THE Dean of Ripon, the Very Revd John Dobson, is urging people in the diocese of Leeds to reply to an prolonged consultation on plans to construct an annexe to the cathedral, which is claimed to be “bursting on the seams” (News, 17 March 2023).
Building plans for the renovation — Ripon Cathedral Renewed — have already been approved by Historic England and all of the cathedral’s regulators, including the Fabric Advisory Commission. But about 2000 people have signed a petition opposing the annexe.
Ripon Cathedral was the primary minster church because the Reformation to be given cathedral status, in 1836. Unlike those who got here later, it was never adapted or prolonged in any way; consequently, it has no lavatories — the cathedral pays the council to maintain open the general public lavatories across the road in Minster Gardens — no secure space for choristers to alter and rehearse, no refectory, no communal meeting space, and no space for storing.
The project has been widely supported as helpful to the town, local economy, and environment. Visitor numbers are expected to rise by an estimated 35 per cent, and the plans are consistent with the City Plan for the event of a Cathedral Quarter. But the method, which has been years in development, has been slowed down by the reorganisation of the local authority right into a single unity council, in addition to by sustained, fierce opposition to certain details (News, 11 August 2023).
One particular source of contention is the proposed felling of a 200-year-old beech tree, which was redesignated as a Veteran Tree by the Woodland Trust when the cathedral was submitting its plans.
The consultation period has been prolonged from January 2024 until Easter. The cathedral has published a booklet, Your Questions Answered, which sets out the proposals, and the way it suggests concerns have been, or could possibly be, met.
Dean Dobson expressed hope that, through listening, compromises could be found that might satisfy most individuals. He fears, nevertheless, that much of the general public discourse on social media is lacking facts and distorting the conversation.
“I’m concerned that a few of the individuals who say they aren’t supporting this will likely actually be ‘not supporting’ something we’re not doing,” he said on Tuesday.
“I would like people to have interaction with this, come and see the exhibition, seek advice from representatives from the cathedral, and discover what the actual proposals are, after which, by all means, give their comments. We are taking a look at how we will retain the integrity of our project and supply all of the facilities that there is sort of universal agreement that the cathedral needs.”
He continued: “We are keen to listen to real concerns and [are] consistently responding to more questions. . . People who’ve engaged with this in a sincere and open way have been very grateful for that booklet and located it extremely helpful. I’m sorry to say that there are those individuals who are usually not wanting to have interaction with it, because they’ve already decided that they’re opposing the proposal.”
Supporters have to date raised £4.25 million to fund the project, more half the £8 million estimated cost. If the current proposals were accepted, more support could be sought. But, the Dean said, “We cannot keep going to people and exciting them with the prospect without knowing that we have now got planning permission.”
He acknowledged that this is able to take time, and that there was also a problem of the fee of the land on which the cathedral was planning to construct, which belonged to the council. “Our strategy now is solely to focus on finding an answer — plans that can get universal support.”
As well because the petition opposing the annexe, an area resident, Stanley Mackintosh, has sought a public referendum to permit people to “express what they really think, but in secret, free from establishment pressure”. But the leader of the town council, Andrew Williams, has opposed this. He described it as a “circus” that might deepen divisions, and city councillors have voted unanimously against it as a “waste of cash”, the fee being estimated at £10,000, the BBC reports.
