Work on the revised Harrogate Station Gateway is set to begin shortly — even though the scheme has been branded "poor value for money".

The project has been 'de-scoped' after North Yorkshire Council admitted its previous plans, which included pedestrianising part of James Street and reducing a stretch of Station Parade to single lane traffic, were legally flawed.

A council media release today gave the cost of the scheme as £12.1 million — up on the previous figure of £11.2 million.

The council is contributing £1.1 million and the remainder is from the government's Transforming Cities Fund, which is being administered through the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

The combined authority is expected to approve the full business case next week. But a report ahead of the meeting said a value for money assessment of the scheme had classed it as "poor value for money".

It said this was "largely because of increase in scheme costs combined with a reduced scope, with the scheme to mainly disbenefit highway users and retain modest walking, cycling, and bus benefits, in line with the funding objectives".

Today's council media release included details of the revised scheme. It said:

But the actual plans have not been made public.

The combined authority is expected to agree to approve downgraded schemes in Selby and Skipton as well as Harrogate next week.

Cllr Keane Duncan, the council’s executive member for highways and transport and Conservative mayoral candidate for North Yorkshire, said:

Today's media release said subject to combined authority approval, "construction is due to start in September and will take one year".

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