02
Feb
Council bids for £1.2m to draw up town investment plans
North Yorkshire Council looks set to bid for £1.2 million worth of funding in order to draw up investment plans for Harrogate and Scarborough.
The authority has tabled proposals to devise the plans for 30 towns across the county in order to “identify the investment needs and opportunities”.
Among them include Harrogate, Skipton and Scarborough, which the council has identified as areas which will help to “drive economic activity” in North Yorkshire.
Richard Flinton, chief executive of North Yorkshire Council, told a Harrogate Chamber of Commerce meeting recently that the council was keen to consult with businesses over a plan for Harrogate.
He said:
We know that there has not been a masterplan for Harrogate and, if you like, a formal investment plan into a vision of what we want for Harrogate for some time.
We are very keen to address that this year and to engage businesses in that process. We are hoping to start that process in a few months time.
The council is set to bid for £1.2 million worth of funding from York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority to help devise the town investment plans.
Louisa Carolan, principal regeneration officer at the council, said in a report that the proposals would help to provide a “structured focus” to future economic decisions.
She said:
Investment plans are strategic documents which provide a co-ordinated approach to regeneration and investment at a place-based level. They will help the council, the combined authority and other partners and stakeholders to understand investment priorities within an area and provide a structured focus for future business cases and investment decisions.
It is important that these plans are created with significant engagement with key stakeholders, business networks and community organisations to ensure a collaborative approach to identifying the investment needs of the town and its hinterland.
Should the combined authority approve funding, the council said it expects to draw up the plans over the next three years.
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