Ripon Renewal Project: Vision for future as Harrogate council set to launch £85,000 masterplan

The Ripon Renewal Project will see a consultancy firm paid £85,000 to draw up a vision for the future of the city and help it win funding for major infrastructure, planning and community projects.

Councillor Tim Myatt, cabinet member for planning at Harrogate Borough Council, said the regeneration project will build on the work of the Ripon City Plan which was finalised by local leaders last year.

He said: “The key aim of this project is to build upon the work already undertaken by the local community in drawing up the city plan, and ongoing work in relation to the redevelopment of Ripon Barracks, Cathedral Chapter and Ripon Cycling Infrastructure Plan, to develop a joined up and more detailed masterplan.

"It will identify priority projects and business cases that put Ripon in a stronger position to secure funding to deliver improvements."

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The project will be funded through the York and North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership, North Yorkshire County Council’s Market Town Project and match funding from the borough council.

Ripon councillor Mick Stanley welcomed the borough council's commitment to the city but said it was crucial that key decisions are made locally.

“It is great that Harrogate Borough Council have based the neighbourhood plan at the centre of this consultancy," he said.

“The Ripon Renewal Project should be very good for the city, but my one concern is that the borough council are relying on consultants rather than making key decisions themselves.

“Issues must be looked at altogether rather than in isolated stages, such as joint plans which consider schools, housing and health provision.”

Work on the Ripon Renewal Project is due to start in January and will run until the end of 2021.

By Jacob Webster, Local Democracy Reporter