Affordable housing scheme in Masham wins £150,000 funding
‘It’s hugely disappointing’: Knaresborough affordable homes refused

Knaresborough Community Land Trust’s bid to build affordable apartments on the town’s high street has been refused by Harrogate Borough Council.

The not-for-profit group wanted to build the housing because it believes Knaresborough has become too expensive for local people to live.

Three homes would have been built on a disused plot of land that once housed a public toilet near Knaresborough House.

The CLT would have owned the homes and rented them to local people at below the market rate.

Innovative design

The plans received support from Knaresborough Civic Society, which praised their “innovative design”.

However, Harrogate Borough Council planning department disagreed this week and said the proposal would harm Knaresborough Conservation Area.

The council also refused the application because of the loss of open space and seven trees. The CLT had planned to replant 14 trees at alternative locations in town.

Hilary Gardner, secretary of Knaresborough CLT, told the Stray Ferret the refusal was “hugely disappointing”, particularly as the council had initially offered it the plot to build affordable housing.

Ms Gardner said:

“Harrogate Borough Council has wasted two years of volunteers’ time on a project that was their idea. That leaves me aghast. They suggested the land as they wanted affordable housing on it.

“We are deciding whether to go to appeal. There were some very good people in Harrogate Borough Council housing that were with us all the way.

“This is a brownfield site. The council are allowing large building on greenfield sites. They offered us this particular piece. I feel that was quite cynical. They like the idea of the CLT but there are other pieces of land that would have been much more straightforward.”

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‘Knaresborough needs its young’

In December, the Stray Ferret spoke to Steph Getao, a director of Knaresborough CLT who is in her early 30s.

She said she was moving away from Knaresborough with her husband due to high house prices. She believes the CLT is necessary to keep young people in the town.

She said:

“Without young people, Knaresborough will get more and more sleepy. The high street is basically all old dear shops! Knaresborough needs its young.”

Calls for community involvement in Harlow Nurseries housing

The local Green Party says a future housing development that will be built at Harlow Nurseries could be Harrogate’s “flagship” community-led housing scheme.

Harlow Nurseries, next to the Pinewoods, is owned by Harrogate Borough Council and sells plants, pots and compost to the public.

However, the council’s Local Plan says 40 homes can be built on the site with the nursery relocating if the development went ahead.

What is community-led housing?

Community-led housing developments are designed and managed by local people and built to meet the needs of the community, such as for more affordable or low-carbon housing.

Rebecca Maunder, Harrogate & District Green Party campaigner for Harlow says the site offers a “great opportunity” for the council to support community-led housing.

This means the council would offer the site to a community group rather than selling it to a property developer, who may choose to maximise the land for profit.

Ms Maunder wrote to HBC’s director of economy and culture Trevor Watson calling on the council to explore offering the site to the community:

“The site provides an ideal opportunity for any new development to be led by the community for the community.

“The proximity to the Pinewoods means special consideration should be given to integrate it into the landscape, prioritising wildlife and biodiversity, alongside mental and physical health.

“Such a sensitive site would benefit from maximum community input and help to create a sense of ownership and full integration with the existing community and landscape.”

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The council is moving forward with plans to develop the nurseries and has appointed three external consultants who will draw up a programme for what might happen to the site before the end of the year.

If the local community decided it wanted to get involved, it would first need to form a Community Land Trust (CLT).

HBC is able to issue financial grants to CLTs to help establish themselves and to conduct feasibility studies for potential schemes.

A HBC spokesperson said:

“We thank Harlow Greens for their letter and will respond shortly.

“We have now appointed a specialist to progress with masterplanning work on the three strategic sites allocated in our Local Plan.

“We will be working closely with them to engage with and involve key stakeholders and local groups to ensure we create the right type of communities for existing and future residents of the Harrogate district.”