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09
Oct 2024
Partnership to reimagine Harrogate at 'pivotal moment' for town
A new project has been launched to reconnect Harrogate with its spa heritage by drawing on its natural assets.
More than 30 people attended Harrogate Vision Partnership’s inaugural meeting, including representatives from North Yorkshire Council’s Regeneration and Parks teams, the Environment Agency, Yorkshire Water and the University of Leeds, as well as members of heritage, environmental, and community groups including Long Lands Common and the Nidd Action Group.
The workshop titled Growing the 21st Century Spa Town was led by business owner George Eglese, who is an associate of the Institute of Place Management, alongside Sarah Lonsdale, project manager at the Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust.
Mr Eglese said:
Harrogate has the potential to once again attain world-class status by embracing a holistic vision that encompasses its environmental, cultural, and community assets.
This isn’t just about environmental amelioration. It’s about reimagining what it means to be a spa town – a town that illustrates its heritage in an immersive and vibrant way, celebrates its natural phenomena, and recognises the value of its essence in the wellbeing renaissance happening today.
This is the time for a true renaissance, Harrogate's renaissance.
Harrogate's motto, Arx celebris fontibus, means 'citadel famous for springs'. Photo: George Eglese
In a presentation which covered Harrogate’s history, which Mr Eglese described the town’s waters as “a wonder of the world hidden right beneath our feet.”
He traced Harrogate’s evolution from its geological beginnings to its rise as a leading European spa town, and identified the environmental challenges facing Harrogate and the wider Yorkshire region, such as the loss of more than 80% of its wetlands.
Ms Lonsdale discussed the deteriorating state of the River Nidd and its three major Harrogate tributaries, Crimple, Oak and Bilton becks, and how Harrogate’s ‘hidden waters’ – such as the culverted becks that flow beneath the town – are integral to the river's future prosperity.
Both presenters emphasised how these issues stem from a fundamental disconnect between people and nature.
Following the presentation, participants discussed four core themes: protected water, abundant nature, vibrant heritage, and thriving community. They also explored project ideas and proposals that Mr Eglese described as “the early beginnings of some very exciting and innovative cultural and environmental projects that have the opportunity to put us back on the map.”
Ms Lonsdale said:
George and I are blown away by the amount of enthusiasm and inspiration that was shared across the room. We still have many groups to engage with and urge anyone interested in being involved to get in touch.
We will also be planning a series of public in-person and online consultations to help shape the programme and ensure it resonates with the wider community.
All the participants have agreed to join the partnership. Photo: George Eglese
All the participants have agreed to join a newly formed partnership, which will begin developing a draft programme of projects this year, and ultimately applying for capital funding next year.
Mr Eglese added:
This is a pivotal moment for Harrogate. With the launch of the Harrogate Neighbourhood Planning Forum, the introduction of the new North Yorkshire Mayor, and the formation of Harrogate Town Council on the horizon, we have a golden opportunity to be visionary, to set bold goals, and to rally our community together.
It’s time to bring everyone around the table – residents, businesses, and local leaders – to celebrate, cherish, and reimagine what our town can be. Harrogate’s potential is extraordinary, and now is the moment to shape a future we can all thrive in.
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