Plan to close road at former Harrogate Council HQ up for debate

Impala Estates bought the former council offices in 2020.

Plans to erect bollards and planters to close the road outside the former Harrogate Borough Council offices have been recommended for approval.

Councillors are due to meet next week to consider the application by Impala Estates, which bought the building from the council for £4m in 2020.

The developer already has permission to convert the site into office and restaurant space.

Seven objections to the proposals have been received.

The Crescent Gardens site was vacated by the council in 2017 when it moved into new headquarters at the Civic Centre on Knapping Mount.

Impala Estates said it wanted to block traffic from entering to the front of the former offices, running between Swan Road to the west and Montpellier Road to the east.

The developer said it would do this by installing five telescopic bollards alongside planters on both sides of the road, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

The area between the planters would be finished in stone block setts, it added.

'No significant impact'

However, if the plans are approved then a separate "stopping up order" would be needed from the Department for Transport to close the road, requiring a public consultation.

Planning documents stated the arrangement would make the road look similar to the Low Traffic Neighbourhood the council trialled at Beech Grove in Harrogate during the Covid pandemic.

Council officers backed the proposals in a report prepared for councillors on the Harrogate and Knaresborough planning committee ahead of the meeting.

The report said: "The proposals will have a minor positive impact on the character and appearance of the conservation area and no significant impact on the setting of nearby listed buildings."

However, Harrogate Civic Society is among objectors to the proposal.

It objected to the loss of the public right of way and called the proposed planters "unattractive".

Society chair Henry Pankhurst said: "We do not agree that closing off the highway to the public is acceptable, even if it was closed to motor vehicles but maintained the right of way for pedestrians and possibly cyclists."

The planning committee is due to meet to discuss the proposals on Tuesday afternoon.