Pannal and development

I went up to have a look at Pannal House Farm and met Iain McGregor on his digger in the front garden. He was telling me that he wanted to keep the Farm buildings and restore them but HBC Planning said no. Then he put plans in to demolish and rebuild using the same stone they said no again.The buildings which were lovely and could have been restored have now been left so long that might not be possible as they are very damp. So he is in between a rock and a hard place but having lived here so long I know a lot of people so I asked one of them if he could help Ian and he said yes. They have spoken so hopefully there might be a better outcome. 

Then someone informed me that there has been a change of builder at the old Pannal Ash College/Police Training College and they were demolishing buildings. A few years ago a friend Margaret was Secretary there and she and her boss Terry were wondering what to do with all the memorabilia there was from when it was a school. Light bulb moment "have a word with Anne Smith." so they did and Bas and I went up to meet them. Were shown round the buildings which were lovely all fully furnished. I had been in the Memorial Library years before that when I wrote its history and took an invoice of what it contained. I asked what is happening to it. Answer probably demolished and everything thrown in a skip. Upshot was I came home and applied to have the building listed as a War Memorial as that is what it was built for and dedicated as a Library to the boys from the school who had fallen in the First World War and opened by the Earl of Harewood. I have written the full story in my latest book. Not out yet but I am seeing my publisher next week. The Memorial Library was listed by me in 2014. The builders have been informed so it will not be demolished together with the Headmaster's House. In its hey day what a wonderful spot. It had everything.

Oh I nearly forgot I have everything silver cups presented to the boys, photos, their magazine.I was their skip and my husband said as husband's do "where are you going to put it all?" and I said as all wives do "I'll find a place" and I did.  

I had a walk yesterday up to Whinney Lane and sadly all those houses 240 odd and a school. Whinney Lane will be closed to traffic if they get their way and I bet they will widen the road by removing the verges changing from a Lane to a highway. Some of the houses at Castle Hill will have homes right at the bottom of their gardens with windows facing them. I am not chuffed with HBC as I think they are the worse Council we have ever had but they might be only be  partly to blame as they did ask farmers in the district to approach them with land for building. Castle Hill Farm is also a lovely house and it will remain. 

I am not golfing as yet another accident that I will not bore you with so at home a bit more. Now if I had a dog it would be saying "how lovely to see you, I like having you around and I love you" but I have cats. who say " what are you doing here all the time". 

Pannal surrounded

I do not want to add to the woes of the world. Pannal has been lucky with this virus but Pannal will not be so lucky to be surrounded by all the housing nor will Beckwithshaw, There are plans, having built houses all down the left hand side of the Otley Road from Harrogate,. plans are afoot to build 8OO or more houses on the right hand side just below Harlow Carr Gardens. We are loosing our green fields. I have just been up to the old Police Training Ground to have a look at the Memorial Library which I had listed on 14th October 2014. I am writing in my book about this area, I am quite an authority on Southern College and Pannal Ash College who were there before the Police Training College took over as I have all the memorabilia from both those Colleges. The Memorial Library is still there and it is a beautiful building which at one time was in danger of being demolished but not now as I have it listed. I have informed the Harlow Residents Assoc of this fact. There are now new builders on the site and the house numbers have gone significantly up as they want to build smaller houses .For the locals a sad fact.

 Ever wondered why we have so many police cars through the village. We are a short cut to their new Headquarters.

 Have heard that horrible pile of rubbish at the rear of St Roberts Church will be moved and notices put up warning against fly tipping. Not before time as there are rats around and I am sure Pannal Green residents do not want those invaders. 

Older residents will remember Pat Lamb. Well she is still going strong having celebrated another birthday. Only sad thing is her family cannot get in to see her and most of all we are missing hugs. I have seen two of my children which was so lovely but my other two live too far away so I have not seen them and this is the first time in our lives we have not seen each other for so long.

Yesterday a council lorry stopped outside our houses in Main Street. We looked on in horror what now?. One man took out traffic signs go and stop put them on the pavement. What were they going to dig up. Then another man got off the lorry threw the signs in the back and off they went. Hugh sigh of relief but what was all that about. perhaps just to scare us!

I had to wander round to the school at the weekend as Tigs had not come home. Then she appeared so I emailed Jane to say if I was caught on the CCTV I was looking for Tigs. Marble always around when I come in if I am using the car she always appears to greet me. I am pleased I have them and I am also pleased we have the Crimple Valley as I do so enjoy walking it up to the Viaduct.