Senior councillors at North Yorkshire Council have agreed to consider different options to rescue the £11.2m Harrogate Station Gateway scheme.

At a meeting of the council’s Conservative-run executive in Northallerton this morning, executive member for highways Keane Duncan said there was a “collective will” to secure the “£11m prize” from government to deliver a transport scheme in Harrogate.

The original plans included reducing a 300-metre stretch of Station Parade to single lane to make space for cycle lanes, part-pedestrianising James Street and overhauling Station Square.

A report to councillors today said North Yorkshire Council may now focus on the most popular aspects of the scheme. It does not mention active travel or cycling.

The report added the project was likely to have been scaled-back due to inflationary pressures so some of the changes may have taken place anyway.

The meeting heard the other options were either continuing with the scheme as it is, which may bring more legal peril for the council, or scrapping it entirely.

The council paused the project last month due to a legal challenge from Hornbeam Park Developments.

Cllr Duncan said today:

Councillors agreed to allow officers to work on detailed options for the scheme.

A decision on what the council intends to do is expected before November but time is running out as the government has said the money must be spent before March 2025.

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