North Yorkshire County Council is in discussions with landowners to purchase 90 acres of land earmarked for a major £60 million reroute of the A59 at Kex Gill.
A diversion is planned west of Blubberhouses on the A59 at Kex Gill, which has been blighted by a history of landslides and a recent “instability issue” which cost the council £1.4 million.
The council needs to acquire the land before it can begin construction on the scheme.
Council officials said negotiations were ongoing with landowners to reach an agreement on the price of the land, rather than acquire it by a compulsory purchase order.
The Stray Ferret asked the county council how much money has been set aside for the project.
Barrie Mason, assistant director for highway and transportation at the county council, said:
“The Compulsory Purchase Orders and the Side Roads Order recently published for the A59 Kex Gill are a routine part of the process of delivering the scheme.
“Where the CPO relates to land purchase, this is being carried out alongside negotiations with landowners aimed at reaching an agreed, rather than compulsory, purchase.
“We have estimated the likely cost of land purchase, but as negotiations are ongoing it would be inappropriate to disclose these figures now, as that could prejudice those negotiations. We will, of course, make this information public once negotiations are concluded.”
The council has outlined the 90 acres of land it intends to purchase in internal documents.
Read More:
- Half-a-million pounds to offset environmental damage of new Kex Gill road
- Public inquiry could delay £60m Kex Gill scheme by 15 months
- A59 Kex Gill ‘instability issue’ cost council £1.4 million
Included in the scheme is land off the A59 at Blubberhouse Moor between North Moor Road and Hall Lane, land at Hall Farm and land to the east at Hall Beck.
Agricultural land along the A59 up to Church Hill is also outlined in the scheme. Woodland east of Hall Lane and west of the River Washburn would also be acquired.
The existing road also passes through an area designated as Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Most of the land earmarked for purchase is woodland or agricultural land.
The authority said any compulsory purchase would be used as a last resort. But the project could be delayed by a further 15 months if an objection is lodged against a compulsory purchase order.
Such an objection would lead to a public inquiry.
Cllr Don Mackenzie, executive county councillor for access, told a full council meeting last month:
Stray Views: Why my friends won’t be returning to drunken Harrogate“The compulsory purchase and side roads orders have been published with a formal consultation period until the end of August.
“The project programme without a public inquiry indicates that construction could start this autumn. On the other hand, if a public inquiry is required, the start of works could be delayed by up to 15 months.”
Stray Views is a weekly column giving you the chance to have your say on issues affecting the Harrogate district. It is an opinion column and does not reflect the views of the Stray Ferret. See below for details on how to contribute.
Why my friends won’t be returning to Harrogate
Friends from Ilkley and Harpenden in Hertfordshire visited Harrogate today. They were totally horrified by the anti-social behaviour of the drunks by the war memorial on their way to Bettys and the art galleries in Montpellier and beyond.
They will not be back in a hurry and will undoubtedly tell all their friends that Harrogate is incapable of keeping the down-and-outs away from our major tourist attractions and that Harrogate is no longer the “nice” town of its historic reputation.
Should Harrogate care? These friends are wealthy retired folk with money to spend who were intending to visit the Sutcliffe Galleries, the Walker Galleries and the lovely new Watermark Gallery.Can I ask in total desperation, what will it take for our increasingly woke and insular council and its placid police force to understand the damage that is being done to the image, attractiveness and financial well-being of our town from their inability to deal with this very simple-to-solve problem and urge them to prevent a potentially irreversible reputation decline for our lovely town?
Station Gateway: economic concerns need addressing
Independent Harrogate, which represents more than 180 businesses. supports the proposed ‘Station Gateway‘ in general but we do have some serious concerns that it might have a negative impact on the local economy.
The scheme fails to address the need for park and ride schemes, a large number of electric car charging points and extensive safe cycling routes away from traffic that link with low-traffic neighbourhoods, therefore reducing congestion and in turn reducing carbon emissions.
And, to prevent congestion and an increase in carbon emissions, Station Parade must retain its two lanes, with enhanced cycling facilities reserved for East Parade.
We support James Street remaining fully open whilst supporting the narrowing at its junction with Station Parade to aid pedestrians crossing the road.
We urge North Yorkshire County Council to meet groups to discuss the finer details of the proposals.
William Woods, Independent Harrogate
Why is Kex Gill work taking so long?
Given that it is now more than two years since the Kex Gill route was finalised and finance was put in place, it is staggering that North Yorkshire County Council is now warning the scheme could be delayed because it hasn’t bothered to secure the land, in precisely the same way no one thought to consult the Duchy of Lancaster regarding the much-delayed Otley Road cycle path. Do they never learn?
David Howarth, Harrogate
Read more:
- £10.9m Harrogate Station Gateway scheme moves to design stage
- Public inquiry could delay £60m Kex Gill scheme by 15 months
Do you have an opinion on the Harrogate district? Email us at letters@thestrayferret.co.uk. Please include your name and approximate location details. Limit your letters to 350 words. We reserve the right to edit letters.
Contractors invited to bid for £60 million Kex Gill works
Contractors have been invited to bid to take on the works for the £60 million A59 Kex Gill scheme.
The North Yorkshire County Council highways project will see a section of the road between Harrogate and Skipton realigned.
The new road, which is expected to take a year to complete, will divert traffic away from the landslip-prone part of the A59 route.
This section has a history of causing 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.
Read more:
Now, contractors have been invited to tender for the works.
Cllr Don Mackenzie, executive member for access at the county council said:
“We are pushing forward with this scheme to provide a safe, reliable route for residents, businesses and visitors.
“This stretch of road has experienced closures in recent years because of land slips. These have disrupted travel, enforced long diversions and been costly. The realignment of the route will provide much better connectivity for all road users.”
Cllr Stanley Lumley, member for Pateley Bridge division, said:
Half-a-million pounds to offset environmental damage of new Kex Gill road“This is another step towards the delivery of this long-anticipated scheme. Locals, commuters and visitors will all benefit from enhanced safety and reliability of the road. We look forward to work beginning.”
More than half-a-million pound is to be spent on tree planting and environmental projects to offset the “irreversible” damage of a new major road linking Harrogate and Skipton.
The £60m carriageway is to be built as a replacement for the landslide-prone Kex Gill section of the A59. The road has a history of causing unsafe driving conditions and delayed journeys, as well as high maintenance costs.
Construction could begin by autumn and is subject to an agreement with the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) which is to be given just over £590,000 for projects to protect and enhance the area over the next 30 years.
Iain Mann, manager of Nidderdale AONB, said the area’s management board initially opposed the road realignment project but later “reluctantly” accepted it was the “only viable option” to overcome the problem of landslides.
He said:
“The Nidderdale AONB joint advisory committee has always acknowledged the importance of finding a sustainable, long-term solution.
“It is clear that the construction of the new road will cause a permanent and irreversible impact on the AONB. Some impacts can be mitigated within the project boundary and others will be addressed through the off-site mitigation fund.
“We have worked very constructively with the county council on the development of the off-site mitigation fund and we have agreed in principle to manage the delivery of this fund.
“It will be used to pay for a significant amount of biodiversity and landscape enhancements in the surrounding area, such as the creation of new woodland, improving riparian habitats, enhancing moorland and planting new hedges.”
Read More:
- Work on £60m Kex Gill road to start this summer
- Government approves A1 service station after fourth appeal in 25 years
National conservation bodies The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and Natural England also raised concerns over the project, as well as minerals company Sibelco which asked for a government review of the plans but was refused.
Officials at North Yorkshire County Council – which is overseeing the project – previously said the impact on the landscape and wildlife was acknowledged, but extensive planning had not found a better way to re-route the road which is a key east-west link.
Where it runs through Blubberhouses Moor, the road has been hit by regular landslides – most recently in 2018 – which have resulted in closures and diversions through other North Yorkshire towns and villages.
There have been five major landslides at Kex Gill since 2001, with one incident closing the road for eight weeks.
The county council has already agreed to provide about £4m towards the £60m realignment project, with the rest being funded by the Department for Transport (DfT).
Announcing the funds in January, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said:
Work on £60m Kex Gill road set to begin in summer“I know that residents have been frustrated by frequent road closures at Kex Gill caused by landslips in the area.
“Our funding will go a long way towards addressing those problems, making journeys more reliable for people travelling between Harrogate and Skipton.”
Work on the £60m overhaul of the Kex Gill section of the A59 between Harrogate and Skipton is set to begin this summer.
It was announced today that the UK government has declined to have the final say on the plans, which clears the way for the project to begin.
The new road, which is expected to take a year to complete, will divert traffic away from the landslip-prone part of the route.
North Yorkshire County Council’s planning and regular functions committee backed the proposals this month.
However, no decision was made after Lewis Williams, representing mining firm Sibelco, requested the application be given final approval by the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Robert Jenrick.
Mr Jenrick has now declined to ‘call in’ the decision, which the council today said meant it can proceed with plans to begin this summer.
The government has committed up to £56 million for the scheme; the council will spend £4.95 million.
Read more:
Cllr Don Mackenzie, executive member for access at the council, said:
“The decision by the Secretary of State is very good news indeed, leaving the way open to the commencement of this important scheme.
“The A59 at Kex Gill has been subject to closures in the recent past because of land slips, which have disrupted travel, caused long diversions through West Yorkshire, and have been costly.
“The realignment of this trans-Pennine route provides much better connectivity for all road users and is a major boost to the economy of North Yorkshire.”
Cllr Stanley Lumley, member for Pateley Bridge division, said:
Government commits £56m for Kex Gill re-routing“Locals, commuters and visitors will all benefit from enhanced safety and reliability of the important trans-Pennine route.”
The government has committed up to £56 million in funding for an overhaul of the Kex Gill section of the A59 between Harrogate and Skipton.
The proposed new road will divert traffic away from the landslip-prone part of the route and will see the creation of a diversion west of Blubberhouses at Kex Gill.
The project, which is yet to receive planning permission, would take a year to complete with the county council covering the remaining £4.95 million.
Read more:
- £60 million A59 Kex Gill reroute recommended for approval
- Killinghall bypass ‘could cost in excess of £20 million’
The plan for the realignment of the A59 at Kex Gill as proposed by North Yorkshire County Council. Picture: NYCC.
The site has a long history of landslips, which have blighted travel on the road for years.
According to North Yorkshire County Council planning documents, between October 2000 and May 2019, five landslips were recorded at the site and the retaining wall failed four times.
North Yorkshire County Council’s planning and regular functions committee met earlier this month to consider the proposals, which received extensive support from the public and North Yorkshire county councillors.
However, no decision was made after Lewis Williams, representing mining firm Sibelco, requested the application is given final approval by the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Robert Jenrick.
Mr Jenrick is yet to respond to the request.
Mr Williams 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”.
Kex Gill re-route decision delayed despite council supportA 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”.
Read more:
- £60 million A59 Kex Gill reroute recommended for approval
- Killinghall bypass ‘could cost in excess of £20 million’
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.
Weather warning issued for snow and ice tonightWeather warnings are in place for snow and ice tonight in the Harrogate district as temperatures are set to plunge to minus four degrees centigrade.
The Met Office warning says some disruption to travel is possible due to icy stretches and snow falling.
North Yorkshire County Council gritters have been out but untreated roads could be hazardous.
The council warned in a tweet today the lockdown could make conditions worse;
“Although we’re gritting roads whenever needed they might still be icy. Salt needs traffic to activate it – less traffic during lockdown means gritting isn’t as effective and icy conditions may last longer than you would expect.”
A yellow warnings is in place from 5pm today until midnight tomorrow. Yellow warnings are less severe than amber and red warnings.
Tonight’s forecast. Credit: Met Office
The district has been in the grip of a cold snap since Christmas, which has seen occasional heavy snowfall in places, such as the A59 at Blubberhouses and Kex Gill.
Although it is forecast to stay cold, temperatures are expected to rise slightly over the weekend, bringing some respite from the freezing conditions.
Read more:
£60 million A59 Kex Gill reroute in line for approval
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.”
Read more:
- £60 million A59 Kex Gill reroute could start in summer
- The five Harrogate streets that attract the most pothole reports
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.
£60 million A59 Kex Gill reroute could start in summerA £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.
Read more:
- Three weekends of disruption to improve Harrogate rail services
- James Street social distancing cones to be replaced with planters
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.