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17
Aug 2023
£11.2m Harrogate Station Gateway halted after legal challenge
North Yorkshire Council has revoked its decision to proceed with the £11.2 million Harrogate Station Gateway scheme in the face of a legal challenge.
Hornbeam Park Developments instructed lawyers to launch a judicial review against the council's decision this week.
The council responded today with a statement that has plunged the controversial scheme into fresh doubt.
Karl Battersby, the council's corporate director of environment, said:
The scheme is one of three worth £42 million being funded by the government's Transforming Cities Fund to improve station gateways to town centres in Harrogate, Selby and Skipton.
An impression of how James Street would look.
It would see James Street partly pedestrianised and a 300-metre section of Station Parade reduced to single lane to make way for new cycle routes.
The legal challenge focuses on the council's alleged failure to disclose key carbon and climate impact information during consultation.
A climate change appraisal said drivers would be forced to take longer alternative routes as a result of the road changes and overall “user emissions are anticipated to increase as a result of the scheme, as the emissions from changing traffic flows are predicted to outweigh the avoided emissions from modal-shift”.
The appraisal also predicts the scheme would result in an increase of 1,356 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions over its lifetime.
All Conservatives and most Liberal Democrats approved the decision to proceed in May — however, the Liberal Democrats subsequently withdrew their support.
Read more:
- Judicial review launched against £11.2m Harrogate Station Gateway
- Secret Bakery set to open new shop in Harrogate station
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