictured near the veteran beech during last month’s peaceful protest at Minster Gardens.

Among the speakers was Ripon resident Jenni Holman, who launched a petition in April aimed at saving the veteran beech and 10 other trees, which will be felled if the cathedral’s application is approved.

She told the meeting:

“The petition has gathered more than 2,000 signatures, with more coming each day.

“Those who have signed it do not object to the cathedral having the facilities that it needs to prosper, we are simply saying that Minster Gardens, which is a public park and oasis of green in the city, is the wrong place for this development.”

Kevin Hill, who co-owns and runs the Karma clothing and gift shop in Kirkgate, said:

“I came to a meeting here in February, where councillors voted to call for a retail impact assessment to be carried out, to find out how the annex development with its refectory and shop would affect local businesses.

“At the meeting we were told by the cathedral that there was no need for businesses to have any anxiety as their scheme would be beneficial to all of the city because of the additional footfall that would be generated.

“Months later and with no impact assessment carried out, traders found that the cathedral’s own design and access document said, for the cathedral refectory to be financially viable, it needs to be large enough to accommodate coach parties and very close to the cathedral, to ‘prevent visitors from drifting away from the cathedral and using various cafes in the city'”

Mr Hill added:

“So in effect, their stated strategy is to keep all the business for themselves and starve other cafes in the city. Quite frankly, this is a disgrace.”

The cathedral’s case

Though nobody at last night’s meeting spoke in support of the annex application, the cathedral has previously stated its case through a number of channels, including last December’s pre-application briefing for the city council; at its annual review meeting in September at the cathedral and through the  Ripon Cathedral Renewed pamphlet, 

With 100,000 visitors through its doors during 2022,  the cathedral lacks both an ability to offer its own hospitality facilities and provide accessible toilets for people with limited mobility.

Dean John Dobson and the cathedral chapter have emphasised an urgent need for action.

The cathedral has stated that there are exceptional reasons for felling the trees and in the Ripon Cathedral pamphlet produced in support of its planning application, said:

“All other potential locations and solutions have been considered over many years and have proven to be undeliverable.”

In compensation for the loss of the 11 trees, a new woodland area with 21 trees will be created within the vicinity of the cathedral and the annex. Dean John has also stated that 300 native trees will be planted on land near Studley.

The Stray Ferret will be publishing a further story including more views expressed at last night’s meeting and subsequently. The cathedral and chapter will have the opportunity to respond to the council’s decision.

Main image: This cgi provides an aerial perspective showing the proposed annex development. Picture: Ripon Cathedral Renewed

Will a single beech tree topple a £6 million development for Ripon Cathedral?

The cathedral argues a new annex is urgently needed to provide 21st century facilities for churchgoers, visitors and choristers.

The Ripon Cathedral Renewed project, involves creating a 1,000 square metre, two storey, standalone building on Minster Gardens, which would provide an 80-seat refectory, a song school, gift shop, toilets and additional storage space.

But there is a major potential stumbling block. To build the new annex a veteran tree will have to be felled.

The mature beech tree is on the ancient tree inventory of The Woodland Trust, the UK’s largest woodland conservation charity. It is thought  to be between 150 and 200 years old.

It has become emblematic, providing a rallying point for campaigners opposed to construction of the building on public open space.

The Dean of Ripon Cathedral, the Very Revd John Dobson, has tried for years to improve facilities at the cathedral and has described the loss of the beech and ten other trees as a ‘moral dilemma’ which requires balancing ‘with urgent needs and undeniable benefits’.

It’s also a dilemma that puts the councillors who will ultimately decide whether or not the development goes ahead, in an unenviable position.

An aerial cgi featuring the proposed annex on Minster Gardens to the north of the cathedral. Picture Ripon Cathedral Renewed

The common beech, whose scientific name is Fagus Sylvatica, is regularly described as the ‘Queen of British trees’.

With unintended irony, the Woodland Trust, which has formally objected to the loss of the Ripon veteran and ten other mature trees on Minster Gardens, describes common beech trees as having ‘cathedral-like branches.’

But does saving an ancient tree, which in UK planning law is considered ‘irreplaceable’, trump the stated needs of the people involved in the day to day running of an ancient building, which has been central to the history and heritage of Ripon since St Wilfrid laid its foundation stone 1,351 years ago?

The Rules

The government’s National Planning Policy Framework says that planning authorities:

Should refuse planning permission if development will result in the loss or deterioration of ancient woodland, ancient trees and veteran trees unless both of the following applies:

• there are wholly exceptional reasons
• there’s a suitable compensation strategy in place 

The Very Revd John Dobson said that the loss of trees presents a ‘moral dilemma’ 

The cathedral’s case

With 100,000 visitors through its doors during 2022,  the cathedral lacks both an ability to offer its own hospitality facilities and provide accessible toilets for people with limited mobility.

The Dean and cathedral chapter have emphasised an urgent need for action.

The cathedral has stated that there are exceptional reasons for felling the trees and in the Ripon Cathedral Renewed leaflet, produced in support of its planning application, said:

“All other potential locations and solutions have been considered over many years and have proven to be undeliverable.”

In compensation for the loss of the 11 trees, a new woodland area with 21 trees will be created within the vicinity of the cathedral and the annex. Dean John has also stated that 300 native trees will be planted on land near Studley.

Last December the planning application was submitted to Harrogate Borough Council, three months before the district authority was abolished and subsumed into the new unitary North Yorkshire Council.

Those in favour and those against

Among its early supporters was Historic England, the government’s expert advisor on England’s heritage.

The watchdog, which had scuppered a previous proposal for an extension physically attached to the south side of the cathedral’s west frontage, said:

“This application is highly sensitive due to the wonderful historic townscape of Ripon, its proximity and relationship to Ripon Cathedral, and from the heritage value of the site itself.

“The proposal would make a positive contribution to the historic environment of Ripon, sitting appropriately in location and design terms with the townscape and cathedral, and beginning to rearticulate the original cathedral precinct. However, the loss of open space and trees would have a minor impact on heritage significance.

“We consider that many elements of the proposal are in line with those parts of the NPPF (National Planning Policy Framework) within our statutory remit.”

The local heritage watchdog Ripon Civic Society took a very different view. It said:

“While we do not disagree with the cathedral’s view that a new annex on the north side of the cathedral will contribute to the sustainable future of the cathedral and enhance the city of Ripon, we consider that siting an annex on Minster Gardens is unacceptable.”

At its full meeting last December, where a pre-application presentation of the proposed scheme was made, Ripon City Council supported ‘the general principle’ of the development.

The council said:

“We will be looking at the finer detail when the planning application is submitted, but the city council supports the general principle of this development, with the exception of the proposed closure of Minster Road, which we cannot agree with because diverting traffic elsewhere would cause many problems.”

Impact on city business

At the February 2023 council meeting, business owners expressed concerns that the proposed development would  ‘funnel’ visitors away from Kirkgate where a number of cafes and restaurants are located.

The city council called for a retail impact assessment to be carried out to see if the refectory would result in a reduction in business for local traders.

North Yorkshire planners thought this was unnecessary, even though the design and access document prepared in support of the annex application, said:

“Cathedral Refectory: for this to be a financially viable part of the cathedral business plan it needs to be a certain size, to accommodate a coach party, and be very close to the cathedral.

“This is required to prevent visitors from drifting away from the cathedral and using the various cafés in the city.”

This opened up a new wave of posts on social media focusing on the perceived contradiction between the planning document and the cathedral’s claim that the development would bring an increase in footfall of up to 50% that would be ‘good news for the local economy and local businesses’.

The tree campaigners

While the city debated the impact on businesses, the fight to save the veteran beech gathered momentum.

The tree has been the focus of a ‘save our trees’ petition launched in April by Ripon resident Jenni Holman.

The petition has gathered more than 2,000 signatures and has been provided in 19 tranches for inclusion on the North Yorkshire Council planning portal.

In addition, at the time of publication, planners have received comments from 169 supporters of the annex application, and 79 from objectors.

The tree campaigners pictured at their peaceful protest on November 25

The campaigners, whose protest generated TV, Radio, online and printed media coverage across Yorkshire and Tyneside, was given added impetus in September, when the world-famous sycamore gap tree on Hadrian’s Wall, was cut down in an act of vandalism that brought national and international outrage and media coverage.

Ms Holman, said:

“Over the past eight months we have been raising awareness of the cathedral’s plans.  We do not object to the cathedral having the additional facilities that it needs to prosper, but there are more suitable and less sensitive locations, including land and buildings owned by the church which could be developed to meet its needs.”

The annex planning application will be considered by the Skipton and Ripon Constituency Planning Committee of North Yorkshire Council  in the New Year, at a meeting due to be held in Ripon.

The Stray Ferret will cover the crucial meeting and any significant developments that take place beforehand.

Read More: 

• Heritage watchdogs disagree over £6m Ripon Cathedral annex
• Ripon Cathedral expansion: ‘Impractical’ to keep veteran beech tree
• Tree campaigners to hold protest against Ripon Cathedral’s £6m annex plans
• Old Deanery calls for Ripon Cathedral’s £6m scheme to be rejected

Campaigners fighting the proposed felling of a veteran beech and 10 other mature trees to make way for Ripon Cathedral’s planned £6m annex will hold a peaceful protest at Minster Gardens on Saturday.

The proposed development would include a song school, community space, toilets, a refectory and shop, which it says will attract more visitors to the city.

But the potential loss of trees has attracted opposition, and protestors will make their feelings known between 12 noon and 1pm on Saturday.

Ripon resident Jenni Holman, who has raised a petition containing almost 1,800 names, which has been submitted to planners at North Yorkshire Council, told the Stray Ferret:

“Over the past eight months we have been raising awareness of the cathedral’s plans, which involve the loss of the trees on what is currently public green open space in the ownership of North Yorkshire Council.

“We do not object to the cathedral having the additional facilities that it needs to prosper, but there are more suitable and less sensitive locations, including land and buildings owned by the church,  which could be developed to meet its needs.”

She added:

“North Yorkshire Police have been informed that we will be holding our peaceful protest on Minster Gardens from 12 noon and we will be happy to speak to anybody, whether for or against the annex development , to explain why we have raised the petition.”

Jenni Holman (front, centre) pictured at the May protest on Minster Gardens

A previous protest was held at the gardens in May, when the number of people who signed the petition was approaching 500.

At that time, the Stray Ferret asked the cathedral for comment about the objection being made and received this response:

“The planning application is going through its due process, as such we don’t respond to individual comments or objections during this process.

“What I can say is that we have investigated all available options within the cathedral estate, and none of the sites were suitable for the new building. This was the opinion of a range of external experts who specialise in heritage buildings and conservation as well as architects and project management experts. The needs of all internal and external users of the proposed new building cannot be met by using any other existing chapter property and all cathedral property is currently being used to its maximum capacity.

“As we’ve previously said, the building will be an asset to the people of the city, providing much needed facilities, including a safe space for our choristers to rehearse that is fully accessible, along with public toilet facilities (including a new Changing Places toilet, suitable for those who struggle to use standard accessible toilets).

“While we understand that some people may see the loss of 11 trees as too heavy a price to pay, the development will tidy up an unloved part of the city, increase the amount of public open space and enhance the existing much-valued memorial garden. The plans we’ve submitted also include the planting of 14 new trees around the cathedral, along with a further 300 trees on land made available by a supporter of the project and will see an overall increase in biodiversity across the area.”

Main picture: Campaigners are fighting to save this veteran beech and ten other mature trees

Campaigners who have raised a petition signed by about 500 people seeking to save an ‘irreplaceable’ veteran beech tree from being felled, gathered at Ripon’s Minster Gardens yesterday.

Their petition, which will be submitted to North Yorkshire Council, objects to Ripon Cathedral’s Ripon Cathedral Renewed planning application.

The application proposes erecting a two-storey building on Minster Gardens, which would require the loss of the tree – described as T14 –  and 10 other trees on site.

The petition states:

“We, the undersigned, do not approve of the felling of ancient trees on public land, to make way for the new build proposed by the cathedral. We believe there are alternative solutions, including the utilising of pre-existing buildings.”

The petition reflects concerns raised by statutory consultees including  Jack Taylor, the Woodland Trust’s lead campaigner for woods under threat and North Yorkshire Council’s principal ecologist, Dan McAndrew.

In his response to the planning application, which can be seen on the council planning portal, Mr Taylor said:

“This loss of a veteran tree is contrary to both local and national planning policy and this application should be refused in its current form.”

The veteran beech tree described as T14 in documents relating to the annex planning application.

He added:

“Veteran trees are irreplaceable habitats, once lost they are gone forever. Any development resulting in loss or deterioration of veteran trees should not be taken forward.

“The Woodland Trust objects to this application on the basis of loss of a veteran beech tree and the loss and potential deterioration of other notable trees that are also likely to hold considerable value now and in the future, ecologically and culturally.

“Therefore, we request that planning permission is not taken forward for this site unless the plans can be suitably altered to avoid the loss of the veteran tree and suitably protect both retained veteran and notable trees on site.”

Mr McAndrew said in his response:

“I object to this application in its current form because I do not accept that there is no possible alternative location or configuration of the layout of the proposed building, which could avoid the loss of the veteran beech tree, T14, which I view as an unnecessary loss of ‘irreplaceable habitat’.

“In my view, it ought to be possible for the applicant to devise a solution, involving the reconfiguration of the building or its location which would enable T14 to be retained.”

The National Planning Policy Framework identifies ancient and veteran trees as ‘irreplaceable habitat’. It states development resulting in the loss or deterioration of irreplaceable habitats (such as ancient woodland and ancient or veteran trees) should be refused, unless there are wholly exceptional reasons and a suitable compensation strategy exists.

Petition organiser Jenni Holman (pictured above, front middle) said:

“The petition has been signed by local residents and some visitors to Ripon, who are totally opposed to felling of the veteran beech and other mature trees that play an essential role in the biodiversity of this area of the city.

“This is a lovely, peaceful open space and many of those that have signed find it inconceivable that this is even being contemplated.”

Fellow campaigner Pat Waterfall said:

“The loss of trees and this green space when other alternatives are available, is unacceptable.”

Response from Ripon Cathedral

A spokesperson for the Ripon Cathedral Renewed programme said:

“The planning application is going through its due process, as such we don’t respond to individual comments or objections during this process.

“What I can say is that we have investigated all available options within the cathedral estate, and none of the sites were suitable for the new building. This was the opinion of a range of external experts who specialise in heritage buildings and conservation as well as architects and project management experts. The needs of all internal and external users of the proposed new building cannot be met by using any other existing chapter property and all cathedral property is currently being used to its maximum capacity.

“As we’ve previously said, the building will be an asset to the people of the city, providing much needed facilities, including a safe space for our choristers to rehearse that is fully accessible, along with public toilet facilities (including a new Changing Places toilet, suitable for those who struggle to use standard accessible toilets).

“While we understand that some people may see the loss of 11 trees as too heavy a price to pay, the development will tidy up an unloved part of the city, increase the amount of public open space and enhance the existing much-valued memorial garden. The plans we’ve submitted also include the planting of 14 new trees around the cathedral, along with a further 300 trees on land made available by a supporter of the project and will see an overall increase in biodiversity across the area.”

Read more:

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• Ripon firm Farmison begins phased re-opening

The acrimonious tug of war over the now-derelict former Henry Jenkins Inn in Kirkby Malzeard, has entered a new phase.

David Fielder, who owns the western portion of the building, has submitted a planning application to Harrogate Borough Council to convert it into a single dwelling.

The application, which will be considered by council planners later this year, was considered last night by Kirkby Malzeard, Laverton and Dallowgill Parish Council, which decided to adopt a neutral stance, by neither objecting to, nor supporting the proposal.

Mr Fielder, who attended the meeting, told the Stray Ferret:

“I’m happy with that decision, as it shows that the parish is not opposing the application and I hope that we can move on from here.

“Planning permission is already in place for the eastern annex of the building to be converted to residential use by my business associate Justin Claybourn and I believe it would make sense for HBC to approve my similar application and hopefully bring this saga to an end.”

One of Harrogate district’s oldest pubs

The Henry Jenkins, which is named after a man that legend states lived to be 169-years-old, is one of the oldest inns in the Harrogate district. It closed in 2011.

In 2017 the Henry Jenkins Community Pub group successfully obtained an Asset of Community Value listing for the building.

However, in 2018, the listing on the eastern annex was removed by the council, when the property was sold to Mr Claybourn.

Since then, the campaign group has made three unsuccessful attempts to have the listing reinstated on the eastern portion of the building — which it said was crucial to its plans to reopen the Henry Jenkins as a community facility comprising a pub, bistro and coffee shop.

HJCP chair Richard Sadler said:

“Harrogate Borough Council quite rightly has rigorous policies to protect and enhance community facilities ‘unless it can be clearly demonstrated … there is no reasonable prospect of the existing use continuing on a viable basis with all options for continuance having been reasonably explored’.

“Well in this case there is every chance the Henry Jenkins Inn can be revived and refurbished as a community-owned pub and restaurant. More than 170 villagers have banded together and raised more than £230,000 in pledges and shares and we should now be in a strong position to qualify for another £230,000 in government match funding.”

Case for re-opening ‘stronger than ever’

Mr Sadler added that the case for regenerating the 250-year-old Henry Jenkins was stronger now than ever, with the pandemic leading to increased awareness of the importance of places for people to meet up and socialise.

“Here in Kirkby Malzeard, as elsewhere, we have more people working from home, many more new houses are planned and there’s an urgent need for a broader range of facilities.

“A revitalised Henry Jenkins would boost the local economy – providing jobs, encouraging people to go out more in the village and attracting more visitors to the area.

“We already have one pub – the Queen’s Head – but this is one of the largest villages in the area and all the evidence suggests there is room for a different type of pub serving a different clientele.

“We trust that our elected representatives will do the right thing by sticking to their policies and putting the long-term interests of the wider community above those of a private developer looking to make a quick profit.”

Nine cyclists arrived in Harrogate last night on the fifth day of their tour from Brighton to Glasgow for the UN climate change conference Cop26.

The cyclists are travelling across the UK ahead of Cop26 to talk to people about what they can do to go green.

The group set off from Loughborough yesterday morning and made it to Harrogate by 5.30pm.

One of the cyclists, Sophie Gordon, said the aim was to make people aware of the small changes they can make that have a big impact.

Travelling with banners and flags, the cyclists have been stopped by people wanting to discuss projects, such as planting trees or driving electric vehicles.

Ms Gordon, from Guildford, said:

“We all felt a bit helpless about the environmental crisis and everything we could see going on around us and we knew we couldn’t miss COP26 since it was so close in Glasgow.

“We just want to inspire people to get involved and make it happen.”

Read more:

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• Harrogate primary school starts air pollution fight on Cold Bath Road

Last night the group went the The Old Bell, in Harrogate, to host a quiz and talk to people to find out their concerns and see what can be done to tackle them.

Ms Gordon is as an avid cyclist who works for a cycling charity and said she hoped the government would invest more in cycling infrastructure across the UK to combat vehicle emissions.