This is how much restoration works at the Stray in Harrogate will cost - and who will pay for it

A section of the Stray was badly damaged when heavy rain affected the nine-day cycling event in September.

Yorkshire 2019 - a limited company set up by the government to run the event - has now agreed to contribute £35,500 towards the £38,000 it will cost in grass repairs.

Works will start this week - and council leader Richard Cooper said it is hoped the Stray will be "returned to its former glory" by Autumn this year.

He said: “We have decided to use opportunity to address the historic drainage issues at the corner of Otley Road and West Park. This has been an issue and frustration to local residents for a number of years and I’m pleased to announce this is also being addressed.

“So that we get everything done at once, we have also brought forward planned investment in the footpaths across the Stray. If things go to plan we should see our brilliant Stray better than it has ever been by September.”

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Here is a breakdown of the council's expected costs:

£38,105 for repairs to grassed areas of West Park Stray (including a contribution of £35,000 from Yorkshire 2019)

£65,385 for pavement, footpaths, fencing, bedding and verge repairs, reinstatement of bins and benches

£20,156 to fix long-standing drainage issues

£6,325 project management and delivery costs

Hosting the international cycling event resulted in a £17.8million boost to Harrogate's economy, according to a study commissioned by the council.

The event was also watched by 329million globally on TV.

However, the council's study - carried out by EY (Ernst & Young) - has been criticised for not taking into account some businesses' losses.

Retail campaign group Independent Harrogate previously said losses of its 22 members amounted to nearly £1million.

The council spent a total of £1,305,660 on the event - but this cost was offset using £673,000 from the Leeds City Region business rates pool and £27,000 income.

Some local businesses had called on Yorkshire 2019 to pay them some form of compensation for their loss of earnings, but this plea was refused.

The event organisers spent £100,000 laying down 13,000 square metres of protective matting to minimise damage to the site.

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Contractors Glendale Services will start the repair works by rotovating and spraying the grass, turning it blue for a period of time. This is not harmful to humans or animals.

The area will be left for a two-week period to take effect ahead of planned seeding at the end of May.

Fencing will be placed around areas of the Stray, including the footpaths, as works progress. Once completed, workers will continue to maintain the site before handing it back to the council.

Additionally, the council said it will continue to carry out the extra work to make the West Park Stray "look even better than it was before."

These works will include flagstones and drainage repairs.

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