Member Article

Majority back Harrogate Council’s £9 million move

A public consultation on Harrogate Borough Council’s new £9 million office at Knapping Mount has come out with majority support for the scheme.

The consultation provided details on two options for consideration relocating to Knapping Mount, or alternatively, consolidating down to three buildings: Crescent Gardens, Springfield House and Scottsdale House.

Over 57% of the 822 people who responded to the council’s public consultation supported the option to relocate from the current five offices to one purpose built site.

This option is the council’s preferred option and has been backed by Conservative councillors from the start, although Harrogate Lib Dems have voiced concerns.

Council leader, Conservative Councillor Richard Cooper, said: “The majority of respondents have supported the option to develop purpose-built offices at the Knapping Mount site.

“This move would offer many benefits such as improving customer service by dealing with all customer queries from one location, offering long termfinancial savings through reduced running costs and improving efficiency.

“We want to progress with the best possible option and create office accommodation which will benefit both council employees and Harrogate district residents.

“As a consequence, we will be carefully considering whether the new proposal of a potential development site in Hornbeam Park should be explored further.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Clare Burnett .