Plans for a new 36-flat supported housing development in Harrogate have been given the go-ahead today.
Jackie Snape, chief executive of the Harrogate charity Disability Action Yorkshire, made an impassioned plea to councillors for the scheme to go ahead. She said disabled people wanted to be given more control of their lives.
Ms Snape told Harrogate Borough Council‘s planning meeting that the need for supported housing was growing ever greater as disabled people “want so much more than residential care”.
She was speaking in support of plans to replace the charity’s existing Claro Road care home with 36 flats, which will allow residents to live more independently.
Ms Snape said:
“Disability Action Yorkshire has provided residential care for disabled people in the Harrogate area for the past 60 years, and for at least the last six years we have been working towards stopping that part of our service.
“The reason for this is that the disabled people we work with are telling us very loudly that they don’t want residential care.
“I asked the young disabled people currently living in 34 Claro Road what they thought I should say to you today.
“They said ‘just tell them we are ready, we want choice and control over our own lives, we just want our own front doors, we want what everyone else has.’”
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Disability Action Yorkshire, which this year celebrates its 85th anniversary, is working with Highstone Housing Association to build three apartment blocks at the Claro Road site.
Residents ‘no longer want residential care’
Ms Snape said the need for this type of accommodation has been growing over the last decade, but became in even greater demand during the pandemic which “solidified the resolve” of Claro Road residents that they no longer want residential care.
She said:
“For the past two years they have been treated differently to the rest of society, at one point not being able to have visits from friends and family while the rest of the country went out to eat out.
“Nearly every day somebody said we wouldn’t be in this situation if we had a home of our own.”
The charity’s plans – which included a mix of one and two-bed flats – were approved with “open arms” by Harrogate Borough Council’s planning committee today.
Works will now start later this month to construct the first of the flats on the grounds of the current home and on a derelict playground which was sold off by the council last year.
The existing care home will be replaced with flats, as well as a base for support staff who will be on site 24-hours-a-day.
Speaking at today’s meeting, councillor Stuart Martin said:
Plan for new Claro Road care home set for approval“This is exactly the sort of development we should be building and it’s one of the easiest decisions I’ve taken on this planning committee.”
Plans to demolish a 20-bed care home on Claro Road in Harrogate and replace it with a new facility have been recommended for approval.
Disability Action Yorkshire has submitted the proposal, which would see a 34-bed facility built on its current site and on adjacent disused land.
The new home would be built in three three-storey blocks and would ease the shortage of accessible supported housing for local disabled people.
Senior Harrogate Borough Council officers have recommended that the scheme is approved at a planning committee meeting next week.
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The proposal consists of 24 one-bedroom and 12 two-bedroom flats.
Should it be approved, Disability Action Yorkshire plans to complete the scheme in partnership with Highstone Housing Association.
The council agreed to sell the adjacent land to the housing association for an undisclosed sum in November 2021.
It is hoped the project will be completed by the end of 2023.
Masterplan of the care home development on Claro Road as proposed by Disability Action Yorkshire.
Jackie Snape, chief executive at Disability Action Yorkshire, said previously:
Bilton man cleans graffiti from mural bridge again“Our vision is to empower disabled people to live the lifestyle of their choosing, and independent living is at the heart of this.
“This is an incredibly exciting move for us, and something we have been planning for a number of years. Our partners, Highstone Housing Association, are experts in building supported housing.
“Whilst they will develop the site, it will be our staff supporting the residents, all of whom will have tailor-made care packages put in place before moving in.
“Our customers at 34 Claro Road have been fully consulted, and they looking forward to having their own front doors.”
A community-spirited Bilton man is determined to keep a mural looking its best after another attack by vandals.
Chris Knight was spurred into action today after the iron bridge, which connects Woodfield Drive and Claro Road, was defaced.
It is not the first time Mr Knight has cleaned the mural: he also cleaned the bridge when vandals painted a swastika and anti-Pakistani messages on it last year.
He told the Stray Ferret:
“Plenty of people were quite happy to see me cleaning the bridge today. It gives me quite the sense of achievement to do these things for the area.
“It did not take quite as long as last time, they must have used quite cheap paint. I am not one to wait around for other people to take action.
“The words of my old boss really stuck with me. There are three types of people — those who do things, those who watch people do things and those who wonder what happened.
“I have always wanted to be the type of person who can step-up.”
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Emma Garness, the artist who created the mural, used special paint to protect it from graffiti, which enables Mr Knight to clean it without damaging the artwork.
The mural, which was designed to become a beacon of positivity in the area, was well received by local residents.
34 Claro Road to be demolished under plans to build more homes for disabledDisability Action Yorkshire has submitted plans to demolish its 20-bed care home in Harrogate and build a 36-home facility instead.
The charity wants to construct three new apartment blocks on the site of its current home at 34 Claro Road and an adjacent parcel of disused land.
The development aims to partly the shortage of accessible supported housing for local disabled people.
Disability Action Yorkshire plans to complete the scheme in partnership with Highstone Housing Association, which is in the process of buying 34 Claro Road from the charity and the disused land from Harrogate Borough Council.
If the land sales go ahead, and the council grants planning permission for the scheme, work will begin in March to build two apartment blocks consisting of 24 one and two-bedroom flats.
Claro residents will then move in to these and their current care home will be demolished and the final block built.
All current residents will be guaranteed a flat to live in.
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It is hoped the project is completed by the end of 2023.
Jackie Snape, Disability Action Yorkshire’s chief executive, said:
“Our vision is to empower disabled people to live the lifestyle of their choosing, and independent living is at the heart of this.
“This is an incredibly exciting move for us, and something we have been planning for a number of years. Our partners, Highstone Housing Association, are experts in building supported housing.
“Whilst they will develop the site, it will be our staff supporting the residents, all of whom will have tailor-made care packages put in place before moving in.
“Our customers at 34 Claro Road have been fully consulted, and they looking forward to having their own front doors!”
Independent living
Founded 84 years ago, Disability Action has its headquarters and training centre on the town’s Hornbeam Park, a residential care home on Claro Road, and a holiday lodge in Lincolnshire.
It aims to empower disabled people to live the lifestyle of their choosing, through its training, preparation and other living skills.
Gareth Lloyd, Highstone Housing Association’s development and partnerships director, said:
“Highstone have over 30 years of development experience specialising in the delivery of bespoke quality accommodation for people with learning and physical disabilities, alongside complex needs.
“Our developments enable our tenants to have their own front door, living independently, with support.”
Overgrown play area to be sold off for new housing for disabled people
A disused and overgrown play area in Harrogate is set to be sold off for part of a new housing development for disabled people.
The council-owned play area behind Disability Action Yorkshire’s Claro Road care home will be cleared to make way for three accommodation blocks if the sale and planning permission is agreed.
Members of Harrogate Borough Council’s cabinet will be asked to approve the sale for an undisclosed sum at a meeting next Wednesday before plans are submitted at a later date.
A report to the meeting said:
“The purchaser is a non-profit registered provider offering housing management and support services.
“Disposal of this asset will enable the development of an additional block of flats, providing affordable rent, supported living accommodation, for people with learning and physical disabilities.”
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The plans include 36 flats with a mix of one and two bedrooms at the site, which is near Claro Business Park and St Roberts Catholic Primary School.
Jackie Snape, chief executive at Disability Action Yorkshire, said:
Could a Claro Road rail station solve Harrogate’s congestion?“Whilst we are not the prospective purchaser of this plot of land, we are working in partnership with them.
“Following Monday’s cabinet meeting, and should the purchase be given the green light, we will be in a position soon after to share our exciting plans for the development of our service.”
A Harrogate conservative councillor has suggested a rail station could be built near Claro Road to ease the town’s congestion problems.
Paul Haslam, who lives in Bilton and represents the area on both North Yorkshire County Council and Harrogate District Council, is gathering support for the idea.
He thinks a station could be built near the footbridge at Dragon Junction between Harrogate and Starbeck stations on the Leeds to York line.
He told the Stray Ferret the station would be a “win-win” for Harrogate because it could reduce traffic congestion on Skipton Road, improve links to the Claro Court Business Centre and improve the quality of life for local residents.
He said it would also promote cycling because of its proximity to the Nidderdale Greenway.
Cllr Haslam said:
“I am convinced this would make significant inroads to congestion on Skipton Road, our quality of air, our reduction in CO2 emissions and most importantly the quality of life to those who live in this area.
“It should also improve links to the business park and therefore help local prosperity and jobs. Adding a supermarket would also add jobs whilst improving the facilities in the area.”
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Cllr Haslam said he has had conversations about the idea with North Yorkshire County Council, which would need to undertake a feasibility study to determine costs.
The government is keen to open new rail stations and last year awarded funding to help bring back ‘forgotten’ stations axed in the Beeching cuts during the 1960s.
A new rail station opened in Wales earlier this week at an estimated cost of £8 million, but it took over 11 years to develop the plans.
The latest station to open in the Harrogate district was Hornbeam Park in 1992, which was used by 400,000 passengers in 2019/20 and is a popular stop for commuters and visitors.
Don Mackenzie, executive member for highways at North Yorkshire County Council, told the Stray Ferret he supported the idea of a Claro Road station.
However, he said that due to a lack of funding the chances of it being built were slim, and that any final decision would be made by Network Rail.
He added:
Harrogate radio station finds new home“Just as I supported Hornbeam Park 30 years ago I would be supportive of this, but I can’t see it happening any time soon.”
A radio station in Harrogate has found a new home thanks to a partnership with a local business.
HG1 Radio has set up a studio in Doors Direct’s showroom on Claro Road, ready to welcome its team when covid restrictions allow.
Once the studios have been fully commissioned and tested, the presenters will be able to host their shows ‘live’ from the new base. Managing director Dave Parker said:
“As soon as we are able to do so, we will be operating very much on an ‘open house’ basis for other local businesses and community groups to pay us a visit to see how everything works and to meet the team behind the station.
“It is frustrating that we can’t hold a launch event open day at the moment – but rest-assured the invites will be going out just as soon as it is safe and sensible to do so.”
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HG1 Radio has been on the air since July 2020, with its presenters currently working from home studios. It broadcasts online and via apps and media players, but is hoping to move onto DAB in the future.
Doors Direct, meanwhile, has been based on Claro Road for 21 of its 40 years in business. Owner Sean Clarke said he was looking forward to allowing customers to see the new studio, which includes some of the company’s products in its construction. He added:
“It is really exciting to have a radio station based within our business. It adds a whole new dimension to everything – and I’m looking forward to being able to show it off to customers and other businesses.”