Plans have been submitted to close Crescent Gardens in Harrogate to public traffic.
Harrogate-based property developer Impala Estates bought the former Harrogate Borough Council headquarters alongside the road for £4 million in 2020.
It received planning permission in May last year to turn the building into offices, a roof garden restaurant and gym, and to create a two-storey extension. Work has yet to begin.
The company has now applied for permission to install bollards and planters to convert the public highway into a private road.
If approved, the road would be maintained by Impala Estates for access to the Crescent Gardens development and associated car parking bays.
The area affected would include the Crescent Gardens road and footpath from its intersection with Swan Road to its intersection with Montpellier Road.
According to planning documents submitted to North Yorkshire Council, the application site “excludes the off-carriageway parking bays to the south of the Crescent Gardens roadway with the exception of a small section (essentially two parking bays) located directly between the Crescent Gardens building main entrance and the path opposite into the Crescent Gardens park”.
Planters and retractable bollards, similar to those temporarily installed on Beech Grove in Harrogate, would be installed at either end of Crescent Gardens to prevent public vehicles passing.
The documents add:
“The former Harrogate Borough Council agreed to dispose of the land underlying the Crescent Gardens roadway on the basis that it would be stopped up, with the roadway becoming privately owned and associated with the Crescent Gardens development.
“It is also understood that the local highway authority has no objection in principle to the Crescent Gardens roadway being stopped up.”
An impression of how the redeveloped site would look.
James Hartley, director of Impala, told the Stray Ferret,
“The road was discussed at the time of the sale and has been approved by the council at committee. As part of the process, we have been working with the Department for Transport on the stopping up order and North Yorkshire Council on the submitted planning application.
“The changes to the road will assist in the construction of Crescent Gardens along with providing the building with a well-managed and enhanced setting once the works have been undertaken. This will link the building better with the gardens opposite, achieving a clear public benefit.”
Asked if the company’s plans for the redevelopment of Crescent Gardens had changed, or if a starting date was known, Mr Hartley said:
“Nothing has changed with the broader redevelopment, we are working hard with our design team to develop out the design allowing it to go out to tender.”
Read more:
- Still no timeframe on refurbishment of Harrogate’s Crescent Gardens
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Council shares £15,000 anti-terrorism bill for Harrogate Christmas Fayre
Anti-terrorism measures for Harrogate Christmas Fayre cost £15,000, with Harrogate Borough Council paying half.
The inaugural event was run by the council in the town centre in partnership with Market Place, a specialist market company from Greater Manchester.
It saw stalls and stands selling food, drink and gifts around Cambridge Street, Market Place, Station Square and Cambridge Crescent.
The fayre was organised after the original Harrogate Christmas Market, on Montpellier Hill, was cancelled after the council refused to sign off the organisers’ event management plan.
The council had raised concerns with co-organiser Brian Dunsby that the plan didn’t adequately address the threat from terrorists.
Read more:
In 2016, terrorists drove a truck into a Christmas market in Berlin, leaving 12 people dead.
Since then, Christmas markets across the UK have beefed up security to thwart any similar attempts.
The Harrogate Christmas Fayre saw temporary bollards on both ends of Cambridge Street and in other locations in the town centre to stop vehicles from entering.
The council’s publicly available list of payments over £250 includes a payment of £7,453.83 to Market Place, which a council spokesperson said was to pay for the bollards. The final bill was split 50/50 with the company.
The spokesperson said:
Parliament Street and Kings Road could be partly pedestrianised“As part of the event delivery plan for Harrogate Christmas Fayre, and following guidance and advice from North Yorkshire Police, we wanted to ensure a safe and enjoyable market was delivered, especially following incidents in other cities previously.
“Therefore, to ensure the safety of residents, traders and visitors of the fayre, we agreed to split the costs of anti-terrorism measures with Market Place Europe to mitigate any potential risks.
“As this was organised via Market Place Europe, our share was paid to them rather than the supplier.”
Parliament Street and Kings Road in Harrogate could be partly pedestrianised to encourage social distancing when bars and restaurants reopen.
However, The Stray Ferret understands this is unlikely to be put in place this weekend.
North Yorkshire County Council said it is working with Harrogate BID, Harrogate Borough Council and local businesses to allocate pavement space to bars and restaurants, which would make part of the roads off-limits to cars.
David Bowe, corporate director for business and environmental services at NYCC, said they will only close roads “if there is a clear demand”.
He said:
“We are prepared to close roads in order to support economic recovery but it has to be on the basis of demand and need. If there is a road that we can practically close, even for part of a day, without adversely affecting access, we will be happy to work to achieve that, provided a business definitely wants to use the space.
James Street, Albert Street and parts of Royal Parade currently have cones placed in the road to widen pavements. However, they have been controversial and North Yorkshire County Council has taken them down on West Park after pressure from businesses.
Two streets that could be partly pedestrianised are Parliament Street and Kings Road.
Read more:
- Harrogate retailer threatens to rip up pavement widening cones
- Parking restrictions imposed in town centres as authorities aim to discourage crowds
Jim Mossman, co-founder of the Cold Bath Brewing Co on Kings Road, told The Stray Ferret he had been in discussions with North Yorkshire County Council about road space being re-allocated.
He said:
“If we can create an al fresco type experience in Harrogate then it will help save jobs and businesses in the town.”
Michael Baravelli, general manager at Gino D’Acampo on Parliament Street also said pedestrianisation would help trade at the restaurant.
He said:
“We are working alongside North Yorkshire County Council with the idea and suggestion of putting extra seating outside to give us more street presence. In these summer days, it will help us immensely.”