Kirkby Malzeard road reopens after three-year closure

A road linking Kirkby Malzeard and Masham has reopened three years after a collapsed section of wall caused its closure.

The reopening follows repair, reconstruction and reinforcement works costing almost £500,000 at the parish church of St Andrew in Kirkby Malzeard.

After heavy overnight rain in February 2020, part of the stone retaining wall for the churchyard fell onto Church Street, making it impassable.

The road, which runs past St Andrew’s and is part of a route from the village to Masham, remained closed up until last Thursday.

Reconstructed church wall at Kirkby Malzeard

The reconstructed section of wall

Harrogate Borough Council initially earmarked £250,000 to fund the project, which was given planning approval in February 2022.

However, the final bill for the work was almost double that amount at £491,670 after council officials said the cost reflected the “volatile nature of the construction market at the moment”.

The increased cost  is being funded from the council’s investment reserves.

A report to the council urgency committee in May said:

“The work was not able to be contracted until the planning process was concluded and permissions put in place.”

The repair works which followed came after residents and parish councillors frustrated by the delays, urged the council to end the “farce” of the church wall.

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End in sight for Kirkby Malzeard’s long-awaited wall repair

More than 32 months after part of St Andrew’s Church wall in Kirkby Malzeard collapsed, repair and reconstruction works costing almost £500,000 are ongoing.

In addition to rebuilding and reinforcing the 10-metre section that fell onto Church Street following heavy overnight rain in February 2020, a further 30-metre length is being refurbished and reinforced.

The road, which runs past St Andrew’s and is part of a route from the village to Masham, has remained closed since the collapse.

Harrogate Borough Council initially earmarked £250,000 to fund the project, which was given planning approval in February this year.

However, the final bill will be almost double that amount at £491,670 after council officials said the cost reflected the “volatile nature of the construction market at the moment”.

The increased cost is set to be funded from the council’s investment reserves.

The collapsed section of wall

The collapsed section of wall, which is being rebuilt and reinforced.

A report to the council urgency committee in May said:

“The work was not able to be contracted until the planning process was concluded and permissions put in place.”

The repair works which have followed came after residents and parish councillors frustrated by more than two years of delays, urged the council to end the “farce” of the church wall.

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