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09
Dec 2024
Business coalition formed to oppose £12.1 million Harrogate Station Gateway
A coalition of local businesses has called on North Yorkshire Council to urgently rethink the £12.1 million Harrogate Station Gateway scheme.
Work on the revised scheme is due to begin in spring after the council admitted its previous proposals, which included reducing traffic on Station Parade to single lane and pedestrianising part of James Street, were flawed.
The group, known as Get Away, warned the plans would restrict accessibility, jeopardise the town’s historic character and severely impact local trade.
Led by local property owner Steven Baines, the group has voiced particular frustration at what it claims is a lack of transparency surrounding the project.
It said in a statement many local businesses, including freeholders, tenants and high street retailers, were not adequately consulted despite the significant impact the scheme will have on their livelihoods.
It also claims Traffic Regulation Orders were inconsistently displayed and missing key information, and some plans were not made readily available online or in public spaces such as the library.
The group argues these shortcomings have left residents and businesses unable to make informed decisions or provide meaningful feedback.
Get Away said it welcomed ‘well-considered investment in the town’ but the gateway, which is mainly being funded through the Department for Transport’s Transforming Cities Fund, represents a ‘gross misspend of public funds’ which needs to be reevaluated.
A south facing visual of how Station Parade will look.
The main claims
Get Away claims:
- Consultation: there has been a failure to consult meaningfully based on lack of information.
- Parking reductions: The number of parking spaces on Lower Station Parade is set to fall from 24 to three, which the group says will deter foot traffic and harm profitability for local businesses.
- Accessibility concerns: The introduction of a one-way system on Lower Station Parade, will require taxis to pick up passengers on the right-hand side of the street. It says this poses risks for disabled people using vehicles with accessible doors on the side or rear. Garry Sadler Simpson, a business partner of Mainline Taxis, said: “This means accessible taxis will have to on- and off-board passengers in the middle of the road, creating unnecessary risks.”
- Ineffective bus and cycle lane: The new bus lane on Lower Station Parade, which is expected to shave just 20 seconds off the average peak time journey, and a cycle lane which the group claims ‘starts nowhere and ends nowhere’, are described as ‘ineffective’.
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- Quality concerns: The group says although the use of Yorkshire stone ensures a high standard of materials, it is concerned that if the project exceeds it budget, the financial burden will fall on the council and taxpayers.
- Erosion of Harrogate’s character: Removing seating and trees in Station Square and replacing them with hard landscaping risks diminishing the town’s ‘inviting and friendly image’. Get Away warns that for visitors arriving by train, this creates a less appealing first impression, which could negatively impact Harrogate’s reputation.
- Prolonged disruption: The anticipated two-year construction timeline ‘raises serious concerns about the prolonged disruption to the local economy’. Extended road closures, noise, and restricted access could deter visitors, complicate commutes and force the closure of some local businesses that depend on high footfall.
Parking spaces will be lost on Lower Station Parade for the new bus lane.
‘Time to hit the brakes’
Mr Baines said:
We understand the need to modernise our town’s infrastructure and fully support meaningful, positive investment, but this project feels poorly planned and disconnected from the needs of our community. The last thing the council should want is to steamroll over the serious concerns raised by its proposals. We are calling for it to hit the brakes on this project until these key challenges have been acknowledged and addressed.
This project, on paper, may cost £12 million, but the real price will be paid by local trade and residents if nothing changes. Harrogate deserves investment that enhances the town, not plans that risk hurting its character and economy.
Harrogate Civic Society recently objected to plans to fell three trees in Station Square as part of the scheme.
Get Away said the speed at which the council approved this decision — with the application being validated on November 13 and approved on November 25 — was “unheard of by public applicants”.
The civic society previously described the proposed design for Station Square as ‘poor’ and that ‘it would not reflect or enhance the character of Harrogate’.
Get Away echoed these concerns, warning that visitors arriving at the train station would be greeted by a ‘concrete jungle’ rather than the town’s historic charm.
The Stray Ferret has approached North Yorkshire Council for a response to the group’s claims.
'We have listened... there are positive benefits'
Councillor Keane Duncan, the council's executive member for highways and transportation, said
The gateway scheme represents the most significant investment in Harrogate in 30 years and the council is working hard to deliver it. We have engaged extensively with local people and businesses, with 4,500 responses received in the last round of consultation alone.
We have listened to feedback and significantly amended the scheme, removing the most controversial elements. Pedestrians, cyclists, public transport users and motorists will all benefit from faster, more reliable journeys.
The area around the stations will be transformed to deliver a welcome we can be proud of, with high-quality stone, new lighting and colourful planting that embraces Harrogate’s spa heritage.
One Arch will be improved at long last, while a new public space will be available to host outdoor events. These are positive benefits for locals, visitors and businesses, so we are keen to progress with the project against tight timescales and begin construction in 2025.
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