The Get Away campaign has challenged North Yorkshire Council to answer key questions over recent public statements which have sparked new concerns over the Harrogate Station Gateway scheme.
Of particular concern are comments made by Cllr Keane Duncan who has been widely quoted as saying that the Gateway works can commence despite the ongoing High Court legal challenge.
Cllr Duncan, executive member for highways, says not all aspects of the proposal are being challenged and wants work to start ‘at the earliest opportunity’ on those aspects which fall outside the legal action.
However, Get Away spokesman Steven Baines has questioned whether this view is logical or practical given that a court finding against Gateway scheme could still impact on work which has already started.
David Waddington of Hornbeam Park Developments Limited added: “There are elements within the overall Gateway scheme that we support, such as new traffic light sequencing to improve traffic flows in the town but we are not talking about a pick and mix counter where we can take what we like and leave what we don’t on the shelf. This is public money being spent in a way that isn’t in the interest of the public.”
“It strikes me as a big gamble on the part of North Yorkshire Council if it decided to go ahead with elements of the scheme and run up huge construction costs before the money is in the bank – by jumping the gun, the council surely risks recklessly wasting taxpayer funds that could be better invested elsewhere.”
In order to bring some clarity to this crucial matter, Get Away has posed the following questions to North Yorkshire Council:
- If construction works starts on the One Arch, Station Parade and the traffic lights ahead of a court ruling on Station Gateway, can you guarantee this will not land local ratepayers with additional costs if The Gateway project fails?
- Has funding been approved and received by North Yorkshire Council for the elements of the project which are outside of the legal challenge or assurances given that it will be forthcoming regardless of this court action?
- Given that several years have passed since this scheme was first proposed, what will be the true cost of the project now and will local ratepayers be expected to pay the shortfall?
- Above all, does the council think it’s democratic or fair to push forward with multi-million-pound plans when Harrogate residents and businesses haven’t been given visibility of the proposals and are very much still in the dark?
Steven Baines said: “The improvements that Cllr Duncan initially wants to move forward are good for the town but not with the additional baggage and cost that comes from the wider Gateway project.
“We are all for developments that are good for the town but spending millions on an unwanted project where many businesses fear they will not survive the construction phase, is not a price worth paying.
“Cllr Duncan talks about protecting the democratic process but where is the democracy of ignoring objections of the local business community who will be most impacted by this project and pressing on regardless with a gamble which could cost them dearly.
“The Get Away campaign remains committed to fighting for a genuinely consultative approach to town centre improvements — one that works with businesses and residents rather than steamrolling over them. As it stands, we still don’t know what we are getting.”
Phil Lainchbury, who owns Lainchbury Shoe Repairs just inside Harrogate Train Station, said the scheme would bring no benefit to the town.
He said: “We are a family business going back three generations and people come to the town to experience the unique shops that we have here in Harrogate. Small businesses are struggling, we are already seeing shops closing down in the town centre and this could be the final nail in the coffin for many more.
“Station Gateway will bring two years of disruption without any clear benefit at the end of it all. The council should stop this madness now rather than risking people’s livelihoods to provide small bus and cycle lanes which are not needed.”
A recent Get Away survey of almost 200 local businesses in Harrogate revealed that 91% of those questioned opposed the scheme while similar numbers said they felt that Station Gateway would not benefit the economy, visitors or local people.
The Get Away campaign, which includes freeholders, tenants and high street retailers – has also written to both Simon Lightwood MP, the minister for Local Transport at the Department for Transport and Tom Gordon, the MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough to highlight its concerns. It has its eyes set on the Department for Transport (DfT) and, of course, is currently fighting this through the courts.
