No one wants the Harrogate Station Gateway scheme in the town - Steven Baines
The High Court may have ruled in favour of North Yorkshire Council’s flawed Harrogate Station Gateway scheme, but let’s be clear, this is a judgement for a scheme that no one wants in the town.
It’s a decision that flies in the face of overwhelming local opposition, disregards economic evidence and ignores the will of the town’s business community. The Get Away campaign has been loud and consistent in its message: this project fails on every level - and we are not backing down.
We have already instructed our lawyers to appeal the judgement. Why? Because the process used to push through this scheme was fundamentally flawed. No meaningful consultation on the revised plans. No updated economic impact assessment. No honest attempt to take the pulse of public opinion. And yet, here we are - being told that this scheme should proceed regardless. What does that say about local democracy?
It's laughable that Cllr Malcolm Taylor, executive councillor for Highways at North Yorkshire Council, in responding to the ruling, reportedly said: “The decision vindicates the thorough and transparent process we followed.”
This is a joke and a smack in the teeth for the vast majority of the general public and business community who have opposed the project.
A survey of some 200 businesses revealed that 91 per cent are opposed to the scheme. That’s not a split opinion, it’s a landslide. These are the businesses that form the backbone of Harrogate’s economy, and they’re telling us, loudly, that this development is a disaster in the making.
Their concerns are not theoretical. Reduced parking, two years of disruptive construction and a complete lack of clarity over the final design will deter customers and choke the local economy. At a time when around a quarter of properties in Harrogate town centre are already vacant and businesses are struggling with increases in national insurance contributions and rises in business rates, this scheme threatens to turn a difficult trading environment into an economic catastrophe.
And the finances? Utterly indefensible. The original budget for the scheme was £7.9m. Now, it could be as high as £14.6m due to another £2m being earmarked for the scheme - despite a downscaled project and the departure of the original construction partner, Galliford Try.
The Get Away campaign is standing firm because we are not just opposing a road layout, we are defending the future of our town. This is not a small band of agitators. We represent the vast majority of Harrogate’s business community and a significant portion of its residents. We are not going to sit quietly while a deeply flawed project is forced upon us through a process that reeks of poor governance and political stubbornness.
North Yorkshire Council and the Department for Transport must be held accountable. If this scheme continues and Harrogate’s economy suffers, they will bear the responsibility. We will make sure of that.
It’s time to draw a line under the Gateway scheme and invest instead in projects that actually support Harrogate’s businesses and benefit its people - like free parking to attract more shoppers into town.
This scheme fails on every level. Our challenge should not have been overruled - but the fight to stop it once and for all will go on. We will do everything to make sure of that.
Steven Baines is spokesperson for the Get Away campaign.