Our Village
Kirby Hill is a small rural village approximately one mile north of the market town of Boroughbridge in North Yorkshire. Formerly known as Kirby-on-the-Moor, the village is surrounded by open countryside on 3 sides and affords long-range views towards the North Yorkshire Moors and the Yorkshire Dales. The picture shows an aerial view of the village taken from the west.
The Grade 1 listed church of All Saints, Kirby-on-the-Moor is over 1,000 years old. Kirby Hill Church of England Primary School has an excellent reputation and a brand new school building, opened in June 2002. The village pub is the Blue Bell Inn on Leeming Lane, where you can be sure of a warm welcome, good food and a range of guest beers. Kirby Hill has its own distinct identity, community and sense of place - separate from the market town of Boroughbridge yet within a mile of its many facilities. We hope you enjoy using this website to find out more about our vibrant community.
LATEST NEWS...
PROPOSED KIRBY HILL MSA - DEVELOPER APPEALS AGAIN, NEW PUBLIC INQUIRY
06 June 2009: Heather Ive Associates have submitted an appeal against Harrogate Borough Council's refusal of planning permission for a Motorway Service Area at Kirby Hill. This, the third appeal Heather Ive Associates has made to the Planning Inspectorate, is likely to be examined at Public Inquiry in October 2009. Kirby Hill RAMS are preparing their case for the Public Inquiry and will vigorously oppose this appeal on behalf of the local community. The RAMS case at the Public Inquiry will be led by Mr. Gareth Owens. Individual objections must be registered with the Planning Inspectorate by 13th July 2009. You can write to the Planning Inspectorate, or object online. Click here for details of this new development and here for details of how you can help defeat this appeal.
COUNCIL REJECTS KIRBY HILL MSA PLANS - FOR A THIRD TIME
17 March 2009: Harrogate Borough Council's Planning Committee today unanimously rejected plans for a motorway service area on the A1(M) at Kirby Hill. The planning application was the third in 12 years from developer Heather Ive, who attended the Planning Committee to receive the news. Chairman of Kirby Hill RAMS, Gareth Owens, said: "Once again our Council has demonstrated that they understand the harm that an MSA at Kirby Hill would cause. They have rightly rejected this unnecessary and damaging development." Over 100 local residents protested at the site near Kirby Hill this morning and a number travelled to the Council Chamber in Harrogate in order to watch the Committee decide unanimously in their favour. Kirby Hill RAMS would like to thank everyone in the local community for a superb effort today that helped us to influence our Council and achieve this great result.
COUNCIL TO DECIDE ON MSA PLANS ON TUE 17TH MARCH
The decision whether to grant planning permission for a 20-hectare Motorway Service Area at Kirby Hill will be taken on Tuesday 17th March by Harrogate Borough Council's Planning Committee. Kirby Hill RAMS have submitted a formal Statement of Objection to the scheme on behalf of the local community and you can read it here. Councillors will be making their site visit between 11-12am on Tuesday 17th March and the Planning Committee meeting is at 2pm at the Council Chamber in Crescent Gardens, Harrogate. Kirby Hill RAMS Chairman, Mr. Gareth Owens, will be addressing the meeting and members of the public are welcome to attend and support. For more details of how to take part, please e-mail the Parish Clerk. For the latest news on the proposed Kirby Hill MSA, click here.
OVER 200 OBJECTIONS RECEIVED TO PROPOSED KIRBY HILL MOTORWAY SERVICES
Over 200 written objections to the proposed Kirby Hill Motorway Service Area have been received by Harrogate Borough Council. Kirby HIll RAMS would like to thank everyone who wrote in with their detailed objections. It has made a huge impact. The application is expected to go before the Planning Committee on either the 17th or 31st March in the afternoon. We will be ensuring that the local community is fully represented at the meeting and that our voice is heard. As soon as we know more we will post details here of what to do if you would like to attend the meeting.
MOTORWAY SERVICES PLANNING APPLICATION SUBMITTED FOR CHRISTMAS
On 19th December, Heather Ive Associates submitted their third planning application for a proposed Motorway Service Area at Kirby Hill. The local community has successfully opposed this major development for 12 years and Kirby Hill RAMS are once again leading the campaign against it. Please click here for the latest news and here to find out how to object to Harrogate Borough Council. In the opinion of Kirby Hill RAMS, the timing of this planning application over the Christmas & New Year period is no coincidence and is typical of the tactics we have come to expect from this Developer. Please get involved, send in your objection and ensure that there will be NO MOTORWAY SERVICES AT KIRBY HILL.
RESIDENTS RESPOND TO MOTORWAY SERVICES CONSULTATION
Approximately 150 residents took the opportunity to respond to Heather Ive Associates' public consultation regarding the proposed Kirby Hill motorway service area. The deadline for responses has now passed and we await the next stage, at which local residents will have the opportunity to submit a formal objection to the planning application that will be lodged at Harrogate Borough Council. You will only have 21 days to do this and it may happen over the Christmas & New Year period, so please be prepared! Residents' group Kirby Hill RAMS are continuing their campaign activities and appreciate all the support they are receiving to ensure that there will be NO MOTORWAY SERVICES AT KIRBY HILL.
PUBLIC EXHIBITION OF MOTORWAY SERVICE AREA PLANS
Heather Ive Associates has organised a public exhibition of the proposed Kirby Hill Motorway Service Area plans, to be held at Boroughbridge Library from 19th August to 16th September 2008. During the first week, staff will be present at the exhibition to answer questions and consult with the local community. For details of the public exhibition and your chance to respond (you can do it online) click here. For advice from Kirby Hill RAMS on how to object, please click here. You can also click here for the latest news on the RAMS campaign and here for background information about Kirby Hill RAMS highly successful fight against proposed motorway services at Kirby Hill that has been going on since 1996.
NEW KIRBY HILL MOTORWAY SERVICES THREAT
The developer who wants to build a massive Motorway Service Area on the A1(M) adjacent to Kirby Hill is about to submit a third planning application to Harrogate Borough Council. Despite being defeated by the local community at two Public Inquiries in 1997 and 2003, Heather Ive Associates will once again seek to persuade the planning authorities that Kirby Hill is a suitable site for an MSA. Kirby Hill RAMS (Residents Against Motorway Services) expect to take up their NO SERVICES HERE campaign once again on behalf of the local community. Click here for more information and here for details of what you can do to help.
Planning applications, roads and pavements in Kirby Hill, trees and verges, the Village Green, neighbourhood watch schemes, dog wardens, traffic problems, a children's play area, anti-social behaviour, crime, the future development of Kirby Hill and Boroughbridge - these are all issues that the Parish Council is involved with and discusses regularly. Click here to read the minutes of the most recent Parish Council meetings.