Pannal is having Church Lane and Main Street surfaced. Vans and lorries everywhere not to mention traffic lights, and men (traffic ambassadors they are now called) with stop and go signs. It is not before time that this work was done as there were potholes everywhere. Rosedale was done a bit ie holes filled in but one big hole was left why? There was a few days of perfect peace Pannal was not being used as a rat run. THEY could not get into the village. Now it seems to be business as normal plus workmen and lorries.
The latest "incident" is the "farmer" who has taken over behind the church has decided after 50 years that our wonderful wild flower meadows should be ploughed up and corn planted. The public footpath has had weed killer put on it so there is no longer any grass. Weed killer was put on the grass to kill it before ploughing without any signs going up to say spraying was in progress. One local lady took her dog on its usual walk to find it had collapsed and had to be taken to the vet who diagnosed breathing difficulties due to toxic materials. One local was also told that the spraying was not toxic. All the wild flowers died in a matter of hours. How is that explained? A right of way that we have used for 50 years and one that I am trying to be made official has been ploughed up in part. Villagers who have written to Harrogate Borough Council complaining had received very curt letters in return. What can be done? I am hoping North Yorkshire County Council will be more reasonable than HBC but who can we report the wilful destruction of the wild flower meadows to? Pannal Village Society which exists to protect the village will soon have nothing to do as there will be nothing left to protect. I really like Pannal and have enjoyed living here all these years but gradually things are getting sadder and sadder. When all the houses are built at Dunlopillo how will the school cope? Will it have to be enlarged again? Will more money be thrown at it by the developers? More green fields will be swallowed up. A roundabout will be built on the A61 and a road will be built through green belt land to the houses and offices (cannot call it a business park) thus helping the number of cars that use Pannal as a rat run. Sad days ahead. Buildings all the way from Buttersyke Bar to Harrogate. Pannal as a village wiped out as along the A61 there will be continuous ribbon development.
