MPs recommend lifting of Harrogate Stray restrictions for Tour de Yorkshire

Historic regulations governing the use of parkland in central Harrogate look set to be relaxed to allow the town to host the Tour de Yorkshire cycle race.
The Stray, HarrogateThe Stray, Harrogate
The Stray, Harrogate

MPs belonging to the Regulatory Reform Committee have given their backing to amending a 30-year-old parliamentary act which restricts use of the Stray.

A temporary draft order will suspend the rules imposed by the Harrogate Stray Act 1985 for the duration of the 2017 event. The 80-hectare open parkland is managed by Harrogate Council on behalf of landowners the Duchy of Lancaster. Around 14.6 hectares would need to be reserved for 11 days to host the infrastructure needed for the Tour stage.

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The committee, which published a report on the issue today, was asked to assess the proposed order by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.

In the document, they noted that Harrogate Council is currently in the process of consulting residents and businesses in the town on the principle of amending and modernising the Stray Act to allow a greater range of events to be held there in future.

Two Yorkshire MPs - Labour's Imran Hussain (Bradford East) and Conservative Andrew Percy (Brigg and Goole) - sit on the committee.