Ripon Civic Society: Current Concerns

Army Camp Huts - update

We have now heard that English Heritage has decided not to list the huts. They believe that they are later than suggested, and of a standard type that is represented elsewhere. They also believe they are not in their orgininal positions.

We shall learn more about English Heritage listing when Eric Branse-Instone talks to the Society on 4 November (also the evening of the Society's AGM)

Ripon Army Camp - World War 1 huts

Ripon - World War I huts at Deverell Barracks, Clotherholme Road (7) Ripon Civic Society has applied to English Heritage for listing a number of World War I huts at Deverell Barracks, the only remainders of the huge World War I army camp that surrounded much of Ripon from 1915 to about 1919 – the subject of the Society’s talk in January by Alan Skidmore.

As a rare survivor of World War I and one of the last reminders of the important Ripon Camp, they deserve protection.

There is some urgency to the application because this part of the barracks is to be removed from Army use and is likely to be sold off.

As far as we are aware there is no protection for the huts, which a subsequent purchaser could demolish. As a rare survivor of World War I and one of the last reminders of the important Ripon Camp, the huts deserve protection, and we hope that they will be considered for spot-listing to give them immediate protection.

The Cabmen’s Shelter

The Cabmen’s Shelter is an unusual survival from the days of horse-drawn transport and has been a concern of the Society for some time. The Society donated the Shelter to Ripon City COuncil on 1 January 1991, with a clear undertaking from the Council that it would be fully protected and kept in good repair. Since that time no repair or repainting has been undertaken, and the Shelter is beginning to rot.

The proposal to English Heritage that it should become a Listed Building which we submitted in November 2007, came to fruition in February 2009, when we received notification that the Shelter is now listed at Grade II. The listing is to a large extent based on the information we submitted. The listing documentation and a note of grounds for appeal are available here.

An appeal against the listing, lodged by Ripon City Council, was dismissed in October 2009. The Society feels that it is a pity that the Council was unable to welcome the fact that the city has another listed building.

The Civic Society now urges a full restoration, and regrets that the Council has delayed repairs, not only during the appeal but over the last 10 years, so that the restoration will now cost the taxpayers of the city considerably more than would have been the case with a programme of regular maintenance.

Traffic
The Civic Society has formulated a policy on traffic and parking in the city.

The Spa Baths
Spa BAths detail 6 Our major concern is the future of the Edwardian Spa baths in Park Street. Listed Grade II, they are presently under threat as Harrogate Borough Council has been seeking to sell off the site for housing to fund a new swimming pool elsewhere in the city. The Society welcomes a new pool, but believes that the Baths building must retain public access. It has called for a new vision for the use of the building. At the moment the financial pressures of the recession have forced the postponement of the new pool, allowing supporters of the Spa Baths more time in which to lobby and to offer alternative proposals.

For more information about the Baths see the Comment Columns for 14 December 2007 and 29 February 2008 and visit the SAVE OUR SPA website.

Shop fronts

Langton's 300 Ripon Civic Society has recently undertaken a survey of shop fronts. A photographic record of city centre shop fronts was made and presented to the Executive Committee in a computer sequence. Good and bad examples were noted and were the basis for a series of articles by David Winpenny in the ‘Ripon Gazette’, highlighting features of particular premises that deserved either bouquets or brickbats. Yorkshire Trading

This has been followed by articles about the conservation area, the clutter of street furniture, the government’s Planning Bill, insensitive out-of town developments, ‘living over the shop’ and car parking provision.

Conservation area

Harrogate Borough Council asked for Ripon Civic Society’s help in appraising the conservation area as part of its statutory duty to survey such areas throughout the borough with public participation. Buildings (their age, architectural style and use), open spaces, trees, rivers, canal, footpaths, roads and other thoroughfares as well as the general characteristics of particular places all had to be commented upon.

As a pilot for the appraisal, the Society’s committee members looked carefully at Ure Bank, a distinct and interesting part of the conservation area at its northern extremity. They recorded their findings and presented them to the conservation officers.

Two workshops were then set up, when small groups appraised specific parts of the city centre, guided by a conservation officer, recording their observations with a camera and marking their findings on large-scale maps. The society played an important role from the outset in discussing and planning the task with the officers and in assisting them in the workshops.




Join our Mailing List Search our site: × Close	Current Concerns Army Camp Huts - update We have now heard that English Heritage has decided not to list the huts. They believe that they are later than suggested, and of a standard type that is represented elsewhere. They also believe they are not in their orgininal positions. We shall learn more about English Heritage listing when Eric Branse-Instone talks to the Society on 4 November (also the evening of the Society's AGM) Ripon Army Camp - World War 1 huts Ripon Civic Society has applied to English Heritage for listing a number of World War I huts at Deverell Barracks, the only remainders of the huge World War I army camp that surrounded much of Ripon from 1915 to about 1919 – the subject of the Society’s talk in January by Alan Skidmore. As a rare survivor of World War I and one of the last reminders of the important Ripon Camp, they deserve protection. There is some urgency to the application because this part of the barracks is to be removed from Army use and is likely to be sold off. As far as we are aware there is no protection for the huts, which a subsequent purchaser could demolish. As a rare survivor of World War I and one of the last reminders of the important Ripon Camp, the huts deserve protection, and we hope that they will be considered for spot-listing to give them immediate protection. The Cabmen’s Shelter The Cabmen’s Shelter is an unusual survival from the days of horse-drawn transport and has been a concern of the Society for some time. The Society donated the Shelter to Ripon City COuncil on 1 January 1991, with a clear undertaking from the Council that it would be fully protected and kept in good repair. Since that time no repair or repainting has been undertaken, and the Shelter is beginning to rot. The proposal to English Heritage that it should become a Listed Building which we submitted in November 2007, came to fruition in February 2009, when we received notification that the Shelter is now listed at Grade II. The listing is to a large extent based on the information we submitted. The listing documentation and a note of grounds for appeal are available here. An appeal against the listing, lodged by Ripon City Council, was dismissed in October 2009. The Society feels that it is a pity that the Council was unable to welcome the fact that the city has another listed building. The Civic Society now urges a full restoration, and regrets that the Council has delayed repairs, not only during the appeal but over the last 10 years, so that the restoration will now cost the taxpayers of the city considerably more than would have been the case with a programme of regular maintenance. Traffic The Civic Society has formulated a policy on traffic and parking in the city. The Spa Baths Our major concern is the future of the Edwardian Spa baths in Park Street. Listed Grade II, they are presently under threat as Harrogate Borough Council has been seeking to sell off the site for housing to fund a new swimming pool elsewhere in the city. The Society welcomes a new pool, but believes that the Baths building must retain public access. It has called for a new vision for the use of the building. At the moment the financial pressures of the recession have forced the postponement of the new pool, allowing supporters of the Spa Baths more time in which to lobby and to offer alternative proposals. For more information about the Baths see the Comment Columns for 14 December 2007 and 29 February 2008 and visit the SAVE OUR SPA website. Shop fronts Ripon Civic Society has recently undertaken a survey of shop fronts. A photographic record of city centre shop fronts was made and presented to the Executive Committee in a computer sequence. Good and bad examples were noted and were the basis for a series of articles by David Winpenny in the ‘Ripon Gazette’, highlighting features of particular premises that deserved either bouquets or brickbats. This has been followed by articles about the conservation area, the clutter of street furniture, the government’s Planning Bill, insensitive out-of town developments, ‘living over the shop’ and car parking provision. Conservation area Harrogate Borough Council asked for Ripon Civic Society’s help in appraising the conservation area as part of its statutory duty to survey such areas throughout the borough with public participation. Buildings (their age, architectural style and use), open spaces, trees, rivers, canal, footpaths, roads and other thoroughfares as well as the general characteristics of particular places all had to be commented upon. As a pilot for the appraisal, the Society’s committee members looked carefully at Ure Bank, a distinct and interesting part of the conservation area at its northern extremity. They recorded their findings and presented them to the conservation officers. Two workshops were then set up, when small groups appraised specific parts of the city centre, guided by a conservation officer, recording their observations with a camera and marking their findings on large-scale maps. The society played an important role from the outset in discussing and planning the task with the officers and in assisting them in the workshops.