Harrogate Station Gateway Project: Highways boss welcomes ‘positive’ backing from councillors

The perceived rights and wrongs of one of Harrogate’s most controversial transport schemes in decades were discussed at a special three-hour meeting of the Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee on Friday.

Three Liberal Democrat councillors issued strong objections to the project including Knaresborough West councillor, Matt Walker, who called it an “£11-million-pound vanity project”.

Stray, Woodlands and Hookstone councillor, Pat Marsh, said it was the “wrong scheme” for Harrogate.

However, Conservative councillor for Bilton and Nidd Gorge, Paul Haslam, said the scheme will benefit businesses and encourage active travel and Conservative councillor for Oatlands and Pannal, John Mann, said the changes will rejuvenate the “run-down and dated” area around the train station.

Ultimately, ten councillors — five Liberal Democrats and five Conservatives — agreed to support the scheme with conditions and three voted against.

Councillor Keane Duncan, who has had responsibility for transport on the Conservative council’s executive since Don Mackenzie retired last year, said he was pleased that councillors from opposition parties came together to back the project.

Councillor Duncan said: “I welcome the positive, cross-party support expressed for the Gateway project.

"The majority of councillors recognised the importance of securing this £11m investment and the transformative impact the project could have for Harrogate.

“Their support gives the executive the ability to proceed to the next stage.

"Input and oversight provided by local councillors will be incredibly valuable, now and into the future.”

Friday’s successful motion to support the Station Gateway was put forward by Liberal Democrat councillor for Coppice Valley and Duchy, Peter Lacey, and it came with three conditions.

These were that the “genuine concerns” of residents and groups are listened to, local councillors have a “meaningful role” in the implementation of the scheme and that a “rigorous monitoring system” to examine its potential impact on traffic, environment and business is put in place.

The motion will be presented to the council’s executive at a meeting on May 30 when senior councillors will decide whether to submit a full business case for the project.

If approved, construction could begin by the end of this year.

Last Friday’s area constituency committee meeting was unusual in that it focused on just one topic.

And despite being an advisory body, there were more eyes on it than normal meetings because the council promised to abide by whatever decision councillors took.

North Yorkshire Council has pledged to give area constituency committees more of a say in decision-making going forward.

It could mean more meetings take place place around hot-button issues in Harrogate and Knaresborough.

Reflecting on Friday’s meeting, Councillor Duncan added: “With localism at the heart of the new North Yorkshire Council, it was right for the executive to seek the views of local councillors, elected by and accountable to the people of Harrogate and Knaresborough.”