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15
Jul 2021
Public inquiry could delay £60m Kex Gill scheme by 15 months
A major project to realign the A59 near Kex Gill could be delayed by 15 months if a public inquiry is called.
The £60 million North Yorkshire County Council scheme will see a section of new road built between Harrogate and Skipton to divert traffic away from the landslip-prone part of the route.
This current road has a history of unsafe driving conditions and delayed journeys, as well as high maintenance costs.
Work on the project could start as early as this autumn. Earlier this year, the government declined to have a final say on the scheme, clearing the way for it to begin.
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However, Cllr Don Mackenzie, executive county councillor for access, has said the project could face delays if objections are lodged against the compulsory purchase orders required for the scheme.
In a statement expected to be made to a full council meeting next week, he will say:
Construction work on the project is expected to take 18 months.
The government has committed up to £56 million in funding for the Kex Gill project, with the county council covering the remainder of the cost.
More than half-a-million pounds is also to be given to Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty for environmental and tree planting project in an effort to offset "irreversible damage" of the project.
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