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22
Aug 2022
£49m Harrogate Convention Centre redevelopment plans move to final design stage
The redevelopment of Harrogate Convention Centre has moved to the next design stage – although a final decision on the £49 million plans is still a year away.
It will be in July or August next year when that decision is made and because of local government reorganisation, it will be taken by the new North Yorkshire Council.
The convention centre is currently owned by Harrogate Borough Council which will hand over ownership of the venue after warning it “may fail to survive” without investment.
It said the convention centre – which is a key driver of business to the district’s hospitality and tourism trades – could lose up to £250 million over the next 40 years unless the redevelopment is carried out.
That warning was put to members of the borough council’s cabinet on Wednesday when they approved spending £3.3 million to progress final designs.
Trevor Watson, director of economy, environment and housing at the borough council, told a meeting that the redevelopment would enhance the appearance of the 40-year-old building and improve access to its auditorium.
He said:
Read more:
- Fears for Harrogate Convention Centre if new Leeds venue goes ahead
- Harrogate Convention Centre ‘could lose £250 million without investment’
The convention centre competes with venues in Manchester, Birmingham, London and other major cities for events. And now there is a new threat much closer to home after plans for a Leeds conference venue were revealed.
Those proposals for the site of the former Yorkshire Bank HQ were set for approval by Leeds City Council last week until a wave of objections from Harrogate Convention Centre and the town’s business leaders delayed the decision.
Paula Lorimer, director of Harrogate Convention Centre, criticised the city council for an “absence of dialogue” on the plans which she fears will have a big impact on Harrogate’s place in the “very competitive” events industry.
She also told Wednesday’s meeting:
The next stages of the proposed development will see designs produced by next May, before final costs are revealed the following month.
If approved, construction works would start later in the year with completion in November 2024.
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