Harrogate Borough Council, in partnership with Bauman Lyons Architects, are seeking the views of Harrogate district residents to help shape the Ripon masterplan.
Earlier this year, the borough council appointed Bauman Lyons Architects to develop a ‘Ripon Renewal’ masterplan for the city, which will build on the ambitions of the Ripon Neighbourhood Plan.
A key element of this project is working collaboratively with the community, especially young people, to ensure the masterplan identifies key projects which meet the needs of the existing and future communities of the city.
To date, Bauman Lyons Architects have engaged with over 60 organisations and stakeholders. As well as a campaign to encourage 16 to 30-year-olds to ‘speak up and speak out’ about what they want for Ripon post Covid-19, which their views included the following key themes:
- Road safety, pedestrian priority and safe cycle networks
- Less cars on the roads around the market place
- Youth focused activities and services, including sport, events, shops, food outlets, music venues and quiet meeting places
- Greater choice of skills training and further education
- Accessible community space
- Improved aesthetics, particularly conserving the heritage assets
- Affordable housing
As travel around the city centre has been identified as a common theme, Bauman Lyons Architects also held a workshop to identify key issues and possible solutions to support the masterplan. Themes and ideas emerging from the workshop include:
- Better use of the market place as a civic space
- Priority to pedestrians and bicycles in the city centre
- Better traffic management on Low Skellgate and Westgate
- A mobility hub
- A new green route to link the Workhouse Museum and cathedral
Keen to continue these conversations, a citizens’ panel for Ripon is to be launched, that will explore options for projects to be included in the masterplan.
Ripon residents, who can attend a handful of two-hour workshops between now and the end of the year, are urged to get in touch by completing an online form at www.harrogate.gov.uk/haveyoursay by Monday 23 August. Residents can also express an interest in writing (details below).
The panel will be selected from the expression of interest received, ensuring members are as representative as possible of the demographic of Ripon.
Trevor Watson, Harrogate Borough Council director of economy, environment and housing, said:
It is a priority project for us and we want to work with the community in Ripon to build upon the work already undertaken by the local community in drawing up the City’s Neighbourhood Plan and the many other opportunities and assets Ripon has to develop a joined-up and detailed masterplan.
Irena Bauman, from Bauman Lyons Architects, said:
Ripon is a wonderful gem, but it needs to adapt to be relevant to young people and to their futures. We are looking forward to working with everyone, especially the young, towards a common vision of C21st Ripon.
David Dickson, chair of the York & North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership Infrastructure and Joint Assets Board, said:
As highlighted in the LEP-commissioned 21st Century Towns report, it’s important for towns, and cities, in the region to be able to maximise opportunities for economic growth, and be great places to live, work and play. We’re pleased to see the collaborative work taking place in Ripon to drive plans forward.
Residents can also express an interest in joining the citizens’ panel by writing to FAO Ripon Renewal Masterplan, Harrogate Borough Council, PO Box 787, Harrogate, HG1 9RW and providing their name, address (including postcode), age, occupation, property status (owner, private rented, social rented, etc.), household income, ethnicity and whether they have a disability or not.
