Town hall switch hit by listing of old station

The council’s £12.4m plans to sell historic Crescent Gardens – for use as a boutique hotel – as well as four other buildings, and centralise staff at a single location on a newly built site at the old police station on North Park Road, have sparked fury since first being voted through in February.

Now the local authority has been notified the site formerly occupied by North Yorkshire Police on North Park Road, Harrogate, is to be Grade II listed after it was approved by the Government, following a recommendation from English Heritage.

Yesterday the local authority said it was reviewing the Secretary of State’s report and the implications for the local authority’s aim to relocate its offices to North Park Road.

The leader of the council, Coun Anthony Alton said he was disappointed by the decision.

“The council wishes to reduce its overheads and bring greater efficiencies by moving from its current five administrative buildings in Harrogate to one main council office,” he added.

“A contingency plan had also been agreed should we not be in a position to achieve total relocation to North Park Road.

“This may have included a smaller new build at North Park Road and retaining Springfield House. And as we awaited the outcome of the approach to list North Park Road, we have used the time available to consider further contingency options including investigating the provision of the office accommodation within the Harrogate International Centre site. The outcome of these further investigations is awaited.”

Coun Alton said the local authority had taken independent advice in 2011 which concluded it was very likely the buildings would not warrant statutory listing.