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15
Aug
Harrogate Station Gateway — consultants and legal fees revealed
The amount paid to consultants for their work on the Harrogate Station Gateway scheme has soared to almost £3 million.
North Yorkshire Council had paid a total of £2,914,365 to the Canadian firm WSP as of July 25 this year.
The figure was released in response to a freedom of information request by the Stray Ferret.
The sum has risen by more than half a million pounds since August last year, when the figure had reached £2,373,435.
Hailed by the council as the biggest transformation to Harrogate town centre for 30 years, the gateway will see major changes to Station Parade, Station Square and the One Arch pedestrian tunnel.
WSP is a professional services firm which describes itself on its website as ‘pioneers, pathfinders and impact makers’ that “empower our clients to dream big and carve new paths”.
The total cost of the gateway scheme has risen from £7.9 million in 2021 to £14.6 million. You can read an article that breaks down the costs here.
The council’s ruling Conservative executive is expected to approve the scheme in October.
£18,200 barrister's fee
Our freedom of information request also asked how much the council spent defending the High Court action brought by the anti-gateway Harrogate group Get Away.
Get Away claimed the council’s Traffic Regulation Orders were flawed but the High Court ruled in favour of the council in a two-day judgment published this month.
The council response said:
“No external firm was used for legal work defending the claim, this was done in house by the council solicitors. The total costs set out in the North Yorkshire Council schedule of costs is £36,588.36 with the fees for counsel of £18,200 included within that figure.”
The £18,200 was paid in fees to Piers Riley Smith, the barrister instructed to act on the council's behalf for the two-day hearing.
The council said it had paid Leeds law form Kings Chambers £6,125 for previous advice.
It added:
“Work undertaken by the council’s in-house legal team does not have a cost attributed to it except where the council is required to compile a schedule of costs for a court hearing.”
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