An amber weather warning is in force across the Harrogate district this evening as Storm Dudley brings rain and strong winds.
A Met Office amber weather warning means residents can expect more disruption to roads and public transport and there’s an increased risk of power cuts and fallen trees.
Gusts of up to 50mph are expected. Follow all the latest updates below.
20.11 – Flood alert extended to entire River Nidd
The River Nidd flood alert has been extended to the Lower and Middle Nidd in the last 10 minutes.
Heavy rainfall this afternoon means flooding of low lying land is expected tonight and tomorrow.
The flood alert area in the Middle Nidd includes land around the Middle River Nidd and its tributaries including Thornton Beck, Newton Beck, Oak Beck, Cow Dyke Beck, Bilton Beck, Frogmire Dike and Syke Dike.
For the Lower Nidd, it includes the Lower River Nidd and its tributaries including Sand Beck, Sike Beck, Pool Beck and Great Gutter
The alert says:
“River levels are expected to fall during Thursday morning. Further heavy rainfall is expected on Friday.
“Plan driving routes to avoid low lying roads near rivers, which may be flooded.”
19.22 – Flood alert issued for Upper Nidd around Psteley Bridge
The government’s flood alert service has issued a flood alert this evening for the Upper Nidd. It says:
“Flooding of low lying land is expected on Wednesday evening and overnight into Thursday.
“River levels are expected to fall during Thursday morning. Further heavy rainfall is expected on Friday.
“Areas most at risk include land around the Upper River Nidd and its tributaries including How Stean Beck, Blayshaw Gill, Ramsgill Beck, Lul Beck, Foster Beck, Fosse Gill, Fell Beck and Darley Beck.
17.54 – Strong winds expected all night
Although reports of serious disruption in the Harrogate district appear rare so far, the storm is far from over. The Met Office forecast is for winds to remain close to 50mph throughout the night.
The district’s amber weather warning remains in place until midnight, when it will be replaced by a less severe yellow warning. But another amber warning is in place from 3am Friday until 9pm the same day. Things should start to calm down then.
17.05 – LNER warns of train disruption
London North Eastern Railway is operating a reduced timetable and implementing speed reductions over the next two days.
A reduced timetable will be in place across parts of the route on Friday. The company said in a statement:
“People who are booked to travel in either direction between York and London King’s Cross or Leeds and London King’s Cross are being advised not to travel on Friday but where possible, make their journey tomorrow, Thursday 17 February.”
Refunds are available.
Network Rail has introduced speed restrictions on the East Coast route with possible damage to infrastructure as a result of the anticipated conditions.
16.31 – Power cuts in HG3 and HG4
According to Northern Powergrid’s live updates of power cuts,180 homes are currently without power in HG3 and nearby LS21. Power should be restored by 5.45pm. Also, fewer than 10 homes are currently without power in HG4 but they should be back on by 6pm.
16.26 – Police issue warning
North Yorkshire Police is urging people to be careful as Storm Dudley continues to rage across the Harrogate district. It says there are reports of several fallen trees in Craven.
What’s the situation like in the Harrogate district? Send us your updates at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.
The wind & rain is picking up across #NorthYorkshire as #StormDudley blows in.
Please take care if you are out & about. Be aware of fallen debris and flood water.
We currently have reports of several fallen trees in the #Craven area across several routes.
#drivetoarrive pic.twitter.com/BDCFOO95Si— N Yorks Police Traffic Bureau & Road Safety Team (@NYTrafficBureau) February 16, 2022
15.38 – 100mph gusts in north Yorkshire
The situation may be bad in the Harrogate district, bit other parts of the county are faring worse. Hawes has just recorded a gust of 100mph.
How badly is your area affected by the storms? Let us know at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.
https://twitter.com/northyorkswx/status/1493971521139785734
1.10pm – Amber warning to come into place in the next hour
The Met Office has issued an amber warning for the Harrogate district from 2pm with winds forecast to reach 50mph.
The forecast also shows the heaviest rain is set to fall between 2-4pm. Amber warnings mean the likelihood of more fallen trees and power cuts is likely.
The amber warning is in place until midnight tonight when it moves down to a yellow warning for tomorrow.
https://twitter.com/metoffice/status/1493933183116759045
11.13am – Fountains Abbey reopens Studley deer park
Fountains Abbey has confirmed that it has reopened Studley deer park this morning, but higher paths at the water garden have no access.
***Update at 11am – Studley deer park has now reopened as well as the abbey and water garden. There is no access to the higher paths in the Water Garden. ***
— Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal, National Trust (@fountainsabbey) February 16, 2022
10.23am – Tree down in Starbeck
Strong winds have brought a tree down on the cycle path on Nidderdale Greenway at Starbeck.
9.21am – Fountains Abbey opening update
Fountains Abbey in Ripon has issued an update on its opening hours ahead of forecast strong winds today.
Update at 9:14am – The abbey and water garden will open at 11am today (16/02) through the visitor centre and West Gate entrances. Studley deer park remains closed until further notice.
— Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal, National Trust (@fountainsabbey) February 16, 2022
9.10am – Tree down on Stray
A tree has been blown over on the Stray and is blocking the footpath next to the Prince of Wales roundabout.
However, it is not on the road and traffic is moving freely.
9am – RHS Harlow Carr closed
RHS Harlow Carr will be closed today due to strong winds caused by Storm Dudley.
In a tweet, RHS Harlow Carr said the decision was made in the interests of the safety of visitors, staff and volunteers.
⚠️ CLOSED Wednesday 16th February
Unfortunately, due to high winds today we've taken the decision to close the garden. This is for the safety of our visitors, staff and volunteers.
We hope to re-open the garden soon, please check back for further updates. pic.twitter.com/GpSHz9eLOr
— RHS Harlow Carr (@RHSHarlowCarr) February 16, 2022
8.30am – County council urges care during Storm Dudley
North Yorkshire County Council has urged drivers to take care on the roads following the amber weather warning in place today.
The winds are picking up across #NorthYorkshire as #StormDudley blows in.
The @metoffice has issued an amber #weather warning for very strong & disruptive winds.
Please take care if you are out & about & be aware of fallen debris on the roads.
More: https://t.co/nyJZTWirOP pic.twitter.com/4kUStzQnfi
— North Yorkshire Council (@northyorksc) February 16, 2022
8.10am – RHS Harlow Carr and Fountains Abbey opening hours
As previously reported, both RHS Harlow Carr and Fountains Abbey in Ripon have adjusted their opening hours today due to the forecast strong winds.
Due to the forecast of high winds, the woodland (including play area) and glasshouses will be closed Weds to Fri this week.
We apologise for any inconvenience, but the safety of everyone is paramount. We will continue to monitor the situation, please check for further updates. pic.twitter.com/2CBsh0gMVT
— RHS Harlow Carr (@RHSHarlowCarr) February 15, 2022
It's likely we'll be opening the mains site & deer park later tomorrow (Wed 16 Feb) to allow the worst of Storm Dudley to pass and make the site safe.
Our team will make a decision on opening in the morning so please check in with our website for the most up to date information. pic.twitter.com/Rltps8lVCC— Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal, National Trust (@fountainsabbey) February 15, 2022
7.45am – Power cuts in Beckwithshaw
Residents have reported power cuts in Beckwithshaw following the storm this morning
Northern Powergrid is reporting cuts in the HG3 and LS17 areas.
According to the company’s website, around 70 properties have been affected and power is expected to be restored at 9.15am.
This morning, Northern Powergrid said in a statement that it expected Storm Dudley to cause disruption “above typical levels”.
A spokesperson said:
“We expect that the storm will create levels of disruption that are over and above typical levels.
“If it does, we will be applying the lessons learnt from Storm Arwen in relation to keeping customers updated on our progress. In the early stages, we will give longer estimates of likely restoration times that reflect the fact that we won’t know the extent of the damage to the network.”
7.38am – Met Office updates amber weather warning
The Met Office has updated its weather warning to amber for parts of the Harrogate district. It means disruption to public transport, roads and power cuts are likely.
The warning is in place from 4pm today until midnight.
However, a yellow weather warning remains in place until tomorrow.
Find the latest on the Met Office warning below.
7.25am – Tree down on Pennypot Lane
A Stray Ferret reader has got in touch to report a tree down on Pennypot Lane near to the bridge with Harlow Moor Road.
Drivers are urged to avoid the area.
Picture: Kimberley Harness.
The Living Room cafe in Starbeck recently reopened for the first time since the covid pandemic began almost two years ago.
The family-friendly café is run by Sarah Khanye and is situated inside the Life Destiny Church at 93b High Street.
It opens from Tuesday to Friday from 9am until 3pm and hosts a variety of events that aim to bring the community together with drinks, food and snacks available.
Events include a mum’s coffee morning on Mondays, a meeting for crafters on Wednesdays and a get-together for parents and carers of disabled children on Thursdays.
The Living Room Café also plans to host a Clothes Swap event on March 11 at 6.30pm.
Visit their Facebook page to find out more.
Read more:
- Starbeck schoolchildren highlight air pollution dangers of idle engines
- Plan to demolish ‘eyesore’ Starbeck building finally approved
- Starbeck Mums founder urges more parents to join in 2022
Councillor welcomes go-ahead for demolition of Starbeck ‘eyesore’
A councillor who has long campaigned for action on a burned-out Starbeck shop has welcomed approval of plans to demolish the building widely considered to be the area’s biggest eyesore.
Liberal Democrat Cllr Philip Broadbank said the approval was a big boost for Starbeck High Street, which has been “blighted” by the former McColl’s convenience store ever since it was gutted and left roofless during a fire more than three years ago.
Cllr Broadbank said:
“As a resident of Starbeck myself I am pleased that at long last the site owner has now got permission to demolish this semi-derelict building.
“We need to see progress now and work towards getting a prestigious new development on the site that will help to enhance the High Street.
“It is time for some positive thinking and positive action now that the demolition issue has been decided.”
The former McColl’s store has been described as an “eyesore” and “ramshackle” by locals who have become increasingly frustrated with its unsightly appearance on the High Street.
Cllr Broadbank said he would now hold talks with the building owners Bates and Hemingbrough over their plans to revive the site by building new retail and 15 housing units in place of the current building.
These plans have already been discussed with Harrogate Borough Council, although a planning application has yet to be submitted.
Read more:
- Plan to demolish ‘eyesore’ Starbeck building finally approved
- Plan to convert Starbeck pharmacy into Italian takeaway
The council had previously questioned whether the building next to St Andrew’s Church could be refurbished, before more recently putting the demolition plans on hold to allow for more safety documents to come forward.
‘I want to get things moving’
Cllr Broadbank had previously argued the building was beyond restoration and should be torn down.
The council’s decision to allow this finally came to the joy of residents in January and the Leeds-based site owners now have five years to complete their demolition and construction works.
Cllr Broadbank, who represents Starbeck on both Harrogate Borough Council and North Yorkshire County Council, said he was hopeful that progress on the site could be made at a much faster pace than has been done up until now.
He said:
Work begins to build new Harrogate Lidl“Like many Starbeck residents I want to get things moving now that demolition has finally been approved.
“Clearly as there are more than 15 homes proposed in what they would like to see on the site there will be some discussions now with the borough council over financial contributions to support affordable housing in the district and other aspects that now need to be progressed.”
Workers have this week begun to demolish the old Lookers car dealership on Knaresborough Road, Harrogate, to make way for a new Lidl supermarket.
Councillors granted planning permission to the German chain in August to build the supermarket, and six months later work is finally underway.
It’s the first Lidl to open in Harrogate, although there is already one in Knaresborough.
The multi-million-pound proposal includes a 1,263 square metre sales area, an in-store bakery, customer toilets and 94 parking spaces.
A CGI image of how the supermarket will look.
The new store will be open from 8am to 10pm Monday to Saturday and 10am to 4pm on Sunday.
A public consultation for the store revealed 87% of more than 1,000 responses supported it.
The Stray Ferret asked Lidl for an expected opening date but we did not receive a response at the time of publication.
Read more:
- Council ridiculed for cycle path sign that points to Harrogate in wrong direction
- What’s next for Harrogate’s £10.9m Station Gateway?
Thieves threaten man then steal his car in Starbeck
Thieves threatened a resident then stole a white Ford Focus from the Fairways Drive area in Starbeck.
The man heard his car alarm go off at about 7.30pm on Monday and when he went to investigate he was threatened by suspects who then made off with his vehicle.
The car was a white Ford Focus RS with blue puddle and interior lights.
Read more:
- Drug pushers jailed after £140,000 cannabis seizure in Boroughbridge
- Thief jailed after ramming BMW to steal £7k caravan in Masham
Starbeck schoolchildren highlight air pollution dangers of idle engines
Children from Starbeck Primary Academy were at Starbeck level crossing this morning armed with placards asking motorists to turn their engines off.
An idling engine can produce up to twice as many exhaust emissions as an engine in motion, with air pollution known to harm children’s growing lungs.
At Starbeck crossing, the barriers are activated several times an hour to let trains pass. With queues of traffic on both sides of the crossing a regular sight, it is a notorious air pollution hotspot.
Today’s campaign was organised by the school and Starbeck Residents Association.
Darren Leeming, who has two children at the school and is on the SRA committee said “there are no excuses” for motorists not to turn their engines off whilst they waited.
He said:
“The barriers go down and people don’t turn their engines off. Air pollution goes into children’s lungs. A lot of these drivers have children themselves.”
Read more:
Starbeck Primary Academy is on Starbeck High Street and bears the brunt of the air pollution from waiting cars and vehicles.
Its headteacher, Gary de Castro-Morland, said 99% of its children walk to school so he hopes motorists can turn their engines off to help protect their health.
He said:
Plan to demolish ‘eyesore’ Starbeck building finally approved“This year five class has been learning about air pollution and the children wanted to come down.
“Traffic queues right in front of our school, air pollution from standing traffic is a significant issue for us.”
Harrogate Borough Council has given the green light to plans to demolish the former McColl’s supermarket in Starbeck, over three-and-a-half years since it was ravaged by fire.
Leeds-based developer Bates & Hemingborough submitted an application in November to demolish it under permitted development rules.
This permits the demolition of a building without the prior approval of the council if it is deemed a safety risk.
The owner hopes to build new retail and housing units on the site, although these plans are yet to be formally submitted.
The plans were put on hold in December after the council asked for safety documents, which have now been provided, addressing how the demolition would impact the adjacent St Andrew’s Church.
The council says the developer now has three years to demolish the building.
Read more:
- Plan to convert Starbeck pharmacy into Italian takeaway
- Starbeck Mums founder urges more parents to join in 2022
Planning agent Pete Gleave from Zerum Consulting told the Stray Ferret the developer will submit a planning application for the new building “in the coming months”.
“There are currently no timescales for demolishing the building. Our client is however looking to progress the redevelopment of the site as quickly as possible and will be working up a planning application in the coming months.”
The fire-damaged building has frequently been described as an ‘eyesore’ blighting the centre of Starbeck.
Andrew Hart, founder of Starbeck Community Group and owner of Starbeck Post Office, said he hopes things can now finally move forward.
Plan to convert Starbeck pharmacy into Italian takeaway“Starbeck Community Group are pleased that demolition has been granted but we are hoping that the owners will expedite the work quickly, certainly the demolition.
“We also hope that the original stone frontage and the carved ‘Harpers’ stone can be saved and used.”
A former Lloyds pharmacy in Starbeck could be converted into an Italian kitchen and takeaway.
Under plans submitted to Harrogate Borough Council, the site would be refurbished to include an Italian trattoria on the ground floor and two apartments above.
SSA Architects, which has submitted the application on behalf of the developer, said in its planning documents that the kitchen would provide employment for between five to eight people.
It would be open from 12pm until 12am, according to the proposal.
Meanwhile, both flats proposed as part of the development would be one bedroom.
The developer said in its application:
“The proposal looks to rejuvenate the plot by refurbishing the existing structure within the setting.
“Within this outlined development, the design aims to create an inviting setting for the new residents, and customers for the takeaway business.”
Harrogate Borough Council will make a decision on the proposal at a later date.
Read more:
Harrogate district railway stations parking could be expanded
Parking at railway stations across the Harrogate district could be expanded in a bid to encourage more train travel.
The proposal will be discussed by North Yorkshire County Council‘s Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee in March.
A report ahead of the meeting highlights the railway stations in Pannal, Hornbeam Park, Harrogate, Starbeck, Knaresborough, Weeton and Cattal for potential investment.
Councillors are set to identify which of the stations need extra car parking spaces and discuss how it could be funded.
Read more:
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- Harrogate district schools see ‘large rise’ in obesity since covid
The problem of car parking at railway stations is most often felt away from towns and cities, according to the North Yorkshire Rural Commission.
A spokesperson for the commission highlighted the issue in a report published last year:
“The commission was told that often rural travellers do not go to their nearest railway station because they are not assured of a parking space.
“They travel further to the next station where they are guaranteed a parking space.
“Availability and cost of car-parking spaces at railway stations can be a major challenge for commuters.
“Expanding car parks on rural land is a challenge for transport providers. Accessibility for particular service users is still a major issue at many rural rail stations.”
A proposal to fast-track the demolition of the former McColl’s supermarket in Starbeck has been put on hold by Harrogate Borough Council.
Fire ripped through the supermarket in July 2018 and more than three years later, the Victorian-era building is still a burned-out shell with much of its roof missing.
Bates & Hemingborough, which owns the building, submitted an application in November to demolish the building under permitted development rules, which allows the demolition of a building without the prior approval of the council if it is deemed a safety risk.
The owner hopes to build new retail and housing units on the site.
However, planning documents reveal the council has written to the owner to say that the council must have the final say on the demolition.
It has requested the owner submits further documents, including a construction and safety plan, details of how the demolition would affect the public footpath and St Andrew’s Church and details of where construction vehicles would park on the site.
Read more:
- Harrogate social distancing planters find a happy home in Starbeck
- Plans submitted to demolish burned-out Starbeck building
Andrew Hart, founder of Starbeck Community Group and the owner of Starbeck Post Office, said he agreed with the council asking for conditions around the demolition but wanted to see quicker progress.
He added:
“The Starbeck Community Group have been in constant correspondence with our councillor, Harrogate Borough Council and the two owners of this property for months now.
“We have been promised real progress by all concerned but in reality we are again facing delaying tactics.”