This year, North Yorkshire Council expects to break ground on the controversial Harrogate Station Gateway project.

The scheme promises improvements to the public realm, including major changes to Station Parade and One Arch, and has been hailed as the biggest investment in Harrogate for 30 years.

In its latest estimated cost in November, the council said the project is expected to cost £14.3 million. But this figure is vastly different to that which it revealed to the Stray Ferret just five months before.

So what is the real cost of the gateway scheme and why do the figures differ?

Gateway costs

In November, senior North Yorkshire councillors voted on a decision to press ahead with the project despite a legal challenge from campaigners, the Get Away group.

At the time, councillors were defiant about going ahead with the scheme and pencilled in the new year as a potential date to start construction.

The scheme will see the redevelopment of One Arch and Station Square, improved traffic signals, a bus lane, a southbound cycle lane on Station Parade, new paving for pedestrians and cycle parking at Harrogate Railway Station.

In the 17-page report which was put before councillors was a breakdown of costs, which you can read below.

It shows a figure of £14.3 million and cites costs such as design, contingencies and contractor fees.

But, what is not shown is that the figure is vastly different to that reported by the Stray Ferret in April 2025.

Following our investigation last year, we found that the project was projected to cost £12.5 million — of which £4.8 million would be spent on construction and £2.7 million to consultants.

The breakdown included a list of costs such as a £10,000 payment to Network Rail, £700,000 in utilities and a £926,000 contingency and risk cost.

But, in the November report, much of those figures were condensed into a shorter list and the contingency cost had increased to over £1 million.

The new estimated cost also showed construction would now cost £8.4 million — nearly double that in its previous breakdown.

Council response

The Stray Ferret asked the council why costs such as payment to Network Rail, benefits realisation reporting, prelims, overheads and costs were missing from the updated estimate.

A spokesperson for the council said:

We also asked why the contingency cost had increased in the seven months since the last cost breakdown had been revealed.

The spokesperson added that the contingency fee reflected the increased costs associated with the work and would “protect the council from further inflationary costs”.

The council also said that the new £14.3 million sum was based upon its new contractor, NYHighways — which is owned by the authority.

They added:

Funding delay

It comes as the scheme faces a legal challenge from anti-gateway campaigners, the Get Away group.

In November, the Court of Appeal granted permission for the group to review a judge’s decision to dismiss their original legal challenge.

Meanwhile, the project faced a further setback in December when West Yorkshire Combined Authority, which holds £11 million in government funding for the project, has now confirmed a decision to release the sum will not be made until it is satisfied that all conditions have been met to fund the project.

The Stray ferret asked North Yorkshire Council whether the delay in funds would affect the Gateway and if the scheme would still start in the new year.

A spokesperson said: