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27
Mar
‘Grim’ Spring Statement reignites plea to scrap Harrogate Station Gateway
A business group opposed to the £12.1 million Harrogate Station Gateway has reiterated its call to scrap the scheme in the wake of this week’s Spring Statement.
The Office for Budget Responsibility halved its growth forecast for this year to 1% after Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ statement yesterday.
The Get Away group said in a media release today the ‘grim’ state of the economy highlighted the folly of North Yorkshire Council continuing with the gateway, which would see major changes to Station Parade.
Councillor Keane Duncan, executive member for highways and transportation at the council, has said the gateway would provide the biggest town centre investment for 30 years.
But Get Away claimed companies in the town wanted business rate reform rather than the scheme, which it said 'tank' the local economy and put some traders out of business.
David Waddington, of Hornbeam Park Developments Ltd, said:
Enough is enough now. The time has come to pull the plug on this unwanted and totally unnecessary project which will do nothing for Harrogate except to tank the local economy.
Our traders need all the help they can get in difficult times like this but forcing Station Gateway on the town could be the final nail in the coffin for many.
The grim news which came out of the House of Commons yesterday should be a wake-up call to North Yorkshire Council that they cannot play Russian Roulette with the jobs and livelihoods of Harrogate’ business community.
He also highlighted comments by Tom Gordon, the Liberal Democrat MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, who said the Spring Statement had “piled more pressure on small businesses, pushing high streets towards decline”.
Mr Waddington added: “By all means spend money on improving traffic flows in the town centre and address empty business properties but unless the desired outcome is more boarded up premises and more job losses, then gateway should be laid to rest for once and for all.”
Get Away has begun a High Court legal challenge against the gateway. Papers have been filed and issued by the court and Get Away solicitors have served notice on both North Yorkshire Council and West Yorkshire Combined Authority.
The group claims the council’s failure to consider the wider impacts of the proposal and to consult fully with the public has rendered the Traffic Regulation Orders illegal.
Cllr Duncan has described the legal challenge as “weak and spurious”.
He previously said:
It's important we see this project through. To secure £12m of investment, to deliver vital improvements in Harrogate, but most importantly, to defend the democratic decision we have taken and protect the democratic process we're all part of.
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