A final decision on whether to proceed with plans to re-route the A59 at Kex Gill has been delayed.

Despite receiving extensive support from the public and North Yorkshire county councillors, the plans could now be called in by the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Today’s meeting of North Yorkshire County Council’s planning and regulatory functions committee unanimously supported the plans in order to prevent the continued disruption caused by landslips along the current route of the A59.

Committee chairman Peter Sowray said:

“I don’t think anyone can question the need for this road and it’s obviously impossible to build a road in this sensitive location without some harm to the environment, and to nature and wildlife.

“But I am satisfied that there are mitigation measures in place, both inside and outside the designated areas, to make it so that we can approve this route.”

However, councillors were unable to give the final sign-off to the proposal because minerals company Sibelco has asked the Secretary of State to call it in.

The committee heard from Lewis Williams, representing Sibelco, which argued the valuable minerals in the area should be given more consideration.

Although the Blubberhouses quarry closed some years ago, he said there remained significant mineral deposits which were valuable to industry but had been overlooked in a plan that was “ham-fisted, rushed and ill conceived”.

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Objections were also received from nearby residents, who cited concerns about the impact on the surrounding countryside, which is subject to several designations for its beauty and importance.

Councillors were told that their approval of the scheme would be subject to a further agreement being made on mitigating measures against the environmental impact of the changes.

In their report to the meeting, the impact on the landscape and wildlife was acknowledged by council officers, but they said extensive planning had not found a better way to re-route the road.

While today’s unanimous vote in support of the proposal is a significant step forward, NYCC will have to wait to hear whether the Secretary of State will call in the plans as requested, before any work can begin.

A major plan to build a three-mile reroute of the A59 at Kex Gill near Harrogate is in line for approval next week.

The £60 million project is due to go before North Yorkshire County Council’s planning committee and council officers have recommended that the application is approved.

The project would take a year to complete and see the creation of a diversion west of Blubberhouses at Kex Gill.

It comes as the site has a long history of landslips, which have blighted travel on the road for years.

County council bosses have bid for funding from the Department for Transport and brought in consultants WSP to draw up blueprints for the diversion.

The site on the A59 at Kex Gill, which has a history of landslips.

The government has indicated it will offer up to £56 million towards the project, with the county council covering the remaining £4.95 million.

In its planning statement, the authority said intervention was required to protect road users.

It said:

“Without intervention the evidence suggests that the road and road users continue to be at significant risk from future and more severe landslips; potentially resulting in serious injuries or fatalities.

“Due to the nature of the landslips at Kex Gill, it is considered that it is necessary to realign the vulnerable section of the A59.”

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Landslips in recent years have caused weeks of disruption.

In January 2016, the road was closed for eight weeks and traffic diverted through Ilkley and Otley after heavy rain caused a landslip.

According to the council’s planning documents, between October 2000 and May 2019, five landslips were recorded at the site and the retaining wall failed four times.

In that time, the total cost to repair the damage, which include works to resurface the road or repair damage to the retaining walls, is estimated to be £2.23 million.

Should the project be approved and work start in the summer, Cllr Don Mackenzie, executive member for access, said it could begin without traffic disruption.

However, he told the Stray Ferret back in November that some disruption may happen when the road is aligned with the existing A59.

Councillors will vote on the application on Tuesday.

Reports are coming in of dire driving conditions on the A59 Skipton Road, just a few miles from Harrogate.

Heavy snow has fallen and some vehicles have had to be rescued. A lorry also got stuck.

With sub-zero temperatures forecast tonight, the outlook is unlikely to improve overnight. Indeed, the combination of ice and snow could make matters even worse.

The A59 tonight. Credit: North Yorkshire Weather Updates

The North Yorkshire Weather Updates social media pages have been showing numerous videos and photographs of hazardous conditions, particularly around Blubberhouses and Kex Gill.

Storm Bella brought widespread flooding to the district today also.

Be careful and let us know if you have got caught up in the travel chaos.

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A £60 million project to reroute part of the A59 Harrogate to Skipton road is scheduled to start next summer, if government funding and planning permission is granted.

The project, which will take a year to complete, will see the creation of a three-mile diversion west of Blubberhouses at Kex Gill.

The Department for Transport and North Yorkshire County Council hope the new route will solve problems caused by landslips, which have blighted travel on the road for years.

The road was closed for eight weeks in 2016 and traffic diverted through Ilkley and Otley after heavy rain caused a landslip.

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County councillors are set to pledge further funding next week for the realignment of the road if costs go above a government grant.

Plans for the new road on the A59 at Kex Giill. Picture: North Yorkshire County Council.

Cllr Don Mackenzie, executive county councillor for access, told the Stray Ferret he was “hopeful” the scheme will go ahead.

He said:

“We are pressing for a decision on the funding.

“It has been a difficult year and there has been a change of government since we put the bid in.

“But everything we are hearing from the Department for Transport is positive.”

Cllr Mackenzie added the project could begin without traffic disruption to begin with but it might occur towards the end when the new road is connected with the existing A59.

The Department for Transport has indicated it will offer up to £56 million towards the project, with the county council covering the remaining £4.95 million.

While the government has yet to give final funding approval, it has set a condition that any further costs would need to be met by the authority.

Council bosses have estimated the overall cost to be £60 million, but added it could increase to £61 million if a public inquiry is held.

A planning application for the project will go before the council’s planning committee on December 15.

Senior county councillors have been recommended to accept the funding condition at a meeting on Tuesday next week.