Saturday 19 December 2020

Addition to Save Crimple Valley Part 2

 Preserve Crimple Valley also very much agree with Crimple Valley Country Park. Hopefully if we all work together we can achieve this. I made the very first Tree Preservation Order for Harrogate and it was TPO No 1 Pannal 1969. Let the Crimple Valley Country Park be our biggest achievement. 

Pannal and the Crimple Valley Part 2

 Since I wrote in my blog that I wanted the Crimple Valley to be a Country Park in keeping with Bilton which has Knox Country Park and Jennyfield which has Killinghall Country Park the idea seems to have taken off. I emailed our Councillors both HBC and NYCC. I also wrote to Our MP Andrew Jones who sent a very encouraging letter to me saying "This particular year has highlighted the importance of green spaces for many people across the country and I would like to see green areas protected.In the first instance I have contacted Mr 
Wallace Sampson OBE Chief Executive, Harrogate Borough Council to bring the matter to his attention and ask if Harrogate Borough Council, as land owners, would be in favour of the land being designated as a Country Park". 

Harrogate Borough Council have an appalling record in regards to the Crimple Valley. The land this side of the A61 Leeds Road they wanted to put a gypsy site there. Was this a red herring as their next plan was to build houses. Was this so that they thought the gullible people of Pannal would say oh well that is better than a gypsy site but they were wrong we are not gullible we are astute and knew what they were up to and their plan was defeated. Unfortunately the land the other side of the A61 Leeds Road we have lost to light industry. Goodness me I have lived here so long and been involved in local politics by being Chairman of the Harrogate Civic Society and attending all the council meetings and watching what happens. One time I was nearly thrown out of the Chamber for objecting forcefully to their plan to demolish the Sun Pavilion in the Valley Gardens and build a car park. I formed the Friends of the Valley Gardens and we won.

I have stated to all concerned we re not asking for money so don't come up with the excuse "we are cash strapped" I am just wanting the Crimple Valley to be designated as a Country Park as I feel that if the footpath was to be upgraded Pannal would find the money.We have enough development going on in the village for the developers to help.  Sandy Bank Quarry is safe "for the moment" as I had a SINC put on it but I am keeping my eye on it as "you never know".

I have been joined by our MP, a leading Barrister, Save Crimple Valley and a lady from Burn Bridge called Ethne Bartup who all think this should happen: Crimple Valley be designated a Country Park. In the spring it is a delight with all the wild flowers and the May blossom on the bushes. It was even more of a delight before it was ploughed up as there was a mass of wild flowers with lots of purple orchids. Which in some parts of Yorkshire is treasured. 

Have I written this blog as a rant or with sadness. The latter I think but also with optimism as this can be achieved. 

I would like to wish you all a Christmas as good as you can make it. It will certainly be different but we all have hope for 2021. My book on Pannal and Burn Bridge Past and Present will be out. Spring will come the daffodils will be out, the sun will be warmer.WE HAVE HOPE. 

Friday 11 December 2020

Pannal and the Crimple Valley

 I am receiving phone calls from people agreeing with me over my idea to turn the Crimple Valley into a Country Park. I even have some Councillors saying it is a good idea. As I said Harrogate (and technically we are Harrogate but I think of Pannal being Pannal) has The Stray, the Nidd Gorge. Killinghall Country Park and Knox Country Park and we were here before Harrogate and HBC has seen to it that we have had a number of houses built around us. We have lost a lot of green spaces so I truly believe we need the Crimple Valley (from behind St Robert's Church to All Saints Court to the A61 Leeds Road protected because believe you me HBC who own the land, being purchased from William Bentley of Pannal Hall in 1962, would dearly love to sell the land for development - lots of houses. All I want is a commitment from the said HBC to say yes and if we need to make the footpaths better we will raise the money to do so but I stress it should be left more or less as it is. Now what about the proposed cycle path up Humphrey Bank Almsford Bank to newcomers. I had heard that the company asked to make the cycle path want to pull out. 

Good that Mill Lane is walkable again but that part near the Burn Bridge end is susceptible to land slides and the we are now seeing a lot of very wet weather. Hopefully it will not happen in the near future.

Who would have thought this time last year that we would have Covid 19 and we would all have had two lockdowns and some places would be in Tier 3. I have two children and their children in Tier 3 and two children their children and me in Tier 2 but for how long as Boris is letting everyone have a free for all for 5 days. Will we be in lockdown in January who knows? Boris has said three families can meet up I have four families. 

Remember Ken Walker our lovely butcher. Ken has had a fall and broken his hip and is in hospital in Leeds. He is 90 so we all wish him well.

The cats are in and Tigs has to be shoved bodily off my chair and she then sits and gives me the evil eye .Little Marble is a numpty and sits/lies in the stupidest of places.