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14
Jul
Council bins Harrogate Station Gateway contractor as crunch looms
North Yorkshire Council has dropped Galliford Try as its contractor for the £12.6 million Harrogate Station Gateway and appointed its own internal company.
British construction firm Galliford Try drew up designs for the town centre redevelopment scheme and had been expected to complete the job.
But the council has instead selected NY Highways, which it wholly owns, to undertake construction — subject to the outcome of a legal challenge.
The anti-gateway business group Get Away attempted to halt the scheme at a two-day High Court hearing in April.
Councillor Malcolm Taylor, the executive member for highways, said in a report to Wednesday’s full council meeting in Northallerton:
The council still awaits the court’s decision on the recent legal challenge relating to the Traffic Regulation Orders for the scheme. Subject to the outcome of the legal challenge, approval to proceed will be sought from the funding body West Yorkshire Combined Authority and contract entry authority from the council’s executive prior to commencing implementation of the works. NY Highways are the lead contractor for delivering the scheme.
Cllr Keane Duncan, who Cllr Taylor replaced last month, indicated in May that choosing NY Highways would reduce the risk of escalating costs.
His comments came days after the cost of the A59 road realignment scheme at Kex Gill spiralled from £68.8 million to £82.5 million due to compensation claims from contractors.
Because NY Highways is owned by the council, there is little chance of any such claims arising.
The gateway, which has been hailed as the biggest investment in Harrogate town centre for 30 years, would see major changes to Station Parade, Station Square and the One Arch pedestrian tunnel.
NY Highways, which is part of its Brierley Group of companies, employs about 250 staff. Galliford Try has about 4,000 employees.
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