A public meeting is being held in Knaresborough this month as part of a campaign to achieve bathing water status on part of the River Nidd.

Concerns about Nidd water quality increased last summer amid reports of numerous people falling ill.

Nidd Action Group, which includes individual Knaresborough town councillors, environmental campaigners, anglers, councillors and community groups, is holding the meeting at Gracious Street Methodist Church on March 14.

Members of the public are invited to attend to find out how they can get involved.

The action group was formed after Nidd Catchment Angling Group held a meeting in October last year to address water quality concerns.

The action group aims to achieve bathing water status at the Lido, which would oblige the Environment Agency to put plans in place to monitor and protect the water.

Knaresborough town councillor Shan Oakes said:

“The campaign is focussing on raising public awareness and initially getting bathing water status for parts of the Nidd near the town including the Lido – which would then lead to an imperative to clean up the whole river.”

Academics and research students from the University of Leeds will give short talks at the meeting on the issues and those involved will answer questions.

Read more:

• Harrogate and Knaresborough MP to ‘submit case’ for River Nidd bathing water status in 2023
• Knaresborough town crier Roger Hewitt to retire

A leaflet advertising the event says the Nidd “is facing ecological disaster due to pollution (especially sewage)”.

It adds:

Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones has described criticism of his record on sewage as “ridiculous”.

Mr Jones was one of 265 Conservative MPs who voted to stop Amendment 45 to the Environment Bill in October 2021, which would have forced water companies to reduce the amount of sewage they discharged and pay for its environmental damage.

He subsequently supported a government amendment to make water companies provide “costed plans” on how to reduce the amount of sewage.

This has led to claims, especially from the Liberal Democrats, that he and his party are allowing too much sewage to pollute rivers.

Mr Jones said on his Community News website that “the recent spate of US attack-style campaigning over sewage in water… stands the truth on its head” and needed challenging.

He said untreated sewage had been discharged into waterways when sewers were overloaded since Victorian times.

He added overflows were happening more frequently due to severe weather and more items like wet wipes being flushed down drains and the focus should be on changing this. He said:

“If we shut the overflows today sewage would have nowhere to go when sewers are overloaded and would back up into our homes. To suggest that we should do so and I should have voted for that is ridiculous.

“Do you want your sewage and that of your neighbours backing up the pipes into your home? Of course not.”

Read more:

• Andrew Jones MP ‘confident’ of achieving bathing water status for River Nidd
• Lib Dems confirm Harrogate and Knaresborough candidate for next election

Mr Jones said removing the overflows would cost up to £593 billion — the equivalent of closing the NHS for over three years. He added:

“These are the reasons why reducing the use of storm overflows must be part of a costed plan. The proposition that storm overflows can be closed today is just false.

“Portraying my support for this costed plan as voting to continue dumping sewage in our rivers is nonsense. It is the stuff of political game-playing and that isn’t something that interests me.”

Mr Jones with the owner of Knaresborough Lido on the River Nidd.

Mr Jones also highlighted his campaign to have the River Nidd in Knaresborough designated as bathing water as evidence of his willingness to tackle water quality.

The Stray Ferret asked the Harrogate and Knaresborough Liberal Democrats if it wished to comment but has not had a response.

Stray Views is a weekly column giving you the chance to have your say on issues affecting the Harrogate district. It is an opinion column and does not reflect the views of the Stray Ferret. Send your views to letters@thestrayferret.co.uk.

The report compiled by the case officer for Harrogate Borough Council about the proposed Knox Lane housing development ignores many facts.

It appears the application submitted in April 2020 is a Stonewater Housing Association/Jomast joint venture.

In the application for 73 homes, only 10 were open market. Fifty homes, including 10 open market ,were proposed on the allocated site, 80% affordable, the remaining 23 affordable homes were on adjacent unallocated land. The number of affordable (86.3%) is more than double Harrogate Borough Council’s HS2 Policy, despite pre-application discussions having taken place with council officers in September 2019. The following statements were included in supporting documentation with the application:

It is important to note that it was the applicant’s aspiration to provide a full affordable housing scheme on the site. However, an element of market dwellings has been introduced at the request of the council based on their reasoning that it would provide a more balanced scheme.

Due to the uncertainty in respect to the length of any lockdown and the fact that the scheme has already been consulted upon and the site is now an allocation, it is considered appropriate to submit the application rather than delay until some form of meaningful consultant can be carried out at some undetermined point in the future. There is a clear and pressing need for the delivery of housing of all forms within Harrogate.

Despite the application not being compliant with Harrogate Borough Council Local Plan policies it remained on the planning portal with consultees being contacted.

The revised application submitted in December 2021 excluded the 23 affordable homes on the unallocated land but included 30 (56.6%) in the new plan, still in excess of Harrogate Borough Council affordable homes policy and contrary to NPPF 47.

Consultations with residents were held in February and March 2018 when the land agent advised a proposal for 100% affordable homes on behalf of Wakefield and District Housing Association. It is now almost five years since these consultations were held yet no further consultations have been.

The link to Knox Country Park was requested by the case officer. He apparently has not considered the impact this will have on the newly planted habitat for wildlife. The extract from the ecological report submitted on behalf of the developer suggests the increase in footfall would.

Knox Lane comprised a single-lane road and associated footpath. It was lined on both sides by tree lines (including that one the western site boundary) and grass verges, with managed agricultural land beyond to the west. The tree lines may offer some nesting habitat for birds and foraging and commuting habitat for bats, but Knox Lane itself offers negligible suitable habitat for wildlife, comprising impermeable, artificial surfaces that are disturbed by human activity on a regular basis. As such, this area was assessed to be of low ecological value.

Catherine Alderson, Harrogate

Pollution and the River Nidd

I have today received a newsletter from the Conservative Party promoting our local MP Andrew Jones. The lead story covering the front page concerns the River Nidd, highlighting the work he is doing to improve the quality of the water in the river.

More memories of Hotel St George

Further to Kathleen Mitchell’s letter last week. Bill Pritchard and Eddie  Jack were still working at the hotel when my husband John Abel and Peter Pointer bought the hotel in 1970.

Do you have an opinion on the Harrogate district? Email us at letters@thestrayferret.co.uk. Please include your name and approximate location details. Limit your letters to 350 words. We reserve the right to edit letters.

A boy was rescued from the River Nidd in Knaresborough in bitterly cold conditions yesterday.

The full circumstances surrounding the incident, which happened just before 4.30pm, remain unclear, as is the condition of the boy, who was taken to hospital by ambulance.

However he is not thought to have suffered serious injuries despite being in such cold water for a period of time.

Police and firefighters joined paramedics at the scene.

A Yorkshire Ambulance Service spokeswoman said:

“We received an emergency call at 4.18pm on Tuesday afternoon to reports of a teenager who had experienced a medical episode and fallen into the River Nidd at Knaresborough.

“Two ambulances and a rapid response vehicle were dispatched to the scene and one patient was conveyed to Harrogate District Hospital.”

A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said:

“Police were contacted by the ambulance service at just before 4.30pm yesterday in relation to reports of a person in the River Nidd at Knaresborough.

“Officers attended the scene to assist the fire service and ambulance crew.

“The patient was conveyed to hospital in the care of the ambulance service.”

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North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service’s incident log said it was summoned at 4.24pm to the river near Harrogate Road. The log added:

“Crews from Knaresborough and Harrogate responded to a young male in a river. The young male was rescue from the river and transported to hospital via road ambulance.”

The Stray Ferret was contacted by a member of the public who said local dog walker James Warburton had noticed the danger and rushed to help.

We contacted Mr Warburton, who confirmed he was involved but declined to comment further.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service has this afternoon urged motorists to heed road closure signs after receiving reports of stranded vehicles.

The amount of water on roads is causing problems throughout the county. But some drivers are ignoring signs telling them to turn back due to flooding.

It has prompted the fire service to tweet:

“We have received reports of stranded cars due to standing water following heavy rain – even when signs are in place.

“Please remember the signs are there for a reason. Information about driving in these conditions can be found on our website.”

Three Environment Agency flood alerts are currently in place in the Harrogate district.

The government department says flooding is ‘possible’ in the Lower River Nidd catchment area and around the Lower River Ure and is ‘expected’ at the caravan park alongside the Ure at Roecliffe, near Boroughbridge.

Details of the alerts can be found here.

The River Ure has burst its banks around Ripon, which prompted one concerned passer-by to dial 999 when he mistakenly thought a statue of a horse was an animal in distress.

A flood alert for the Upper River Nidd catchment area, issued yesterday, has been removed.

Read more:

• Rain highlights concerns about state of Harrogate district drains and gullies
• Firefighters called to rescue horse in Ripon which turned out to be a sculpture

The Environment Agency has warned that flooding is ‘expected’ at a caravan park in the Harrogate district.

The caravan park at Roecliffe, near Boroughbridge, is situated alongside the River Ure.

At 12.29am this morning the Environment Agency urged people in the area to ‘act now’. It said:

“Flooding is expected in this area. This means properties are at risk of flooding. Please take action to protect yourself and your property and monitor local weather and river conditions.

“Avoid contact with, walking or driving through flood water. Consider activating any property flood protection products you may have.”

The government department also activated a less severe flood alert for the River Ure at 3.19am this morning.

It applies to low-lying land including agricultural land and local roads in the areas around Masham, Boroughbridge, Aldborough and Bishop Monkton. The alert said:

“Flooding is possible in this area. Monitor local water levels and weather conditions. Avoid using low lying footpaths or entering areas prone to flooding.”

Last night the Environment Agency issued a flood alert for the Upper River Nidd catchment area, which remains active.

A map showing where flood alerts and warnings are active.

Read more:

• Flood alert issued for Upper River Nidd catchment
• Rain highlights concerns about state of Harrogate district drains and gullies

The Environment Agency has issued a flood alert tonight for the Upper River Nidd catchment area.

The stretch of the river from its source in Great Whernside, down to Pateley Bridge and as far south as Birstwith is covered by the alert, which was introduced at 7.29pm.

It applies to land around the Upper Nidd and its tributaries including How Stean Beck, Blayshaw Gill, Ramsgill Beck, Lul Beck, Foster Beck, Fosse Gill, Fell Beck and Darley Beck.

The alert says:

“Flooding is possible in this area. Monitor local water levels and weather conditions. Avoid using low lying footpaths or entering areas prone to flooding. Start acting on your flood plan if you have one.”

There are currently 106 flood alerts and 29 more serious flood warnings active in England.

Many are in the west of the country, which experienced the worst of today’s persistent rain.

The unsettled weather is forecast to remain in the Harrogate district for the foreseeable future.

Read more:

• Rain highlights concerns about state of Harrogate district drains and gullies
• Talks to save 24 bus from Pateley to Harrogate as cull looms

John Chadwick

Up to 1,000 people are expected to congregate on the banks of the River Nidd in Knaresborough today for one of the country’s more curious Boxing Day traditions.

Teams representing the Half Moon free house and the nearby Mother Shipton Inn will take the strain in a tug of war tussle with a difference.

The teams will face-off on either side of the Nidd and attempt to pull each other towards the water’s edge.

Teams no longer get yanked into the river, but the sight of men and women heaving a huge rope over a major waterway is quite a sight — and one that has been missed lately due to covid.

Tom Clarkson, organiser and landlord of the Half Moon, summed up the fun:

“It lasts about an hour-and-a-half and it’s absolute mental, wonderful carnage.”

Read more:

• Hundreds raised for charity thanks to return of Hampsthwaite vs Birstwith tug of war
• Harrogate and Knaresborough MP to ‘submit case’ for River Nidd bathing water status in 2023

Men’s and women’s teams of eight will take part in best-of-three jousts to claim bragging rights for a year.

Mother Shipton Inn came out on top last time.

Crowds are expected to start gathering around the low bridge from about 11.15am before the action gets underway at noon.

Competitors and fans will then put aside their differences to retire to the two pubs. A collection will take place on the day for the bone cancer charity Frank’s Fund.

Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones has said he intends to submit a case to government to achieve designated bathing water status on the River Nidd next year.

Concerns about Nidd water quality increased in summer this year following reports of numerous people falling ill after entering the water.

A campaign to achieve bathing water status on the Nidd near the Lido at Knaresborough would oblige the Environment Agency to put plans in place to monitor and protect the water.

Writing on his Community News website, Mr Jones said he intends to work with businesses and residents to submit a case to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in 2023.

He said:

“One feature of last year was the ‘yah-boo’ over the quality of our waterways. No-one has ever voted to put sewage in our rivers but putting that bit of political nonsense aside there is a serious point. Our water quality isn’t good enough.

“We use Victorian infrastructure in our sewers and we allow pesticides and animal waste from agricultural rainwater run-off into rivers.

“Over summer, I will be working with residents and businesses to submit a case to DEFRA to designate the River Nidd at the Lido in Knaresborough as an area of bathing water quality. This will mean the Environment Agency has to monitor the water quality and plan to improve it.”

Read more:

• Campaign launched to achieve bathing water status on River Nidd
• Andrew Jones MP ‘confident’ of achieving bathing water status for River Nidd

Mr Jones, who secured a debate on the matter in parliament this year, has previously said he is “confident” that there is a case for designating the area as bathing water status.

The Conservative MP also met with Rebecca Pow, environmental quality minister, to raise the issue this month.

Cllr Hannah Gostlow, Liberal Democrat councillor for Knaresborough East on North Yorkshire County Council, said efforts had also been made by the town council and local community to clean up the Nidd.

She said:

“We read with interest Andrew Jones’ commitment to improve the water quality of the Nidd and we certainly welcome any efforts to support our campaign, but his recent voting record in parliament shows the reality is exactly the opposite to his words.

“I am also pleased to report that Knaresborough Town Council have allocated funds towards the community’s efforts to clean up the Nidd and make it safer for bathers and wildlife.”