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04
Feb
Harrogate Station Gateway legal challenge 'weak', says transport chief
North Yorkshire’s transport chief has described a legal challenge against Harrogate’s £12.1 million Station Gateway project as “weak”.
As previously reported, property owner Steven Baines, who leads the Get Away campaign group that opposes the current gateway plans, has instructed lawyers to challenge North Yorkshire Council in the High Court over the scheme.
The Get Away group has told the council its alleged failure to consider the wider impacts of the proposal and to consult fully with the public have rendered its Traffic Regulation Orders illegal.
The businesses, which include freeholders, tenants and high street retailers, are also starting a multi-media campaign to mobilise traders to speak up against the plans and are writing to the Department for Transport to escalate their concerns.
However, at an executive meeting in Northallerton this morning, Cllr Keane Duncan, executive councillor for highways, described the challenge as weak which included "spurious at best" claims.
He said:
The Transforming Cities Fund scheme has been subject to a pre-action protocol letter. I think it’s worth sharing with colleagues today our view of the letter is that the basis of the challenge is weak.
The claims that have been made I think are spurious at best and while we are disappointed to receive the letter, we are planning to respond to it and robustly challenge it.
As reported by the Stray Ferret last week, the Get Away group is also organising a survey to gather insight from the Harrogate and wider business community about their feelings towards the gateway scheme.
Mr Baines has said the group wanted to launch its own consultation on the multi-million pound project.
He said:
North Yorkshire Council may have shied away from consulting with local businesses so we are facilitating our own consultation to give us a voice.
As the UK economy continues to worry the business community, the extra financial pressure from the disruption this scheme will cause could be the final straw for many Harrogate traders. North Yorkshire Council should scrap this project to allow our business community the best possible operating environment to provide much-needed goods and services to the people of Harrogate and further afield now and in the future.
Where is the over-arching business support for this scheme? Where is the economic impact assessment which shows the benefits this will bring for our businesses and where is the open dialogue with traders? The answer is nowhere.
The gateway aims to improve access to Harrogate’s rail and bus stations and improve public spaces in the town centre.
The project has already been scaled back after the council admitted its previous plans breached public law after local property firm Hornbeam Park Developments launched a challenge.
The council faces a deadline of March 2025 to allocate the funds to the scheme.
Meanwhile, at today's executive meeting, senior councillors ratified the authority's senior managers pay policy.
The Stray Ferret revealed last Wednesday (January 29) that the number of top earners on salaries over £100,000 will increase from 26 to 32 on April 1.
Council leader Cllr Carl Les later defended the rise, saying it ensures the council can "recruit the very best candidates to do their jobs".
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